JULY 31/AUGUST 7, 2022
PAUL’S REVELATIONS AND VISIONS
INTRODUCTION:
1. The Apostle in this chapter continues with the necessary task of defending his apostleship and vindicating the honor of his ministry. This he was compelled to do for sake of his jealousy over those for whom he was responsible. Should the false apostles have succeeded in turning the saints at Corinth away from Paul and the truth of the Gospel, it would have meant the overthrow of their faith.
2. Previously, he had engaged in the unpleasant work of boasting and glorying, but now he will pass on to something else. He will refer not to such proofs as involved him as the agent, but to those in which he was merely the subject – to revelations and visions.
3. The idea being that boasting is not expedient, therefore he will speak of things which implied no agency or superior power on his part. He felt this was a better way of proving his divine mission than by boasting.
I. PAUL HERE TELLS OF THE SPECIAL FAVOR GOD HAD SHOWN HIM, AND THE GREAT HONOR HE BESTOWED UPON HIM. (VERSES 1-6) Doubtless he himself is the man in Christ of whom he speaks in the third person. (Verse 2a)
A. OF BOASTING HE WOULD GLADLY DESIST, AND PASS ON TO SOMETHING LESS DEROGATORY AND PAINFUL. (VERSE 1)
1. “Boasting,” he says, “is not expedient for me,” i.e. does not become me, is not a seemly or proper thing to do.
2. Therefore, he says, “I will come to visions and revelations.”
3. These visions and revelations were “of the Lord,” i.e. shown to him by the Lord.
B. HE RECALLS THE EVENT AS MYSTERIOUS, BUT NONE THE LESS REAL AND CERTAIN. (VERSES 2-4)
1. It had been fourteen years ago. How remarkable, that he had not spoken of it in all that time. He is now willing to break his silence for sake of the Gospel. Surely there is in this a lesson for us all.
2. He could not be certain as to whether it was an in body or out of body experience. The uncertainty was not about the reality of the translation, but simply if the translation was of the soul separate from the body, or of the body and soul together. It could have been either, for heaven is a state, as well as a place. Clearly, it did not matter which it was.
3. He was “caught up into the third heaven,” i.e. the highest heaven, or, as in Verse 4, Paradise, which is the abode of the saints after death. (Luke 23:43; Rev. 2:7)
4. He “heard unspeakable words,” i.e. words not to be spoken, as explained by what follows. “….which it is not lawful for man to utter.” The veil which conceals the mysteries and glories of heaven God has not permitted to be lifted.
C. OF THIS AMAZING EXPERIENCE HE WOULD GLORY. (VERSE 5)
1. Yet, it is not an experience, but a Person in whom he will glory. It is, however, the equivalent of saying that such an event is ground for glorying.
2. The reason why he can safely glory in this one, (meaning himself) is because he was passive in the experience. He did nothing to merit what happened. I was a gratuitous favor. Therefore he adds, “…of myself I will not glory, but in my infirmities.” He would glory only in those things that implied his own weakness.
D. PAUL HAD DETERMINED NOT TO GLORY CONCERNING HIMSELF. (VERSE 6)
1. The reason for this determination was not for want of grounds of boasting. Thus he says if he should choose to do so he would not be a fool, i.e. an empty boaster, for he would be speaking the truth. He preferred, however, to forebear.
2. Abundant as were matters for boasting with him (extraordinary gifts, wonderful success of his labors, etc.) he did not dwell on these things.
3. The reason which he assigns for his forbearance is that he would not have others to think too highly of him.
a) On the one hand, and as we learned in the previous chapter, it was needful that the Corinthians understand that his was a high office, and that he was manifestly qualified to be an Apostle.
b) On the other hand, he would not that men think of him more highly than they ought. He would remind them that “by the grace of God I am what I am.” (I Cor. 15:10)
4. He did not wish to be judged of by what he said about himself, but rather that men should judge him by what they saw him to be, and by what they heard of him. (Verse 6c)
II. PAUL NEXT GIVES AN ACCOUNT OF THE METHODS GOD USED TO KEEP HIM HUMBLE AND TO PREVENT HIS BEING LIFTED UP ABOVE MEASURE. (VERSES 7, 8)
A. PAUL WAS IN DANGER OF THINKING TOO HIGHLY OF HIMSELF DUE TO HIS EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCE. “…AND LEST I SHOULD BE EXALTED ABOVE MEASURE.” (VERSE 7a)
1. Paul was determined not to give occasion to others to think too highly of him. Now here he tells us that God took measures to prevent his being unduly elated even in his own thinking.
2. Men are in danger of being exalted in their own estimation by God’s distinguishing favors. Although the Apostle would not boast of himself, he was still in danger of being unduly elated.
B. THE PARTICULAR REASON FOR THE DANGER WAS THE ABUNDANCE OF THE REVELATION. (VERSE 7b)
1. This excess, or exceeding abundance, as the word mean, seems not to refer exclusively to the preceding event.
2. Apparently that occasion was not the only one on which God had opened up to the Apostle treasures of divine knowledge.
C. THE METHOD GOD USED TO KEEP PAUL HUMBLE IS DESCRIBED FIGURATIVELY AS “A THORN IN THE FLESH.”
1. Some understand this to mean that Paul is speaking figuratively of some painful affliction pertaining to his physical body.
2. Others take the figure as referring to some sort of spiritual assault.
3. Both camps cite the parallel passage in Galatians 4:14 as supporting their views.
4. It seems more likely that the thorn refers to some spiritual assault, and that it came from the spirit world. Bodily pain and suffering was a way of life for Paul, as we have just been reminded once again. (Ch. 11:23-27) Even though all would agree that he suffered from poor eyesight, it seems unlikely that that was the reason why he so desperately importuned God for deliverance. (Verse 8)
D. ALTHOUGH GOD SENT THE THORN, IT WAS DELIVERED BY A MESSENGER OF SATAN.
1. This seems to suggest a spiritual battle of some sort. Perhaps something from his past life when he persecuted and wasted the church. Or, perhaps it pertained to the struggles he had with the carnal nature, struggles of which he sometimes spoke. (Rom. 7:19-21; I Cor. 9:27)
2. Satan’s messenger buffeted him. To buffet means to strike with the fist. Again, he speaks figuratively. The spiritual attack was vicious. When Paul said, “I keep under m y body.” (I Cor. 9:27), the idea is the same. He wrestled his carnal thoughts to the ground, and dealt blow after blow until the opponent (the carnal nature) was subdued.
3. In some particular area of Paul’s life, his attacker was relentless, and would not go away. Neither would God step in and remove the assailant.
E. PAUL REPEATEDLY BESOUGHT THE LORD FOR DELIVERANCE FROM THIS AFFLICTION. (VERSE 8)
1. Whatever the nature of the affliction, he prayed three times for its removal.
2. It is permissible for us to pray for the removal of afflictions of any kind.
3. God did not remove the thorn, because He had designed it for Paul’s good.
a) God overruled Satan, whose messenger did the afflicting. Satan meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.
b) God overruled Paul’s request by making him submissive to the divine will in it. We may pray for deliverance from trials, however, our first priority must be that God will work our good by them, whether or not He removes them.
III. PAUL NEXT TELLS OF THE USE THAT HE MADE OF THIS SITUATION. (VERSES 9, 10)
A. HE GLORIED IN HIS INFIRMITIES BECAUSE OF THE ADDED GRACE THAT HE RECEIVED. (VERSE 9)
1. The grace of God is always our sufficiency. “My grace is sufficient for thee.”
2. The more he sensed his weakness, the more he would realize God’s strength. “My strength is made perfect in weakness.”
3. This being so, Paul could then glory in his infirmity, for sake of the power of Christ resting on him.
B. HE TOOK PLEASURE IN ALL THINGS WHICH HE SUFFERED FOR CHRIST FOR SAKE OF THE DIVINE STRENGTH THAT MORE THAN COMPENSATES. (VERSE 10)+
1. The reason that he could take pleasure in these things is that they were fair opportunities for Christ to manifest His power, and the sufficiency of His grace.
2. He could by experience say, “When I am weak, then am I strong.”
3. What was true of Paul is also true with us. We are all weakness, but Christ is all-powerful. If our weakness drives us to rely more fully upon His strength, then we too shall be able to take pleasure in our infirmities which are painful reminders of our weakness and dependency.
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