II Corinthians 12 · The Lantern

I must boast! It is unprofitable; but I will pass to visions and revelations given by the Lord.

I know a man in union with Christ, who, fourteen years ago — whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows — was caught up (this man of whom I am speaking) to the third heaven.

And I know that this man — whether in the body or separated 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.

Was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable things of which no human being may tell.

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…

About such a man I will boast, but about myself I will not boast except as regards my 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).

Yet if I choose to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will be speaking no more than the truth. But I refrain, in case anyone should credit me with more than he can see in me or hear from me, and because of the marvelous character of the revelations.

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.

It was for this reason, and to prevent my thinking too highly of myself, that a thorn was sent to pierce my flesh — an instrument of Satan to discipline me — so that I should not think too highly of myself.

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.

Not everyone who spares is a friend, nor is everyone who strikes an enemy.… Love mingled with severity is better than deceit with indulgence. It is more profitable for bread to be taken away from the hungry, if he neglects right living because he is sure of his food, than for bread to be broken to the hungry, to lead him astray into compliance with wrongdoing.

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).

About this I three times entreated the Lord, praying that it might leave 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.

But his reply has been — ‘My help is enough for you; for my strength attains its perfection in the midst of weakness.’ Most gladly, then, will I boast all the more of my weaknesses, so that the strength of the Christ may overshadow me.

That is why I delight in weakness, ill treatment, hardship, persecution, and difficulties, when borne for Christ. For, when I am weak, then it is that 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.

I have been “playing the fool!” It is you who drove me to it. For it is you who ought to have been commending me! Although I am nobody, in no respect did I prove inferior to the most eminent apostles.

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 marks of the true apostle were exhibited among you in constant endurance, as well as by signs, by marvels, and by miracles.

"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.

In what respect, I ask, were you treated worse than the other churches, unless it was that, for my part, I refused to become a burden to you? Forgive me the wrong I did to you!

Remember, this is the third time that I have made every preparation to come to see you, and I will refuse to be a burden to you; I want, not your money, but you. It is not the duty of children to put by for their parents, but of parents to put by for their children.

For my part, I will most gladly spend, and be spent, for your welfare. Can it be that the more intensely I love you the less I am to be loved?

You will admit that I was not a burden to you but you say that I was “crafty” and caught you “by a trick”!

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.

Do you assert that I took advantage of 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 urged Titus to go, and I sent another follower with him. Did Titus take any advantage of you? Did not we live in the same Spirit, and tread in the same footsteps?

Have you all this time been fancying that it is to you that we are making our defense? No, it is in the sight of God, and in union with Christ, that we are speaking. And all this, dear friends, is to build up your characters;

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 am afraid that perhaps, when I come, I may find that you are not what I want you to be, and, on the other hand, that you may find that I am what you do not want me to be. I am afraid that I may find quarreling, jealousy, ill feeling, rivalry, slandering, backbiting, self-assertion, and disorder.

"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.

I am afraid that, on my next visit, my God may humble me in regard to you, and that I may have to mourn over many who have long been sinning, and have not repented of the impurity, immorality, and sensuality, in which they have indulged.

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