2 Corinthians Chapter 12

vs 1

Well, looks like that story from yesterday doesn't flow on. It was an end in itself. What was it an end for? Apparently that story of Paul fleeing from a city had been used to denigrate Paul, and he is owning up to it. Well, that's one theory.

And now, Paul wants to boast about visions and revelations, which have obviously also come up from these false teachers.

vs 2

This is just one of those small collection of New Testament verses where we go "huh?". Here's some stuff I read. Paul has to be talking about himself, because otherwise it wouldn't be boasting. Why in the third person? There are lots of theories. Probably something humble.

Third heaven? Apparently it is in reference to some intertestamental writings which refer to multiple heavens, and you've got to assume that, since Paul is boasting, he is boasting about being taken to the highest heaven, so he's referring to those writings which talk about there being three.

And it is assumed that the 14 years ago puts this vision in the 'silent' years of Paul, after his Damascus road experience, but before his mission work started.

vs 3

A reiteration of him not knowing whether it was an in or out of body experience. I think if you couldn't tell or couldn't remember, it probably wasn't important.

vs 4

What's the point of such an experience if you're not allowed to tell about it anyway? Not really worth boasting about, but Paul seems to need to to counteract something crazy going on at Corinth.

vs 5

This could be a good reason why Paul puts this boast in the third person - he is just too unwilling to boast about vision things.

vs 6

Paul, even in his boasting, doesn't want to conflate a picture of himself. He wants the glory to go to God, not to him. He wants us to see him warts and all - he wants God to be seen for the perfect and wonderful God he really is.

vs 7

Obviously, if someone was going to become concieted, it would be Paul. So God has taken care of that by putting something in his way, to remind him that he's not the king of the pit.

What is it? He doesn't say. There are theories. It doesn't matter. If it did, he would have said.

vs 8

Perhaps Paul was used to things happening the first time?

vs 9

This is the cap off of all Paul's boasting. God doesn't take this thing away - he says "Learn that all you need is my grace." Because as Paul said to the Corinthians in his first letter, God's power is made strongest in weakness. Hence, Paul is happy to boast about weakness.

vs 10

So when Paul boasts, like a fool he boasts about weakness, because that shows how strong the power he receives really is. I think there's something in that for all of us.