"Grantland Rice was the greatest man I have known, the greatest talent, the greatest gentleman." This is the appraisal of the late Red Smith. Many felt the only thing greater than his talent was his generous heart. Rice was the epitome of courtesy.
The story goes that the noted journalist's working pass ticket for the Army-Notre Dame football game went astray. This man, who virtually created that classic game, did not complain. Instead he went down Broadway, bought a ticket from a scalper, and watched the game from the stands with his typewriter on his knee. Afterwards, he went to the press box to complete his story. Hearing of the experience, a friend asked, "Why didn't you throw some weight around?"
"Tell you the truth," Granny came back, "I don't weigh much."[1]
Paul had a similar attitude; he didn't weigh much. But what he weighed, was from the Lord and that couldn't be ignored. He felt compelled to boast last chapter. He did it reluctantly because he felt it was necessary for these people to understand what the life an apostle looked like. It was a life lived for one purpose, to fulfill the calling God had placed on their life. They were messengers, given a message to deliver. However, there was a risk in this boasting. Once could easily be moved to pride and glorify themselves. Paul was being careful to not make his boasting about himself to glorify him; but only to boast of Paul the wretch, saved, equipped and used by God in spite of who he was.
Chapter 11 ended with Paul speaking of his first peril; escaping Damascus in a basket. As we continue in chapter 12, he speaks of the greatest event of his life.
2 Corinthians 12:1-6
It's feels strange for Paul to boast, but these false teachers were boasting about who they were and trying to claim they were apostles. People were being led astray by the lies and deceit of these men. So Paul reluctantly boasted.
How many of us could experience a vision as this and not be busting at the seams to tell anyone and everyone who might listen. Would out boasting cross the line into self-exaltation? Paul resorts to "I know a man" as if this man weren't him. It's his way to guard against the sin of self-exaltation. Would revealing this vision have silenced the shameless boasting these so-called super apostles? We don't know for sure. It would seem that Paul came to 'visions and revelations of the Lord' because these men had done so; impressing the crowds as they shamed Paul.
Through all the boasting from these false apostles, we know they appealed to the Corinthians by the commendations. They had the letters of recommendations as it were. They were great orators, giving amazing speeches and charging big dollars. They were well educated, and they looked good, dressed well and by all appearance had it all together. With the worldliness of the Corinthians and their ability to be easily fooled with the slick presentations of these men, we can see where they would be easily impressed with the false teachers speaking about visions and revelations. This is why Paul chose to speak about his experience.
As Paul wrote this and began to convey this experience, his first thought was that this event had been fourteen years ago. It obviously left a lasting mark on his life. Even after fourteen years, he doesn't know if he was in his body or not when this happened. This must have been such an inexplicable experience; Paul didn't know if it was physical or spiritual. He didn't know but God knew. However, you explain it, whether physical or not, Paul said he was 'caught up' to the 3rd heaven; that part he is sure about.
The people of that day would have understood the third heaven as the place where God (or gods) lived. The first heaven is where the birds fly; it's the sky. The second heaven is where the stars and planets are. The third heaven is the abode of God; it was believed to be beyond the stars, sun and moon.
Paul was 'caught up' to this third heaven. The root word for 'caught up' is the Greek word harpazo; this means suddenly and without warning being snatched away. This is the word used in reference to the rapture in first Thessalonians and it's certainly the same picture. In the blink of an eye, we'll be out of here, snatched away. That's what Paul experienced, in the blink of an eye, he was snatched away to paradise. He can't explain how or why, if it was physical or what was happening. All he knows is that it was very real.
There is no real connection to when this happened in Paul's life. The 14 years doesn't help them narrow it down because there is no exact consensus of when 2 Corinthians was written. So, there is a 2 to 3-year window of events that might coincide with this event. One of the popular speculations is that when Paul was stoned in Acts 14:19, that the Lord snatched him away to heaven.
Paul can't explain it, but he was taken to Paradise. The first time he called it the 3rd heaven and now he calls it Paradise, they are one in the same. Paradise is an interesting word and is actually an English rendering of a Persian word. In its origins, in Persia the word meant an enclosed, luxurious garden full of delightful delicacies. This might be the type of Garden found among royalty or in a palace in the ancient world.
It is thought provoking that this word Paradise came from the area where there is a connection with the Garden of Eden or the paradise God created. While this word is used as the abode of God it is only used three times in the bible.
Then he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom."
43 And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."
(NKJV; Luke 23:42; 1982, Thomas Nelson)
7 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God."' (NKJV; Revelation 2:7; 1982, Thomas Nelson)
And between those 2 places it is used here in 2 Corinthians to speak of the place where Paul was taken. From these 3 verses, we know all three are a reference to heaven. We don't learn a lot about paradise from these 3 verses, however, we know the thief that repented on the cross next to Christ is already there; that's cool and worth pondering. We know the tree of life is there, right in the midst of Paradise; that's pretty amazing. And then we know Paul was there and that he went back there not too long after writing this letter.
Now, think about what Paul is saying here. He was snatched away in the blink of an eye and there he stood in the Paradise of God. Imagine that. He saw that amazing place that each of God's redeemed will see. Think about what he saw; who he saw. You read this and want to say, "Paul, tell us about Paradise, don't leave us hanging. Come on Paul, tell us more, boast away, it's okay." But no, even in Paul's reluctant boasting he ends up being humble, refusing to tell of these things. He wouldn't tell because others would look to him as if he were someone or something special and deserving. Paul knows that he wasn't.
While Paul was there, he heard inexpressible words. These words were unspeakably holy; or too sacred to be uttered. Of the words he heard, it wasn't permissible for him to utter them. The words 'It is not lawful' is better interpreted as "not allowed." It may be our language doesn't allow those things to be expressed or Paul was not allowed by the authority of the Holy Spirit. Not allowing him to speak of such things may also have been to keep his pride in check and his boasts in bounds.
You can imagine all the speculation that takes place regarding these words; but those words were for Paul alone. They were the words that kept Paul focused and energized for 14 years. They kept him running his race in his own lane. When he was beaten, arrested, stoned, shipwrecked, imprisoned and in peril of all sorts, those words kept Paul going when everything else seemed to be crashing around him.
Paul doesn't speak of what he saw. Surely these were inexpressible sights as well. We can only guess that everyone who spoke to Paul after this hounded him for details he was unwilling or not allowed to share.
Paul will boast in the 3rd person of the man who was taken to Paradise because the boast is about God doing a work in that man's life. It had nothing to do with the man. This thing that happened to Paul was the second most important thing that happened in his life. The first was when he was knocked to the ground and humbled before God. Then having received his salvation, he was taken to paradise where he received words from God. And these words defined Paul's life.
Paul will only boast in his infirmities; that is when he spoke of all the suffering, pain and perils in his life. He'll speak of the pain but not of the glory he experienced. His boast is that he has no weight to throw around, yet God gave him weight!!
It's in all our carnal natures to boast. It would have been so easy for pride to enter in and say, "You ought to see what God did for me, he took me to paradise, showed me around and gave me a secret." But, Paul said, he would not be a fool.
The false apostles were boasting foolishly and Paul didn't want to be in the same category as them. They would be puffed with pride and boast about some experience they had with God, because after all, they were the super apostles; holy and righteous. Many of the Corinthians sat on the edge of their seat, waiting and listening, hanging on every word.
Paul didn't want them looking at him that way. They had no business looking at Paul and thinking above what they saw him to be or what they heard from him. We know what they saw; the broken down, poorly dressed, physically frail, short, unspectacular, and possibly unattractive man. And what did they hear, they heard the gospel message. They constantly heard the truth of God in all that he said and saw the truth in all that he did in his life.
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Paul switched from third person when he said 'lest I should be exalted'. Paul could have very well been exalted as being very special among men for his experience. If he had come to Corinth the first time dressed to the nines with a story like that the Corinthians would have welcomed him in. With this experience of being in paradise, they would have exalted Paul. And any man would be tempted in pride when he is exalted.
But Paul doesn't even begin to go there because he recognizes the sin from a great distance and stays away from it. For fourteen years, he hasn't told this story and the Corinthians brought him to that point in his reluctant boasting where he revealed it. But his purpose wasn't to put these false apostles in their place or to make the Corinthians think he was special in some way. The whole purpose of telling the story was so he could reveal that he was given a thorn in his flesh. Part of the deal of Paul being taken to Paradise is God allowed this thorn to keep his pride in check. This affliction kept his feet on the ground and kept him humble. This thorn was a messenger of Satan that buffeted him. The word used for thorn wasn't a small splinter, the word means a sharp stake, a tent stake. This was something significant and constant in Paul's life, not just a small irritation. It's also noteworthy that thorns in the bible tend to be representative of sin.
Apparently, God allowed a messenger of Satan to afflict Paul in some way. This evil messenger buffeted Paul. This word buffet means to punch. God allowed this messenger to punch Paul; the evil one did it with evil purposes but God allowed this buffeting for his righteous purposes. That purpose was to keep Paul humble.
There is a lot of speculation as to what this thorn was and the truth is no one knows. The language suggests this was a demon that was allowed to continually attack Paul and his work. Think about this, all through Paul's missionary journeys he was followed around by these Judaizers. These were the guys adding to grace, saying you had to keep parts of the law to be saved. Paul went to these places and preached the gospel and then the Judaizers came in behind him to mess things up; preaching forms or works righteousness, preaching another Jesus.
They were also the ones who stirred up the mob in Jerusalem when Paul was arrested. They were also the ones that stirred up the mob in Lystra. This mob went from bowing before them and trying to worship and sacrifice to them to actually stoning Paul. And there are many other stories of these guys following Paul around and stirring up problems against him.
So, there is a reasonable thought that this messenger of Satan was the power behind these Judaizers. He was the one coming in behind Paul and causing problems in the church. And this emissary of Satan may also be the power behind all the problems with these false apostles in Corinth. Paul's knowledge of that may be what drove him to write these last chapters. As I said before, these last chapters were written in a different tone, like some new information came to him and he sat down and addressed that information.
Another common speculation about this thorn was that it was a physical ailment. Many believe this ailment to be some sort of eye problem. There is evidence that Paul had something wrong with his eyes. If there was a physical ailment that everyone could see, whether it was his eyes or a problem speaking or whatever, this ailment had new meaning when it was understood as a thorn to keep Paul humble after his experience in the 3rd heaven. It's like Paul saying, "You folks of Corinth know I have this problem with my eyes, but did you know why I have this problem." Then he proceeds to tell them of the 3rd heaven and how this problem was given to him as a thorn in the flesh.
As to whether this thorn was some physical ailment or being dogged by these messengers of Satan, we don't know and that's by God's design. Otherwise, we would be told.
When Jesus was in garden of Gethsemane he prayed three times that the cup might be removed and we are thankful that it wasn't. Paul asked God three times that this messenger of Satan might depart from him. Paul learned to glory in the wisdom of God to not remove that thorn. Some scholars suggest this passage really means he asked many times or continually asked God, not just 3 times. The purpose might be as simple as showing us that it's okay to pray for something more than once. It doesn't show a lack of faith. It shows that he took everything to the Lord in prayer.
Paul said, "that it might depart from me. Asking for a departure sounds like this was the work of a demon messing things up in Paul's ministry. Paul asked and God said no, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness." If God took all of Paul's aches and pains away and removed any ailment or painful issue in his life, then Paul's life would be more comfortable but his testimony would be weakened. Paul's weakened and imperfect state says anything accomplished in this life is because of God. When I'm up against an obstacle of any kind, God grants me the grace to overcome it or endure it.
Paul was kept under a burden of some kind to keep his feet on the ground spiritually That was Paul's answer, God had, and would continue to, strengthen Paul in grace. The great buffeting of Satan in Paul's life showed the strength of God working through this frail man's life. And that's why, in the wisdom of God, the details of this thorn are withheld. Now, this can be applied to every situation found in every one of our lives.
The weakness that was evident in Paul's life became a strength. It's the paradoxical nature of the Christian life. Another way of saying this is, "When I am weak, He is strong." Or, "when I am weak, then I am strong in Christ." In the helplessness and vulnerability, Christ offers power to endure. Because of this, Paul took pleasure in infirmities, reproaches and needs. He prayed three times that it be removed. God's answer to that prayer was 'no', this thorn served God's purpose in Paul's life. At this point, Paul could have crawled off into some dark corner and wallowed in self-pity saying, "It's not fair!" But he didn't. Instead he took God at his word. He relied on the promise of sufficiency in that grace. When is the last time we did that?
2 Corinthians 12:11-13
Paul felt like he had spent too much time boasting. Yet, he felt compelled to boast since the Christians at Corinth wouldn't boast on his behalf. In reality, these people should have been standing with Paul and defending him. They should have commended and defended him against these accusations by the false teachers. Instead of being commended by them, the was forced to commend himself to them.
Paul had presented the resume' and life of an apostle of Jesus Christ and it was vastly different from the life of those men presenting themselves as apostles before the Corinthians. The super apostles had nothing on Paul and yet, Paul said in humility and service to Christ, "I am nothing." If they had nothing on Paul, and he counted himself as nothing – they were less than nothing.
If the Corinthians were really thinking about the situation before them, they would remember that they had seen these signs and wonders and mighty deeds worked out in their presence. These were the signs of an apostle. These were miracles and moves of God that happened as He moved and worked through men like Paul. With everything that God had done in and around this church from the very beginning, what was it, Paul asked, that made you feel inferior to the other churches. The other churches didn't feel inferior and offered Paul support for his needs. What was it they were looking for when they opened the door and invited false teachers in, Paul asked. Were they looking for someone to become a burden to them. The false apostles became burdensome and legalistic and took support from the people and charged for their speaking and the people accepted that. If that's what Paul had done wrong, then he sarcastically begs their forgiveness.
2 Corinthians 12:14-15
This was Paul's final swing through Corinth. This was to confirm reconciliation and to receive the collection for the poor in Jerusalem. The question was whether there would also be some additional activity with these false apostles and their followers.
It was important for Paul to take up this offering but he wanted to make sure they knew he wasn't going to be a burden. Paul wasn't coming there for their money or what they could offer him monetarily or materially. He was coming there for the people. He wasn't working for them to receive pay. Paul had the heart of a servant and a shepherd. He was there because he loved them and wanted to care for them. He said, for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. In one sense Paul saw himself as a spiritual father to these newer Christians. He didn't want them to be burdened by their father. Likewise, there should have been the realization that Paul was their father and they should have treated him that way.
Another aspect of considering them children, was the fact that they should be maturing in the faith. They should have been to the point where they weren't in the fellowship just to receive something. They should have grown past the place where they were just asking, "What's in it for me?" They should have been growing up, growing in holiness and righteousness.
The heart of Christ should have been revealed in them as having hearts of servants, willing to serve others, ministering to others, meeting needs that were in front of them. In a sense, and maybe with a little sarcasm, Paul said, no one expects you to be a giver and offer anything because we know you're still children and you are takers, only seeking what's in it for you.
You can almost feel the pain in these words. The more Paul loved them, the less it was returned. That had to have hurt Paul. It is the picture of the the ungrateful child enjoying the hard work and efforts of the father and giving thanks to either no one or someone else.
The fact that they didn't offer to support Paul reflects their lack of love for him. As far as the money was concerned, Paul didn't care. In spite of all that, Paul said he would spend and be spent for them. His love was unconditional; Christlike in that his actions weren't dependent on their response.
2 Corinthians 12:16-18
The false apostles had made the accusation that Paul was being crafty and cunning. They probably said, "Yea, Paul doesn't take support from you but he has tricked you into giving for the poor in Jerusalem." "Yea, the poor in Jerusalem…….. I bet!" We don't know for sure, but they were accusing Paul of trickery.
Unfortunately, that's all it took; cast a little doubt and innuendo and before long you have a full-blown accusation in the rumor mill. Why would they make this accusation? He asks the rhetorical questions regarding Titus. No one took advantage of them, except the ones who were making the accusation. Isn't that interesting? These guys had projected their own behavior on Paul and Titus. Since the false apostles were unethical, they assumed others would act in the same way. Their own hearts are revealed in the accusations they made.
2 Corinthians 12:19-21
Paul wasn't making excuses. He wasn't asking their forgiveness because he had done nothing wrong. He wasn't asking the rhetorical questions so they would have some means of offering some lame excuse. Paul said he spoke before God. He was speaking the truth to these people and all that was done was done for the building up of the church. Paul had done a lot to build them up, while these false apostles came in behind him to knock things down. That seemed to be all right with some of the people of Corinth.
Paul's fear when he came was that things were just as worldly and just as messed up as the last two times he was there. He expected there to be growth and maturity, not the same old worldliness. When Paul arrived, would he find fruit of their ministry? Would there be fruit of the Spirit? Or would he find the fruit of the world? What did the fruit look like from the ministry in Corinth?
Paul draws a great contrast in Galatians 5.
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (NKJV; Galatians 5:19-21, 1982, Thomas Nelson)
These things are the fruit of the world; the works of the flesh. It's almost like he was talking about Corinth, but the world hasn't changed, the list fits the fruit of our world then and now. Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries and the like. ('And the like' is thrown in for anything that should be on the list was wasn't included.)
If there was the presence of the Spirit among them, if they were a Christ centered church, he would find something completely different. The contrast of the fruit of the world is set against the fruit of the spirit; verse 22 of Galatians 5.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (NKJV; Galatians 5:22-25, 1982, Thomas Nelson)
Paul hoped to find the fruit of the spirit. He said if he found all this worldly stuff then he would be truly humbled. He would probably be wondering what he had done wrong as an apostle. If that's what Paul found among them, he would mourn and he would find among them some folks who had not repented of the uncleanness, fornication, and lewdness which they have practiced. The absence of good fruit would be a bad sign. The presence of those who had not repented of these things would be a bad sign for that church. These things would be an indication of a church following the world and its values. It would show they had accepted what the false apostles were selling. It would show they were following another Jesus. The other Jesus didn't die for their sins.
In the real Jesus, there was found suffering and there was pain in that suffering. From the suffering, we can find the sufficiency of the Lord as he grants us grace. The real Jesus doesn't make us strong of ourselves. His strength shines through in our weakness. He takes a life yielded to him and does mighty things in spite of all the fears and weaknesses and inabilities in that life.
This was a group of folks that were saints, saved by grace. However, they seemed to have failed to grow. They received their salvation and then became stagnant, holding onto the world and its values; as well as the baggage of the old life. Their attitude toward church was similar to that of the unbeliever's attitude. The unbeliever doesn't mind the church if it serves them and their purpose. It's a 'what's in it for me' attitude. When they no longer feel entertained, provided for, or fed, they're gone. The conviction of our sins moves us; however, it should move us away from sin, not away from Christ. Spiritual growth in a believer moves them from a child in the faith to become more Christlike in every way. Instead of 'what's in it for me?' it becomes 'how might I serve others?'
©2006, 2010, 2016, 2022 Doug Ford, Calvary Chapel Sweetwater
[1] Jones, G. C. (1986). 1000 illustrations for preaching and teaching (p. 324). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
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