Tag: Book of 2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 12:8-9 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Our Lord Jesus says to the Apostle Paul, “I know you are suffering but you are going to make it.” His care upon His beloved servant, will see him through life and its afflictions. God’s sufficient grace is explained well by the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 26:3-4 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength. As such, the Apostle Paul testified in Romans 7:25 “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God…”

There were the high victories of heavenly visions given to him and there was also the pain of the cross that he had to bear. The yoke of pain was not lifted but relieve was granted just so that God’s servant was able to bear it. And so the Apostle Paul testified in 1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

2 Corinthians 12:8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

The thorn in the Apostle Paul’s flesh caused him much pain and discomfort. It disrupted him from physical restfulness having to endure such constant affliction. He prayed that the Lord might be merciful to remove this thorn. He sought the Lord thrice. The Lord deemed it fit that the thorn would remain with him. Whether it is a sickness, a physical anomaly that the Lord allows him to live with, he testifies that God’s grace is sufficient.

Our afflictions keep us vulnerable and thus dependent upon our God by which God’s glory rest. It seemed to be the Lord’s way of connecting and cultivating our souls to fulfill His eternal purpose for our lives. When the weight is lifted, like the sponge or the cushion, it bounces back to its original state of fallenness.

2 Corinthians 12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

The Apostle Paul was given to experience the unutterable blessings of paradise, the abundance of the revelation of the third heaven in the presence of God. What privilege! And yet, he was to suffer such acute pain as having, as it were, a thorn in the flesh. Such a life of patient enduring he was to live day by day. As he perhaps cringed from pain, he remembered his unfinished mission for his Lord and the rest that was to follow in God’s paradise!

MacDonald observed well, “The apostle describes the thorn in the flesh as a messenger of Satan to buffet him. In one sense it represented an effort on Satan’s part to hinder Paul in the work of the Lord. But God is greater than Satan, and He used the thorn to further the work of the Lord by keeping Paul humble.”

The hymn “Day by Day” written by Lina Sandell Berg who accompanied his father who was the pastor of a parish church in Sweden on a ship when tragedy struck. The ship gave a sudden lurch and Lina’s father fell overboard and drowned before the eyes of his devoted daughter.

2 Corinthians 12:5-6 Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. 6 For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.

The Apostle Paul has glorious spiritual experiences in the course of his ministry and spiritual life. He has experienced the presence of God with him in an intimate way that has been an encouragement to himself personally. But he will not be too forward to share these lest he is perceived to call attention to himself. He understood that it was God who had chosen to reveal to him rather than any merit of his own. As such, he would rather not build his spiritual credibility upon such experiences.

Hendriksen observed well on v6, “This sentence must be understood in the context of Paul’s opponents taunting him to boast about his credentials. If there should be anyone in the church who could glory in status, Paul would be the person. He had founded churches in Asia Minor, Macedonia, and Greece. He had worked much harder, had suffered more frequently, and had been exposed to more dangers than anyone else. And he had been given a celestial experience that placed him far above his co-workers and certainly above his detractors… But he does not wish to be a fool bragging irrationally, a behaviour that apparently characterized his adversaries. Speaking foolishly reveals the sin of lying and shading the truth. Paul, however, refuses to put himself on the level of his antagonists and to participate in their foolishness.” In fact, “He wants the Corinthians to think of him as a spiritual brother in the Lord. They must look at Paul as a man with many flaws (Romans 7:14-25), a person who had to cope with external weaknesses, hardships, and humiliations. Thus, he boasts not about himself, but about his weakness.”

2 Corinthians 12:5 Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.

It is interesting how the Apostle Paul avoided mentioning that he was the one who experienced the vision of paradise, the third heaven. He uses a third person so that it might not bring to himself any glory or attention. Recall what John the Baptiser said in John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease. This JC Ryle called “a splendid pattern of true and godly humility. A man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven.” The Apostle Paul understood this. He was a blind man healed because he persecuted the church of God.

Again, he reminded the Corinthians of his sufferings. It was a mark of his identifying with the ministry of Christ – Luke 22:27 For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

2 Corinthians 12:1-4 It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

Can the living be brought into the presence of the eternal dwelling place of God? The Apostle Paul testified that there is indeed a paradise, called the third heaven, the abode of God. It was a visual preview of the eternal abode of the saints. He saw what cannot be expressed in words – inexpressible, unspeakable of what should not or must not be expressed for it is too sacred. [Friberg]

He was “caught up to the third heaven”. The verb “seized” in the passive, being caught up or caught away. He cannot articulate the bodily aspect of that experience, whether in the body or out of the body. It was a very special occasion whereby he was given a glimpse of the heavenly realm. I believe he was helping us to contrast the earthly life of suffering to the heavenly life of eternal blessedness. He wanted to express the reality of a future state of the believers. And this is via the auspices of the Christ Jesus whom he conveyed through the gospel. The ministry established through Christ Jesus is an eternal, everlasting one. There is a glorious consummation to following him and the Christ whom he follows. He “boast” of that glory to enthuse the church to her eternal glory that there may a patient waiting, sobriety and watchfulness for God’s people.

2 Corinthians 12:1-2 It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.

The Apostle Paul narrated the account of a man who was taken to heaven. He was imparting the knowledge that heaven is a real place. And this man who is a believer in Christ was taken to behold the splendour of heaven fourteen years ago. He did not use the first person to share this personal testimony (2 Corin. 6:7). There is a place of heavenly rest for God’s people after the tribuluation of life on earth. He speaks of the Christian’s hope.

It was a testimony that enables those listening to sit up and take stock of this man’s words. He speaks of the eternal and transcendent matters that comes by the revelation of God. He was a witness to the truth of the heavenly vision. He is therefore not telling fables but proclaiming the truth. And because it is the truth, he was willing to endure all suffering to bear witness of it.

2 Corinthians 12:1 It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

The Apostle Paul had shared concerning his sufferings in the course of walking with his Lord. You recall after our Lord’s resurrection, He showed His hands the print of the nails and Thomas was asked by the Lord in John 20:27 … Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

What was Thomas’ response? John 20:28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. He believed, he trusted in the resurrected Christ and Jesus said to him Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. A message for us of its veracity. Truly, Jesus is the Christ, triumphant over sin and death – 1 Corinthians 15:22-23 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.

2 Corinthians 11:32-33 In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me: And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.

This incident of his near capture in Damascus was cited by the Apostle Paul. What was the reason? For preaching the gospel. In the initial days of his preaching there was a curious interest but later, he was hounded by the unbelieving Jews. The authorities were contacted, the governor and his guards came after him. It was a precarious moment when the disciples had let him down by the wall of the city. He escaped.

2 Corinthians 11:30-31 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities. 31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.

The Apostle Paul makes a solemn declaration in the Name of God that his life with God is vibrant and real. He was gloriously saved, humiliated, on the road to Damascus when Jesus met him by a bright light that blinded him. He was a persecuter of Christians. He did not believe that Jesus is the Christ. He was wrong! He had to admit it. God helped him regain his sight. He might have thought life ends with his blindness! It was not so. God gave him spiritual sight and physical sight. He was commissioned by Jesus to be a torch-bearer for the gospel. What a restimony.

God manifest himself true and real to the Apostle Paul. Through all his weakness in the course of his ministry, Christ power was with him to triumph. It was not him but the Christ in Him that he sought to declare. Therefore, he said, “I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.” He was merely God’s human instrument for righteousness. He had no power to change hearts and convert souls. It was all of his Lord. He understood this. He is not lying to make that statement if we have understood what went on in his life.