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Commentary on 2 Corinthians 12 verses 1–10
Here we may observe,
I. The narrative the apostle gives of the favours God had shown him, and the honour he had done him; for doubtless he himself is the man in Christ of whom he speaks. Concerning this we may take notice, 1. Of the honour itself which was done to the apostle: he was caught up into the third heaven, Co2 12:2. When this was we cannot say, whether it was during those three days that he lay without sight at his conversion or at some other time afterwards, much less can we pretend to say how this was, whether by a separation of his soul from his body or by an extraordinary transport in the depth of contemplation. It would be presumption for us to determine, if not also to enquire into, this matter, seeing the apostle himself says, Whether in the body or out of the body, I cannot tell. It was certainly a very extraordinary honour done him: in some sense he was caught up into the third heaven, the heaven of the blessed, above the aerial heaven, in which the fowls fly, above the starry heaven, which is adorned with those glorious orbs: it was into the third heaven, where God most eminently manifests his glory. We are not capable of knowing all, nor is it fit we should know very much, of the particulars of that glorious place and state; it is our duty and interest to give diligence to make sure to ourselves a mansion there; and, if that be cleared up to us, then we should long to be removed thither, to abide there for ever. This third heaven is called paradise (Co2 12:4), in allusion to the earthly paradise out of which Adam was driven for his transgression; it is called the paradise of God (Rev 2:7), signifying to us that by Christ we are restored to all the joys and honours we lost by sin, yea, to much better. The apostle does not mention what he saw in the third heaven or paradise, but tells us that he heard unspeakable words, such as it is not possible for a man to utter - such are the sublimity of the matter and our unacquaintedness with the language of the upper world: nor was it lawful to utter those words, because, while we are here in this world, we have a more sure word of prophecy than such visions and revelations. Pe2 1:19. We read of the tongue of angels as well as men, and Paul knew as much of that as ever any man upon earth did, and yet preferred charity, that is, the sincere love of God and our neighbour. This account which the apostle gives us of his vision should check our curious desires after forbidden knowledge, and teach us to improve the revelation God has given us in his word. Paul himself, who had been in the third heaven, did not publish to the world what he had heard there, but adhered to the doctrine of Christ: on this foundation the church is built, and on this we must build our faith and hope. 2. The modest and humble manner in which the apostle mentions this matter is observable. One would be apt to think that one who had had such visions and revelations as these would have boasted greatly of them; but, says he, It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory, Co2 12:1. He therefore did not mention this immediately, nor till above fourteen years after, Co2 12:2. And then it is not without some reluctancy, as a thing which in a manner he was forced to by the necessity of the case. Again, he speaks of himself in the third person, and does not say, I am the man who was thus honoured above other men. Again, his humility appears by the check he seems to put upon himself (Co2 12:6), which plainly shows that he delighted not to dwell upon this theme. Thus was he, who was not behind the chief of the apostles in dignity, very eminent for his humility. Note, It is an excellent thing to have a lowly spirit in the midst of high advancements; and those who abase themselves shall be exalted.
II. The apostle gives an account of the methods God took to keep him humble, and to prevent his being lifted up above measure; and this he speaks of to balance the account that was given before of the visions and revelations he had had. Note, When God's people communicate their experiences, let them always remember to take notice of what God has done to keep them humble, as well as what he has done in favour to them and for their advancement. Here observe,
1.The apostle was pained with a thorn in the flesh, and buffeted with a messenger of Satan, Co2 12:7. We are much in the dark what this was, whether some great trouble or some great temptation. Some think it was an acute bodily pain or sickness; others think it was the indignities done him by the false apostles, and the opposition he met with from them, particularly on the account of his speech, which was contemptible. However this was, God often brings this good out of evil, that the reproaches of our enemies help to hide pride from us; and this is certain, that what the apostle calls a thorn in his flesh was for a time very grievous to him: but the thorns Christ wore for us, and with which he was crowned, sanctify and make easy all the thorns in the flesh we may at any time be afflicted with; for he suffered, being tempted, that he might be able to succour those that are tempted. Temptations to sin are most grievous thorns; they are messengers of Satan, to buffet us. Indeed it is a great grievance to a good man to be so much as tempted to sin.
2.The design of this was to keep the apostle humble: Lest he should be exalted above measure, Co2 12:7. Paul himself knew he had not yet attained, neither was already perfect; and yet he was in danger of being lifted up with pride. If God love us, he will hide pride from us, and keep us from being exalted above measure; and spiritual burdens are ordered, to cure spiritual pride. This thorn in the flesh is said to be a messenger of Satan, which he did not send with a good design, but on the contrary, with ill intentions, to discourage the apostle (who had been so highly favoured of God) and hinder him in his work. But God designed this for good, and he overruled it for good, and made this messenger of Satan to be so far from being a hindrance that it was a help to the apostle.
3.The apostle prayed earnestly to God for the removal of this sore grievance. Note, Prayer is a salve for every sore, a remedy for every malady; and when we are afflicted with thorns in the flesh we should give ourselves to prayer. Therefore we are sometimes tempted that we may learn to pray. The apostle besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from him, Co2 12:8. Note, Though afflictions are sent for our spiritual benefit, yet we may pray to God for the removal of them: we ought indeed to desire also that they may reach the end for which they are designed. The apostle prayed earnestly, and repeated his requests; he besought the Lord thrice, that is, often. So that if an answer be not given to the first prayer, nor to the second, we must hold on, and hold out, till we receive an answer. Christ himself prayed to his Father thrice. As troubles are sent to teach us to pray, so they are continued to teach us to continue instant in prayer.
4.We have an account of the answer given to the apostle's prayer, that, although the trouble was not removed, yet an equivalent should be granted: My grace is sufficient for thee. Note, (1.) Though God accepts the prayer of faith, yet he does not always answer it in the letter; as he sometimes grants in wrath, so he sometimes denies in love. (2.) When God does not remove our troubles and temptations, yet, if he gives us grace sufficient for us, we have no reason to complain, nor to say that he deals ill by us. It is a great comfort to us, whatever thorns in the flesh we are pained with, that God's grace is sufficient for us. Grace signifies two things: - [1.] The good-will of God towards us, and this is enough to enlighten and enliven us, sufficient to strengthen and comfort us, to support our souls and cheer up our spirits, in all afflictions and distresses. [2.] The good work of God in us, the grace we receive from the fulness that is in Christ our head; and from him there shall be communicated that which is suitable and seasonable, and sufficient for his members. Christ Jesus understands our case, and knows our need, and will proportion the remedy to our malady, and not only strengthen us, but glorify himself. His strength is made perfect in our weakness. Thus his grace is manifested and magnified; he ordains his praise out of the mouths of babes and sucklings.
III. Here is the use which the apostle makes of this dispensation: He gloried in his infirmities (Co2 12:9), and took pleasure in them, Co2 12:10. He does not mean his sinful infirmities (those we have reason to be ashamed of and grieved at), but he means his afflictions, his reproaches, necessities, persecutions, and distresses for Christ's sake, Co2 12:10. And the reason of his glory and joy on account of these things was this - they were fair opportunities for Christ to manifest the power and sufficiency of his grace resting upon him, by which he had so much experience of the strength of divine grace that he could say, When I am weak, then am I strong. This is a Christian paradox: when we are weak in ourselves, then we are strong in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ; when we see ourselves weak in ourselves, then we go out of ourselves to Christ, and are qualified to receive strength from him, and experience most of the supplies of divine strength and grace.
For that there are spiritual creatures in the heavens, all the Scriptures loudly proclaim; and Paul expressly testifies that there are spiritual things when he declares that he was caught up into the third heaven,
It, too, has eyes and ears of its own, by means of which Paul must have heard and seen the Lord; it has, moreover all the other members of the body by the help of which it effects all processes of thinking and all activity in dreams.
Paul the apostle, he says, knew of this gate, partially opening it in a mystery, and stating "that he was caught up by an angel, and ascended as far as the second and third heaven into paradise itself; and that he beheld sights and heard unspeakable words which it would not be possible for man to declare."
For the apostle, he says, does not suppose paradise to be in the third heaven, in the opinion of those who knew how to observe the niceties of language, when he says, "I know such a man caught up to the third heaven; and I know such a man, whether in the body or out of the body, God knoweth, that was caught up into paradise."
Paul mentions both things because either is possible. It may seem to someone that it is nothing much to be caught up into the third heaven, since that is where the moon is, but that is not right. What this means is that he was caught up beyond all the stars of the universe into the heaven which is third in the hierarchy of spiritual heavens.
Had Paul been able to express the experiences gained from the third heaven and his progress, ascent or assumption to it, we should perhaps have known more about God—if this really was the secret meaning of his rapture. But since they were ineffable, let them have the tribute of our silence. Let us give this much attention to Paul when he says: “We know in part and we prophesy in part.” This and the like is the confession of one who is no mere layman in knowledge, of one who threatens to give proof of Christ speaking in him, of a great champion and teacher of truth.
Great indeed was this revelation. But this was not the only one: there were many others besides, but he mentions one out of many. For that there were many, hear what he says: "Lest I should be exalted overmuch through the exceeding greatness of the revelations." 'And yet,' a man may say, 'if he wished to conceal them, he ought not to have given any intimation whatever or said any thing of the sort; but if he wished to speak of them, to speak plainly.' Wherefore then is it that he neither spoke plainly nor kept silence? To show by this also that he resorts to the thing unwillingly. And therefore also he has stated the time, "fourteen years." For he does not mention it without an object, but to show that he who had refrained for so long a time would not now have spoken out, except the necessity for doing so had been great. But he would have still kept silence, had he not seen the brethren perishing. Now if Paul from the very beginning was such an one as to be counted worthy of such a revelation, when as yet he had not wrought such good works; consider what he must have grown to in fourteen years. And observe how even in this very matter he shows modesty, by his saying some things, but confessing that of others he is ignorant. For that he was caught up indeed, he declared, but whether "in the body" or "out of the body" he says he does not know. And yet it would have been quite enough, if he had told of his being caught up and had been silent [about the other]; but as it is, in his modesty he adds this also. What then? Was it the mind that was caught up and the soul, whilst the body remained dead? or was the body caught up? It is impossible to tell. For if Paul who was caught up and whom things unspeakable, so many and so great, had befallen was in ignorance, much more we. For, indeed, that he was in Paradise he knew, and that he was in the third heaven he was not ignorant, but the manner he knew not clearly.
But wherefore was he also caught up? As I think, that he might not seem to be inferior to the rest of the Apostles. For since they had companied with Christ, but Paul had not: He therefore caught up unto glory him also. "Into Paradise." For great was the name of this place, and it was everywhere celebrated. Wherefore also Christ said, "To-day thou shalt be with Me in Paradise."
"On behalf of such an one will I glory?" wherefore? For if another were caught up, wherefore dost thou glory? Whence it is evident that he said these things of himself. And if he added, "but of myself I will not glory," he says nothing else than this, that, 'when there is no necessity, I will say nothing of that kind fruitlessly and at random;' or else he is again throwing obscurity over what he had said, as best he might. For that the whole discourse was about himself, what follows also clearly shows.
You see how pressed Paul was to make his point, if he had to recall something which had happened as long as fourteen years before.
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SUMMARY
In 2 Corinthians 12:2, the Apostle Paul reluctantly divulges a profoundly mysterious and supernatural experience that occurred fourteen years prior. He describes being "caught up to the third heaven," a revelation he presents with a striking detachment, uncertain whether the ascent was physical or spiritual, asserting only that "God knoweth." This extraordinary vision serves as a foundational, yet privately held, testament to divine encounter, strategically disclosed within his defense of his apostolic authority against those who questioned his credentials in Corinth.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: This verse is embedded within Paul's "foolish boasting" (as he calls it) in 2 Corinthians 11 and 2 Corinthians 12. He is reluctantly compelled to defend his legitimate apostleship against false apostles in Corinth who prided themselves on outward displays of power, eloquence, and spiritual experiences. Paul counters their worldly boasting not with his own strengths, but paradoxically, with his weaknesses, sufferings, and, in this instance, a profound, yet humbly presented, divine revelation. The account of being "caught up" is immediately followed by his discussion of a "thorn in the flesh" in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, demonstrating that such extraordinary experiences are often balanced by divine provisions for humility and reliance on God's grace.
Historical & Cultural Context: The Corinthian church was plagued by divisions and challenges to Paul's authority. Some congregants were swayed by eloquent speakers and those who claimed superior spiritual experiences or knowledge. In the Greco-Roman world, ecstatic visions and divine ascents were not uncommon motifs in various religious and philosophical traditions, though their interpretation and significance varied greatly. Within Jewish thought, there was a developing cosmology that sometimes spoke of multiple heavens or layers of the cosmos, with the highest heaven being the dwelling place of God, often referred to as the "third heaven" or "seventh heaven." Paul's experience, while unique in its divine origin and purpose, would have resonated with a cultural understanding of profound spiritual encounters, yet he frames it distinctly within a Christian theological framework emphasizing God's sovereignty and the recipient's humility.
Key Themes: This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within 2 Corinthians and Paul's broader theology. It highlights the theme of Divine Revelation and Supernatural Experience, affirming God's capacity to grant direct, transcendent encounters that validate His messengers and message. The mention of the "third heaven" underscores the Reality of the Heavenly Realm as a distinct, ultimate dwelling place of God, further explored in 2 Corinthians 12:4 where he speaks of "Paradise." Crucially, Paul's rhetorical choice to speak in the third person and his uncertainty about his physical state ("whether in the body, I cannot tell... God knoweth;") emphasizes the theme of Humility in Spiritual Gifts and Experiences. Despite receiving such an unparalleled revelation, Paul avoids self-glorification, immediately attributing ultimate knowledge and control over the experience to God, setting the stage for his subsequent discussion of how God uses weakness to display His power.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Paul masterfully employs several literary devices in this verse. The most prominent is Apostrophe or Rhetorical Device, where he refers to himself in the third person ("a man in Christ," "such an one"). This serves to distance himself from the "boasting" he is reluctantly undertaking, allowing him to share a profound personal experience without appearing arrogant, thereby preserving his humility. The extensive Parenthesis ("whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;") creates a sense of profound mystery and awe, emphasizing the supernatural nature of the event that transcends human understanding. It also highlights Paul's absolute reliance on divine knowledge. The repetition of "I cannot tell" coupled with "God knoweth" creates a Contrast between human limitation and divine omniscience, reinforcing the theme of God's sovereignty over such revelations.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This verse offers profound theological insights into the nature of divine revelation and the reality of heavenly realms. Paul's experience underscores that God can and does grant direct, supernatural encounters that transcend ordinary human experience, serving to validate His chosen messengers and their message. While such visions are extraordinary and not normative for every believer, they affirm the existence of a spiritual dimension far beyond our physical world, a realm where God's presence is immediate and tangible. Paul's humility in presenting this vision, coupled with his subsequent discussion of the "thorn in the flesh," teaches us that divine favor and profound spiritual experiences are always purposed by God for His glory and the advancement of His kingdom, often tempered by means that prevent human pride and cultivate dependence on His grace.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Paul's account of being "caught up to the third heaven" invites us to consider the reality of God's transcendent power and the spiritual dimensions that lie beyond our immediate perception. While few may experience such a dramatic vision, this passage reminds us that God is capable of profound interaction with His people, often in ways that defy our understanding. The core application for believers is not to seek extraordinary experiences for their own sake, but to cultivate a humble posture before God, recognizing that any spiritual insight or gift is from Him and for His purposes. Paul's example teaches us that even the most profound revelations are given not for personal glory, but to equip us for service and to deepen our reliance on God's grace, especially in our weaknesses. Our ultimate confidence should rest not in our experiences, no matter how profound, but in the unchanging character of God and the sufficiency of Christ's power, as Paul himself concludes in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the "third heaven" mentioned here?
Answer: The "third heaven" refers to the highest and most sacred realm in ancient Jewish cosmology, which often divided the heavens into multiple layers. The first heaven was typically understood as the atmosphere (where birds fly), the second as the realm of the stars and celestial bodies, and the "third heaven" was considered the immediate dwelling place of God, the divine throne room. This concept is synonymous with "Paradise," as indicated by Paul's further explanation in 2 Corinthians 12:4, suggesting a direct encounter with the divine presence.
Why does Paul refer to himself in the third person ("a man in Christ") when describing such a personal experience?
Answer: Paul's use of the third person ("I knew a man in Christ") is a rhetorical device employed to maintain humility and avoid the appearance of self-glorification, even as he is forced to "boast" in his spiritual credentials to defend his apostleship. In the preceding chapter, 2 Corinthians 11:1, he speaks of his "foolishness" in boasting. By referring to himself indirectly, he can share this extraordinary, validating revelation without drawing undue attention to himself or seeming to parade his spiritual experiences, thus keeping the focus on God's power and not his own spiritual prowess.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Paul's being "caught up to the third heaven" finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment not merely as an isolated, extraordinary event, but as a profound echo and validation of Christ's own ascension and heavenly authority. While Paul's experience was a temporary visit, Christ's ascension to the "third heaven" (the very presence of God) was a permanent enthronement. Jesus Christ is the one who has descended from heaven and ascended far above all heavens (Ephesians 4:8-10), taking His rightful place at the right hand of the Father (Ephesians 1:20-21). Paul's vision, therefore, serves to underscore the reality of the heavenly realm where Christ now reigns and from which all true revelation flows. Furthermore, Paul's experience, though unique, foreshadows the believer's ultimate hope: not just a vision of heaven, but a permanent dwelling in God's presence through Christ. It is through Christ that we now have bold access to the Father (Hebrews 10:19-20), and our citizenship is already in heaven (Philippians 3:20). Thus, Paul's personal encounter with the divine realm ultimately points to the greater, redemptive work of Christ, who has opened the way to the "third heaven" for all who believe.