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| Chapter 12 |
| Bible Text | Notes and Thoughts |
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1 ¶ It is doubtless not expedient for me to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: 2 I knew a man in Christ more than fourteen years ago (whether in the body I cannot tell, or whether out of the body I cannot tell--God knoweth). Such a one was caught up to the third Heaven. 3 And I knew such a man (whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell--God knoweth), 4 and how he was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words which it is not lawful for a man to utter. 5 Of such a one will I glory, yet of myself I will not glory, except 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 than he heareth of me. 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. 8 For this thing, I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 And He said unto me, "My grace is sufficient for thee, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Most gladly therefore will I glory rather in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in privations, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then am I strong. 11 ¶ I have become a fool in glorying. Ye have compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you. For in nothing am I inferior to the very chiefest apostles, though I am nothing. 12 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds. 13 For in what are ye inferior to other churches, unless it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this wrong! 14 Behold, for the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be burdensome to you, for I seek not yours, but you. For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. 15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you, though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved. 16 But be it so, I did not burden you. Nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile. 17 Did I gain from you by any of those whom I sent unto you? 18 I desired Titus to go, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make any gain from you? Walked we not in the same spirit? Walked we not in the same steps? 19 Again, think you that we excuse ourselves to you? We speak before God in Christ; but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying. 20 For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found by you as ye would not, lest there be debates, envyings, wrath, strifes, backbiting's, whisperings, boastings, tumults; 21 and lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many who have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed. |
Paul is not happy to use his personal experiences to show the Corinthian church about his apostolic position, he does not want it to appear that he is showing off with what God has been doing in his life, in addition some people are sure to say that "he is exalting (praising) himself." Paul can see no other way to show proof so speaks about the events as if they are being told by another person, a third person, "I knew a man in Christ." v1-6 Honour from God. The Judaizers came with "letters of recommendations" 2 Cor 3:1, they were looking for honour from men, but Paul lets God do the honouring, "visions and revelations of the Lord." On the day he was converted He saw the glorified Christ, Acts 9:3; Acts 22:6-8. He had further visions from God for his call to Macedonia Acts 16:9,10. Then encouragement visions for Corinth Acts 18:8-11 and after the arrestActs 23:10,11. v2-4 God gave Paul a special honour by taking him up to heaven about 14 years before this letter, about 43 A.D., there is no record in Acts of this event but it must happened be between Acts 9:30 and Acts 11:25,26 - the third heaven is the same as Paradise where God dwells, the 1st heaven in the earths atmosphere and the 2nd heaven is space. v5,6 Paul has not mentioned this event before but it is interesting that Paul suffered from a thorn in the flesh v7. Some people may have said that the "thorn" was a punishment from God, but it was to make sure that Paul was not full of pride "I’ve been to heaven" v7. Yet Paul still gives God the praise. Paul visited heaven during his life, but Eph 2:4-8 tells us that as far as God is concerned believers are already in heaven with Him. v7-9 God makes sure Paul has no pride because of his time in heaven. God allows Satan to attack Paul in some way, "a thorn in his flesh." Rom 5:1-5. We are not told what this problem was but it appears to have been a physical problem which may have caused Paul pain. Gal 6:11 suggests Paul may have had an eye problem. v8 Paul asks God for the problem to be taken away three times but God gives a wonderful answer, v9 "My grace is sufficient for thee, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." v9,10 Paul feels therefore that the ‘problem’ is a gift from God and wants to use it to give glory to God. God has never promised that the believers life will be perfect, if anything the exact opposite, Matt 8:19-22; Luke 9:57-62; Rom 8:32ff. You will find that believers are suffering and appear to not be healed sometimes. Phil 2:25-20; 1 Tim 5:23. Help from God. God sent a message following Paul’s prayers, God will provide all our needs when we need them. God had to make Paul ‘weak’ to give him strength. 1 Peter 5:10,11; Heb 4:16; 2 Cor 5:1ff. We learn from this passage that a physical problem does not stop a believer using their life in service for God. v11-21 Ashamed of their actions. v11-12 Paul is very proud of the Corinthian church, boasting about them to other churches but now the Corinthians were only boasting about the Judaizer "super apostles" who were running the church. Was Paul not as good as these Judaizers? No way! he had done many signs and wonders when he was with them proving his position as an apostle Heb 2:1-4 and they owed their salvation to him. v13 Paul is a little sarcastic (uses words which mean the opposite) "the only way I could be of poor quality was that you never gave any money to help me live while I was with you." the more he did for them the less they appreciated (value) him. v14-18 Paul was about to make his third visit 2 Cor 13:1 instead of being pleased the church members were angry for him changing his plans. Paul treats the church as his children, but these do not care for their ‘parent.’ Paul had great love for this church but they did not love him. Paul wanted to sort out the problems in the church, no matter what it cost him. But he did not want his visit to cause any burden (work load), money or work, to be put on the members life. He had also made sure that any others that he had sent earlier had not caused the church any financial or extra work as some people may have said he was using these visitors to collect finance for Paul. v19 Defending ourself, Paul has been speaking as in the sight of God, he knows how his words must only build up the Body of Christ. v20 Growth for a Christian must always include the removal of poisons, the problems listed in this verse were the ones that had caused Paul to write the 1 Corinthian letter, perhaps these problems were still present and hopes that the church will finally clear the problems before Paul’s next visit. v20 Paul has great pride in his converts 2 Cor 7:4; 2 Cor 8:24. Anything wrong with the church hurt this pride, humiliating him. Paul was very sad that the people with wrong lives were still present in the church, he felt that they were spiritually dead. |
Easy English Translation
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