Title: The Life of a Real Free Man
Contents <Brave Heart>, which was made into a movie by Randall Willis, is the story of Scotland gaining freedom from British dictatorship at the end of the 13th century.
The plot contrasts between William Wallace, leader of the Scottish rebels, and Edward Longshanks, king of England and oppressor of Scotland. Wallace, who originally dreamed of a quiet life, fights against the British oppression, and does not yield to any conciliation. Because only freedom was important to him, the ‘freedom of the sons of Scotland’. Eventually, he fell into the trap of Edward I and was captured, and he was publicly executed in London. The final scene is so moving and impressive. While dying, he resolutely dies while shouting “Free dom!” with a desperate voice for the freedom and peace of his country. And, stimulated by his death, Scotland is united to defeat the British army, and finally obtains precious freedom. This is the story of this film.
I think that this is a film that conveys what true freedom is like and how valuable it is with a deep emotion. So, how do we live today? How much do we really feel the precious value of such freedom?
The text we read today introduces the story of a man who lived with such “paradoxical freedom.” He had a great experience to the point of going up to the third heaven, but after that, he received a ‘thorn in the flesh’ from God and was suffering internally, that is, ‘Apostle Paul’. However, despite the fact that he has physical thorns, he boldly and proudly testifies of the 'free life' he finally enjoyed.
First, God told the Apostle Paul, "I will boast for such a person, but for my sake I will not boast except in weaknesses."
The Apostle Paul mentioned in his epistles how foolish it is to brag about himself repeatedly. For to be self-confident and to brag about yourself is to take away all the glory that is due to God. So, in verse 2 and below, the Apostle Paul is speaking of the mysterious experience he experienced 14 years ago, but he is using the third person subject as if it was experienced by someone other than himself. Paul's humble attitude led to the declaration and practice of boasting only in his weaknesses. So, in 1 Peter 5:6, the apostle Peter
Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, for in due time he will exalt you.
that's what you're saying. In addition, in James 4:16,
When you boast in vain, all such boasting is evil.
said
Then, what is the ‘thorn in the flesh’ that God gave to the apostle Paul?
The word ‘skolops’ translated as ‘thorn’ is used in various meanings such as ‘pile, stick, piece of wood, thorn’, etc. In the Bible, it is mainly used to mean ‘a sharp thorn with a pointed tip’. And ‘te sarki’, translated ‘in the flesh’, can be interpreted as ‘in the flesh’ as well as ‘for’. The former view means that the thorn is in the flesh, that is, the thorn is in the body of the apostle Paul. And if the latter view is followed, it means that the sinful nature still remains after conversion. That is, in the latter view, thorns can be interpreted as painful experiences that continue to pierce the sinful nature of man.
First of all, the former view is mostly interpreted based on the statement of the apostle Paul mentioned in Galatians 4:13 and below. There, the Apostle Paul is clearly referring to the weakness of his own body, especially in verses 14 and 15, “It is in my flesh that you are tempted, and you do not despise it or forsake it” and “You must If it had been possible, you would have plucked out even your eyes and given them to me.” It is presumed that the Apostle Paul must have had chronic epilepsy or eye disease.
Next, in view of the latter, Chrysostom understands that “to curb the pride of the apostle, God prevented the further improvement of the apostle Paul’s preaching and caused his enemies to treat him viciously.” Also, he personally interpreted the expression ‘Satan’s messenger’, which refers to the thorn in the body, and regarded it as ‘all those who do Satan’s works and oppose the word’. In other words, the thorn in the flesh given to the Apostle Paul must have been the adversaries who tested his sanctification and character. In fact, the Apostle Paul encountered such adversaries countless times during the preaching of the gospel. In Acts 13:10, there was a confrontation with Elumah, a clown who hindered the preaching of the gospel, and at that time, the apostle Paul called him a ‘son of the devil.
Finally, the Apostle Paul said, “For the sake of Christ, I take pleasure in weaknesses, reproaches, privations, persecutions, and afflictions, for when I am weak, then I am strong.”
The Apostle Paul came to realize that his “weakness” was rather an “instrument of grace” that showed God’s power through the Lord’s answer to the prayer that he had previously offered to God with his bodily thorn. That is why the apostle Paul is telling us that he was living a life that was completely overwhelmed by that grace. In other words, based on the principle that “the power of God is made perfect in weakness,” the apostle Paul is stating that he rejoices in weaknesses, insults, privations, persecutions, and hardships. It is like Psalm 119:71.
It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes.
It reminds me of a confession.