Patriarchy can be seen in politics, economics and any other areas were a simple and rigid hierarchical structure is sadly still required. Religion sometimes will end up aping the secular. It is when literalists come in handy to justify the reality taking the matter back in the context of ancient times. Any other solution such as contextual complementarianism would require too much effort and would require "dangerous" shifts in ideologies.

Indeed more plausible than the idea of the thorn being a physical weakness which does not fit with Paul s spiritual maturity. I believe it would have been easier for him to endure the pain inflicted by a physical thorn then the one by the so-called brothers. I am tempted to speculate on what the details of this torments were. Is it about the fact that he was not an "original" apostle, or that he was not born and educated in Israel, or that he was before conversion a fierce persecutor of the Christians? A relative or someone persecuted by him could have never forgive him even after his conversion. We ll never know.

Fricile astea, de fapt, le avem cu totii... Doar in cantitati diferite, in etape diferite ale vietii...