Paul’s Sight Never Fully Returned

Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” [2 Corinthians 12] is possibly best explained as a chronic visual impairment that persisted after his Damascus healing—not total blindness, but debilitating, humiliating, function-limiting weakness of sight. This fits the language Paul uses, the narrative in Acts, the incidental remarks in the letters, and the social world of the first century better than spiritualized or vague explanations.

In [Acts 9:18] it does not say that Paul regained any sight not that it was perfect again or permanent. 

He mentions that in [Galatians 4:13 & 15] the readers would have torn out your eyes and given them to him and that he “preached to them because of a physical affliction (ἀσθένειαν τῆς σαρκὸς)”.

Also in [Galatians 6:11] he mentions that he is writing to them in large letters with his own hand, meaning that someone else isn’t transcribing his message to them but he is personally taking the time and strain which requires large letters possibly from a level of blindness.

In [2 Corinthians 10:10] Paul describes how others see him in person, as someone who writes well but has zero oratorical and presentation presence. Possibly due to not being able to focus on the audience and not looking up.

In [Acts 23] Paul is brought before the Sanhedrin and responds acerbically to the high priest, when called out for it he states “I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest.” [Acts 23:5]

Again none of this is hard evidence but adds up, mix in the Tertullian writings that Paul was “burdened with infirmity.” [On the Flesh of Christ 5] and a case can be made. 

What Happened to Paul After Damascus?

After Paul regained his sight [Galatians 1:15-18] he did not go up to Jerusalem but went into the wilderness of Arabia and then returned to Damascus. This is traditionally understood as Damascus Syria and the Greek words ὑπέστρεψα πάλιν is translated as “I returned” to Damascus but would be better translated as “I turned back once more” with the implication that he turned back once more to Jerusalem and stopped in New Damascus which was the city center of what we call Qumran, a temple center a few hours east-southeat of Jerusalem. New Damascus is where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found and was the home of the Zadok Priests and their followers the Essenes, people of “The Way”.

What Evidence is there of New Damascus?

The first is the logic of the trip. It is much more likely that Paul went to the wilderness to be taught. It is not told what he was doing in the wilderness of Arabia/Nabataean territory but it was where Israel’s prophets are re-commissioned as seen with Moses, Elijah, Israel the nation, and John the Baptist. It was time of study and reexamination of everything he had been taught. Possibly including the Zadok priests of New Damascus to study under them.

One of the reasons this would make a lot of sense is with the Dead Sea Scrolls [1QS Serekh ha-Yahad] we know what the process was to be taught by them in “The Way” about the messiah and his plans for redemption. It was a multi step process that took over two years but under three.

This would account for the missing three years of Paul. That is not all though. There is also the change in how Paul spoke and taught going forward as well as how he wrote.

Paul & Zadokite Thought

The Zadokite Essenes had a strong dualistic worldview, often portraying the world as a battle between light and darkness, good and evil, truth and falsehood. This theme is prominent in the Community Rule (1QS), where members of the Essene community are described as “sons of light,” while outsiders are “sons of darkness.”

Paul uses similar dualistic language in his letters. He did not use the Tanakh Old Testament to source this reference since nowhere in the Tanakh does this phrase appear. As far as we know today this is largely exclusive to the Zadokite Qumran communities writings. Paul using this term is a choice used only by one other Apostle, John (aside from one reference in [Luke 16:8] for the parable of the shrewd manager found only in Luke), who we have covered was a follower of John the Baptist (who we feel was most likely the Zadok High Priest), and in whom the Apostle John would have learned similar topics to Paul’s writings:

Both Paul and the Zadokite Essenes present this cosmic struggle between light and darkness as a fundamental component of eschatological understanding.

The Zadokite Essenes had a strong apocalyptic worldview. They expected the imminent arrival of God’s Messiah as prophesied and the establishment of a righteous kingdom. This is seen in the War Scroll [1QM] and Commentary on Habakkuk [1QpHab], where they discuss the coming battle between the forces of light and darkness and the judgment that will befall the wicked.

Paul, like the Essenes, also had an apocalyptic perspective and anticipated the imminent return of Jesus Christ and the final judgment.

The Essenes emphasized holiness, purity, and strict adherence to the Torah. They believed in separating themselves from the impure world and living in highly disciplined, communal settings, as seen in the Community Rule [1QS]. They sought to live as a holy community, aligned with God’s will.

Paul also stresses the need for communal ethic as seen in [Acts 4:32 & 2 Corinthians 8:13-14] as well as holiness and purity, although he broadens these themes beyond strict adherence to Jewish law and redefines them in the context of faith in Christ.

The Zadokite Essenes referred to their community as living under a “new covenant,” a covenant of righteousness and adherence to God’s law. This is reflected in the Damascus Document [CD], where the Essenes describe themselves as those who live in the “new covenant” in contrast to the rest of Israel, which they believed had fallen away from God’s true teachings.

Paul also speaks of the new covenant, though in the context of faith in Christ:

The Zadokite Essenes also loved to write in a chiastic structure that both Paul & John also employed to a large degree which we go into greater detail here. James and Peter also used chiastic style but to a much lesser level (many don’t even notice) and mostly a poetic rhetoric in two places [James 1:5-8 & 1 Peter 3:18-22] possibly lifted from John or Paul.

Only Evidence Not Proof

This is only evidence, not proof, of anything but strongly suggests that Paul trained with the Zadokite Essenes before going back to the Apostles and kept a very Essene mindset going forward.