II Corinthians 12 · The Lantern

Paul’s Revelation

It behooves me to boast; it is not profitable indeed, but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.

I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago — whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows — such a one caught up to the third heaven.

And I know such a man — whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows —

But since he (Paul) has described that assumption of himself up to the third heaven as something great and pre-eminent, it cannot be that these men ascend above the seventh heaven, for they are certainly not superior to the apostle.

Paul says that he was caught up twice—first into the third heaven and then into paradise, which is where the Lord said that the thief on the cross would be with him..

Having spoken of the first rapture, the Apostle speaks of a second rapture. First, he mentions the rapture; secondly, its excellence (v. 4b). It should be noted that a Gloss says that this rapture was distinct from the first, and if one considers the matter well, two things are written of the Apostle to which these two raptures can be referred. For in Acts (chap.

that he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible declarations, which it is not permitted for a man to speak.

Wherefore also the elders who were disciples of the apostles tell us that those who were translated were transferred to that place (for paradise has been prepared for righteous men, such as have the Spirit; in which place also Paul the apostle, when he was caught up, heard words which are unspeakable as regards us in our present condition), and that there shall they who have be…

But, even if the angels, whose nature is simple and spiritual, are said to have tongues with which they sing praises to their Lord and Creator and give him unceasing thanks, much more must the spiritualized bodies of men do so after the resurrection.

Then he mentions the excellence of that rapture, because he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. This can be explained in two ways: in one way so that the word, "man," is construed with "may" and "utter." Then the sense is this: he heard secret words, i.e., he perceived an intimate understanding of God's secret essence, as though by words, which words it i…

Paul’s Thorn and God’s Grace

Concerning such a one I will boast, but concerning myself I will not boast except in the weaknesses.

Now, when you make merry with those minuter animals, which their glorious Maker has purposely endued with a profusion of instincts and resources, -thereby teaching us that greatness has its proofs in lowliness, just as (according to the apostle)there is power even in infirmity -imitate, if you can, the cells of the bee, the hills of the ant, the webs of the spider, and the thre…

Notice his humility: he recounts this as if about someone else, for he says, "of such a one I will boast." But if it was another who was caught up, then why do you boast? So then, it is evident that he says this about himself. He says this either in order to show that he would not have spoken of it without necessity, or, as one may suppose, in order to make his speech veiled.

Then when he says, On behalf of this man I will boast, he shows how he reacted to this glory. In regard to this he does three things. First, he shows that he did not glory in such revelations; secondly, he suggests that he has something else in which to glory (v. 6).

For if I should wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will speak the truth; but I refrain, lest anyone credit to me more than what he sees in me or hears anything of me.

Paul says this because if someone proclaims his own worth in God's sight he is not unwise, for what he says is true. So if anyone talks about the things which have been revealed to him, he is not foolish, though if he keeps quiet about them he is wise.

How is it that, having said above that boasting is madness, he now says, "if I should wish to boast, I would not be foolish"? He said here "I would not be foolish" not in relation to the boasting, but in relation to the fact that he does not lie, for he adds, "because I will speak the truth." So the meaning is this: I am not foolish, because I speak the truth.

But because they could say to him, "O Apostle, it is not strange that you do not glory, because you have nothing in which to glory," he shows that even besides these visions he has something in which to glory.

and by the surpassing greatness of the revelations. Therefore, so that I might not become conceited, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan, to buffet me, so that I might not become conceited.

The Apostle Paul has, moreover, in the most lucid manner, pointed out that man has been delivered over to his own infirmity, lest, being uplifted, he might fall away from the truth.

To this ignorance the apostle showed that even he himself was not a stranger, when, lest he should be exalted above measure by the greatness of the revelations, there was given unto him a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet him; for which thing, not knowing surely what he ought to pray for, he besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from him.

Here he speaks of the remedy against pride. In regard to this he does three things. First, he mentions the remedy applied; secondly, he discloses his prayer to have the remedy removed (v. 8); thirdly, he tells the Lord's answer giving the reason for the remedy applied (v. 9).

Concerning this I begged the Lord three times that it might depart from me.

Although he asked three times, his request was not granted. It is not that he was disregarded but that he was making a plea which was against his own best interests.

If the Father gives us everything we ask in the name of the Son, what then does it mean that Paul asked the Lord three times and did not deserve to be heard, but it was said to him: "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness"? Did not that most excellent preacher ask in the name of the Son? Why then did he not receive what he asked?

Now the Apostle was anxious to have this thorn removed and prayed that it might; hence he says: Three times I besought the Lord about this, that it should leave me. Here it should be noted a sick person, ignorant of the reason why a physician supplies a stinging plaster, asks him to remove it.

And he has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of the Christ may rest upon me.

Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in insults, in necessities, in persecutions and distresses, for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.

And if these severities will seem to be more grievous than martyrdoms, yet once more he says: "Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake." He also says, in verses occurring in a previous part of the epistle: "Our condition is such, that we are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; and are in n…

Paul does not say that he enjoyed these things but that he had learned to cope with them.

The other effect is joy. Hence he says: For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses. In regard to this he does two things. First, he mentions the effect of joy; secondly, he assigns the reason for it (v. 10b). He mentions the effect of joy and the matter of joy.

Paul’s Concern for the Corinthians

I have become a fool; you compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you, for in nothing was I inferior to those most eminent apostles, even if I am nothing.

Paul is saying that he has been forced to disclose the truth of the matter. He is certainly not foolish, having spoken the truth about himself, but is abasing himself in this way in order to make it clear that he is not putting his own merits on display voluntarily.

Again he justifies himself for boasting. Earlier he said, "receive me, even as foolish" and "as if in foolishness," but now he calls himself foolish already without the particle "as"; for having done what he desired, he boldly subjects himself to such abasement, sufficiently teaching us not to boast without necessity, since Paul even when such necessity existed calls himself fo…

Having commended himself, the Apostle now asks pardon for what he has said, showing that he was compelled to say these things which pertain to his glory. First, he lays the blame for his glorying on the Corinthians; secondly, he explains and clarifies this (v. 11b).

The signs of the apostle were indeed performed among you in all endurance, in signs and wonders and works of power.

"If, then, a marriage of this kind (contracted before conversion) stands ratified before God, why should not (one contracted after conversion) too go prosperously forward, so as not to be thus harassed by pressures, and straits, and hindrances, and defilements, having already (as it has) the partial sanction of divine grace?

Paul rightly puts patience before signs and wonders, because attitudes matter more than abilities.

But granting that I did nothing in regard to the other churches for which I might be commended, nevertheless I have done many special things among you, and for these you could have commended me; hence he says, even though I am nothing, i.e., granting that I did nothing in comparison to them, nevertheless, the effect of my power is present among you.

For in what were you inferior to the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!

Behold, this third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not burden you; for I do not seek what is yours but you. For the children ought not to treasure up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

And I will most gladly spend and be utterly spent for your souls. If, loving you more abundantly, I am loved less!

But let it be: I did not burden you; but being crafty, I caught you by trickery.

Paul makes explicit all the charges which an opponent might make against him in order to clear himself on all counts. For he did not deal deviously with the Corinthians but straightforwardly. On the one hand he wanted to make provision for them in the sight of God and on the other he did not want their wealth in this life.

And in another place Paul writeth to his disciples, "Peradventure like a crafty man I have carried you off with guile;" and here also he closely uniteth guile with cunning.

Then when he says, But granting that I myself did not burden you, he removes a suspicion. First, he mentions the suspicion; secondly, he excludes it (v. 17); thirdly, he assigns the reason for the exclusion (v. 19). Their suspicion might be that the reason he did not take anything for himself was that others might take more from them.

Did I overreach you through any of those whom I have sent to you?

Did any of those whom I sent to you take advantage of you?: This is what I mean, that those who were sent did not inform them of this, so that if they wished, they could offer the Apostle a worthy amount in return; for he did not want to accept it, because it was offered in a manner less worthy than he deserved.

Wherefore also he proceeds by question, saying, "I exhorted Titus, and with him I sent the brother. Did Titus make a gain of you?" 'walked he not just as I walked.' That is to say, neither did he receive.

Then he excludes this suspicion when he says, Did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I sent to you? First, in general; secondly, in particular. In general in the following way: if I had wanted to snatch anything from you by others, I would have sent those who might obtain these things.

I encouraged Titus, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus overreach you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Not in the same steps?

You have been thinking all along that we are presenting a defense to you. Before God in Christ we speak; and all things, beloved, are for your building up.

Paul wants the Corinthians to love and respect him, without becoming a burden on their finances.

He was afraid of bringing upon himself the reproach of flattery, and therefore says: we say this not in order to win your favor, nor in order to justify ourselves, but before the face of God, "in Christ," that is, for the sake of Christ. So then, we say what actually was the case, and what is known to God, and not in order to win your favor.

Then he adds the reason, which excludes their opinion. First, he states their opinion; secondly, he excludes it (v. 19). Their opinion was that the Apostle, as one guilty and culpable, was writing all the words of this epistle to justify himself, and that they were not true, but merely invented to justify himself.

For I fear lest perhaps, having come, I may not find you such as I wish, and I may be found by you such as you do not wish; lest perhaps there be quarrel, jealousy, rage, contentions, slanders, gossip, conceit, disorders;

"For I fear, lest by any means when I come, I should not find you such as I would, and should myself be found of you such as ye would not." He is going to say something great and offensive.

Do you see what fatherly care? Others sinned, yet Paul is alarmed, and does not state his thought directly, but with uncertainty. "Lest, when I come," he says, "I shall find you not such as I wish," that is, corrupted; and by necessity — "and that I shall be found by you not such as you wish," that is, an avenger and punisher.

Having cited as one of the causes for commending the failure of the Corinthians to do the good things they should have done and for which he rebuked their ingratitude, he now states the other cause which arose from what they did in regard to the evils they should have avoided. In regard to this he amplifies their wickedness and does two things.

lest, when I come again, my God may humble me before you, and I may mourn over many of those who have sinned before and have not repented of the impurity and sexual immorality and sensuality that they practiced.

For in saying, toward the end of the Epistle, "Lest, when I shall have come, God humble me, and I bewail many of those who have formerly sinned, and have not repented of the impurity which they have committed, the fornication, and the vileness," he did not, of course, determine that they were to be received hack (by him into the Church) if they should have entered (the path of)…

"And lest when I come again, my God should humble me among you." And the word "again," too, is as smiting them. For he means, 'What happened before is enough;' as he said also in the beginning [of the Epistle], "to spare you, I came not as yet to Corinth." Seest thou how he shows both indignation and tender affection?

Then he manifests their wickedness in regard to past evils for which they have not repented, when he says: I fear that when I come again my God may humble me, i.e., afflict me, before you and I may have to mourn over many of those who sinned before, i.e., before the first epistle.

II Corinthians12

Paul’s Revelation

Paul’s Thorn and God’s Grace

Paul’s Concern for the Corinthians