Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley

I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows—was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
I have made a fool of myself, but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing. I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles. How were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!
Now I am ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well. If I love you more, will you love me less? Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you. Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery! Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent to you? I urged Titus to go to you and I sent our brother with him. Titus did not exploit you, did he? Did we not walk in the same footsteps by the same Spirit?
Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends, is for your strengthening. For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged.

• 2 Corinthians 12:1-21

Noted Biblical Scholars, Teachers, and Preachers Comments

2 Corinthians 10-13 ‘could these last four chapters be the “severe” letter?’: “An alternative is to suppose that the ‘earlier’ letter, warning against sexual immorality, is part of 2 Corinthians. Similarly, the four final chapters (2 Cor. 10–13) are considered to be the so-called ‘severe’ letter, the letter written ‘out of much affliction and anguish’ (2 Cor. 2:4). Those favoring this option point to a marked contrast: the positive relationship between Paul and the Corinthians evidenced in the early chapters of 2 Corinthians versus Paul’s harsh attacks on some in Corinth in 2 Cor. 10–13.”

• Timothy B. Cargal, et al., The Chronological Study Bible

2 Corinthians 10-13 ‘Paul’s Third Visit to Corinth’: “In the final chapters of 2 Corinthians Paul defends himself against false teachers who had come to Corinth and claimed authority greater than his. They mistook the ‘gentleness of Christ’ (2 Cor. 10:1) in Paul’s life for weakness, claiming that he was braver in his letters than he would be in a face-to-face encounter (10:10). In response Paul argues that the authority they claim is based on comparing themselves with each other and not on having the commendation of God (10:18).
“Paul wrote this defense of his apostolic authority in advance of his third visit to Corinth (12:14; 13:1), and thus after his ‘sorrowful’ visit (see 1:23–2:1). Paul’s uncharacteristic personal boasts (12:1) and his harsh condemnations of his opponents are in stark contrast to his warm regard for the Corinthians in other parts of 2 Corinthians (see 7:8–11, 16). Possibly these chapters were written soon after the “sorrowful” visit while emotions were still high on both sides, whereas the earlier chapters were written later once Paul and the Corinthians had been reconciled …
“Still, 2 Corinthians could have been written by Paul as it now appears in the New Testament. The apostle could have made reconciliation with some of the Corinthians while yet dealing with other opponents in the church.”

• Timothy B. Cargal, et al., The Chronological Study Bible

2 Corinthians 12:1 ‘visions and revelations’: ”Six of Paul’s visions are recorded in Acts (9:12; 16:9, 10; 18:9; 22:17, 18; 23:11; 27:23, 24), and his letters speak of revelations he had received (cf. Gal. 1:12; 2:2; Eph. 3:3).”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Corinthians 12:2-3 ‘whether in … or … out of the body’: “Paul was so overwhelmed by his heavenly vision that he did not know the precise details. However, whether he was caught up bodily into heaven (like Enoch, Gen. 5:24 and Elijah, 2 Kin. 2:11), or his spirit was temporarily separated from his body, was not important.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Corinthians 12:2 ‘finding strength’: ”The apostle Paul loved to employ paradoxes-seeming contradictions in terms-to relate certain spiritual truths to his readers. Earlier in this let-ter, he talked about finding comfort through suffering, (see 1:3-7), glory through shame (see 3:7-18), and life through death (see 4:7-15). These apparently contradictory statements lay at the core of Paul’s concept of Christianity-phrases that tug at our intellect and make us ask, ‘What could this mean?’
“The topic that Paul chooses to discuss in this next section of his letter-finding strength in weakness-could also be considered a paradox of the Christian faith. The apostle begins with an extraordinary personal experience. By divine appointment, God lifted him up to see the glories of heaven. The experience was so incredible that Paul did not have adequate words to explain it. He also did not want to boast in relating the experience-something he had accused his opponents of doing-so he wrote in the third person: ‘I know a man … [who] was caught up to the third heaven’ (2 Corinthians 12:2). But he was speaking about himself.
“Paul wasn’t willing to tell everything that had happened to him during this event. Maybe he was not even capable of relating all that had happened. But what Paul did know is that on this occasion, because of divine appointment, he had been lifted up to see the glories of heaven that no person had ever seen before. Furthermore, something happened as a result of that experience that Paul could not possibly have predicted. He experienced a profound weakness in his life-and then found extraordinary strength as a result.”

• David Jeremiah, 2 Corinthians (Jeremiah Bible Study Series)

2 Corinthians 12:6-10 ‘an ugly and painful aspect of life’: ”He goes on in 12:6-10 to describe his thorn in the flesh-some ugly, painful aspect of his life, perhaps a disfiguring physical affliction-and how he prayed earnestly three times that God would remove it. But God allowed Paul to keep his thorn in the flesh…
“allowed Paul to keep his thorn in the flesh…
“That is the secret of true Christian strength-not outward impressiveness, nor degrees and honors and awards. Spiritual power comes from the heart of the humble human being who lives in dependence on the living Lord. The weaker you are, the stronger Christ can be. In an epistle rich with meaning, this is perhaps the richest truth of all: Out of our weakness comes strength-His strength. “

• Ray C. Stedman, Adventuring Through the Bible

2 Corinthians 12:7-9 ‘in the flesh’: “Our text suggests to us, first of all, a danger the apostle was exposed to-“that I would not exalt myself.” Here is a peril to which we are all exposed. The prominence of the ego is the fault of many and the danger of all. But the apostle Paul was especially liable to it because he had been caught up into the third heaven and seen and heard secret things.
“Thus, Paul was given a preventative-‘a thorn in the flesh was given to me.’ Paul reckoned his great trial to be a gift. He does not say, ‘There was inflicted upon me a thorn in the flesh,’ but ‘A thorn in the flesh was given to me.’ At first the apostle may not have seen his thorn as a gift, but afterward he came to see it that way. A thorn is but a little thing and indicates a painful but not a killing trial.
“Paul said it was a thorn ‘in the flesh.’ Paul was not tempted in his spirit. It was a trial mainly of the body. The apostle did not tell us what his peculiar affliction was, but it became to him not merely a thorn in his flesh but ‘a messenger of Satan’-not Satan himself but one of Satan’s errand boys. The word ‘to torment’ shows it made him feel that he was a weak man.
“The immediate effect of this thorn on Paul was that it drove him to his knees: ‘I pleaded with the Lord three times.’ Anything is a blessing that makes us pray. This thorn compelled Paul to cry to God, and having commenced to pray, he resorted to prayer again and again. And he continued to pray until at last he received for an answer not the removal of the thorn but the assurance, ‘My grace is sufficient for you.’ So, though refused, Paul was answered, for he got something better than the taking away of the thorn in the flesh-the result was that the grace given him enabled him to bear the thorn, and lifted him right above it, until he even rejoiced and gloried to think he was permitted so to suffer: “I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.” From this I gather that the worst form of trial may, nevertheless, be our best present portion.
“Finally, Paul gives us the permanent result. For the present it kept him from being exalted by making him pray and by leading him to receive more grace, but permanently the remedy kept him humble. His way of telling the story is especially humble in its spirit. He takes us off from the idea of how gloriously God revealed himself to him, and he makes us look at the weakness of the recipient of the revelation rather than at the great honor conferred by the revelation itself.”

• Charles H. Spurgeon, from sermon notes

2 Corinthians 12:7 ‘Paul’s thorn in the flesh’: “Paul knew there was a danger that others would think more highly of him than they ought because of the visions and revelations he had experienced. However, he himself was protected from self-exaltation by a persistent ‘thorn in [the] flesh.’ No one knows with certainty the nature of Paul’s ‘thorn in the flesh.’ It may have been a physical malady such as defective eyesight, a lisp, epilepsy or recurrent malaria. Or, perhaps it was spiritual in nature—temptation or satanic persecution. It may have even been an individual or group who continually harassed Paul. In any case, it was bothersome to him. But instead of removing the ‘thorn,’ God assured Paul that his grace and strength would be sufficient for Paul to bear it. Paul’s ‘thorn in the flesh’ destroyed his pride and kept him dependent on divine power. Therefore, although unpleasant, Paul regarded the ‘thorn’ as an aid rather than a handicap.”

• Dorothy Kelley Patterson, General Editor, NIV Woman’s Study Bible (Patty Comber, Pauline Epistles contributor)

2 Corinthians 12:7 ‘turning physical affliction into Joy’: “Pain was part of the God-given consequence to mankind for believing Satan and disobeying God in the Garden of Eden. Women were to experience pain in childbirth, and men, the pain of labor as they worked the ground (Ge 3:16–17). As a result, the ‘whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth’ (Ro 8:22). Everyone is subject to pain until God brings ‘a new heaven and a new earth’ and ‘there will be no more … pain’ (Rev 21:1, 4).
“Job, ‘blameless and upright’ (Job 2:3), experienced pain as a result of Satan’s direct attack (vv. 1-10). Job illustrates what often happens when a person experiences unrelieved pain. He isolated himself (v. 8). His wife became impatient and lacked understanding (v. 9). Job’s focus was on himself, even to the point of desiring death as a release (Job 3:20–21).
“The New Testament emphasizes pain’s partnership with joy. The woman, through labor, experiences the joy of new life (Jn 16:21). Paul and Silas sang and prayed while in pain, and the result was their deliverance and the salvation of their jailer’s household (Ac 16:23–25, 34). Perhaps Paul knew of the medicinal value of a ‘cheerful heart’ (Pr 17:22). Christ, who endured the cross for the joy that was set before him (Heb 12:2), understands pain. He walks with Christians through their painful hours (Ps 9:9–10; Isa 41:10).”

• Dorothy Kelley Patterson, General Editor, NIV Woman’s Study Bible (Patty Comber, Pauline Epistles contributor)

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 ‘Empowered in your Weakness’: “We live in a world that considers weakness a liability. No one wants to show any weakness, especially on the football field. A physically weak player doesn’t last very long in the league. If opponents know where a player’s weak spots are, they have a better chance of capitalizing on them.
“You might think from today’s verses that God wouldn’t make a good football coach. After all, He turns the idea of weakness on its head. He applauds weakness rather than criticizes it. That’s because to God, it denotes a change of heart.
“Scripture never reveals what the apostle Paul’s ‘weakness’ or ‘thorn in the flesh’ was specifically. He certainly endured major physical pain throughout his missionary journeys-beatings, shipwrecks, jail sentences, hunger and thirst, homelessness.
“Certainly to survive such endless calamity attests to Paul’s physical fortitude. But Paul was helpless and weak and had no ability to do anything about what was happening, about the circumstances through which God was eventually glorified.
“When Paul experienced heartache and despair-when he was physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually spent-God was lifted up and magnified. He worked through Paul’s weakness to show His greatness.
“There were times on the sidelines during crucial moments in critical games when I knew that everyone was going to be looking to me for direction. The head football coach is supposed to have the answer to every situation his team is facing. Fourth down and inches-punt or go for it? Make a sure field goal or take a chance on a touchdown?
“I didn’t have the answer.
“All I could do was seek God’s peace and direction in prayer and admit that I couldn’t do it myself. And the result was an overwhelming peace that I was not alone-He was there and had never left.
“In my weakness, He was lifted up.
“And the answer came. Sometimes it worked. But the result wasn’t the important thing of that moment. What was important was that I had learned to rely on Him and knew He was always there.”

• Tony Dungy with Nathan Whitaker, Uncommon Life – Daily Challenge (excerpt from devotion for 24 September)

2 Corinthians 12:8 ‘he prayed three times’: “Notice what Paul didn’t do in response. He didn’t rebuke the devil. Why? Because the devil was only the messenger service. Paul knew that his sovereign God had permitted the devil’s actions, so he prayed to the Lord three times that the thorn would leave. And this was no mere prayer: Paul pleaded repeatedly. He begged that God would take away the cause of his intense suffering.”

• Tony Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Corinthians 12:9 ‘What is Grace?’: ”The evil, the sinful, the common are overpowering in us, and we remain under their spell as long as we live. And we would despair of the good, of the holy, of ourselves, and of God, if we had not been given the word: ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness’ (2 Cor. 12:9). It is clear, therefore, that for us religion is not the fulfillment of what the world lacks or the provider of good fortune on earth.  No, with religion, misfortune, unrest, and deprivation have become powerful in the world. ‘My grace is sufficient for you.’ What is grace? It is something not seen, something we don’t get to feel directly. On the contrary, it is something entirely improbable and incredible, according to which we judge what we experience here. It speaks of an event beyond all worlds and wants to draw us away from our own world to another. A dark abyss opens up, and a voice commands: Jump across. I will catch you and hold you fast. I am stretching out my hand. Now bet your life on it, and rely on me and on nothing else. My grace is sufficient for you. I am love. ‘I have called you by name, you are mine’ (Isa. 43:1).”

• Dietrich Bonhoeffer, I Want to Live These Days with You, devotional compiled from several of his writings

2 Corinthians 12:9 ‘we were not meant to be self-sufficient’: “There are certain mountains only God can climb …
“It’s’ not that you aren’t-welcome to try, it’s just that you aren’t able …
“If the word Savior is in your job description, it’s because you put it there. Your role is to help the world, not save it. Mount Messiah is one mountain you weren’t made to climb.
“Nor is Mount Self-Sufficient. You aren’t able to run the world, nor are you able to sustain it. Some of you think you can. You are self-made. You don’t bow your knees, you just roll up your sleeves and p-;it in another twelve-hour day … which may be enough when it comes to making a living or building a business. But when you face your own grave or your own guilt, your power will not do the trick.”

• Max Lucado, The Great House of God

2 Corinthians 12:10 ‘for the sake of Christ’: “Paul’s entire perspective had changed. No matter what he faced-insults, hardships, persecutions, or difficulties-he was willing to endure it all for the sake of Christ. Likewise, the Lord calls on you to look to him when your thorn-whatever it is-pricks you. For even if he doesn’t take it away; he has grace and power to accomplish in your life only what is possible in the midst of your profound weakness. By God’s grace, take pleasure in your weaknesses so that his power can be revealed. Then you will be able to say along with the apostle Paul, When I am weak, then I am strong.”

• Tony Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Corinthians 12:10 ‘We must be weak’: “We need to recover that feeling of ignorance. We know too much. There should be a speechless humility among us in the presence of the Mystery Inexpressible.
“When we meet God we also have a sense of weakness. I don’t think you will ever be strong until you know how utterly weak you are. And you will never know how utterly weak you are until you have stood in the presence of that great plentitude of strength, that great fullness of. infinite power that we call God. When for an awful, happy, terrible, wonderful moment the eyes of our hearts have gazed upon the transcendent God, high and lifted up with His train filling the temple, then we will know how weak we are.
“God never works out of human strength. The strongest man is the weakest man in the kingdom of God, and the weakest the strongest. The holy apostle said, ‘When I am weak, then am I strong.’ You can turn it around and say, ‘When I am strong-whenever I feel that I can do it-then am I weak.’”

• A. W. Tozer, The Attributes of God II

2 Corinthians 12:11-12 ‘Paul’s boasting is foolishness’: “The Corinthians had compelled Paul to act like a fool with his boasting. Rather than putting him in a situation in which he had to defend his ministry, they should have commended him. Though Paul may have been nothing by worldly standards, he was by no means inferior to the so-called super-apostles (12:11). Unlike those deceivers, Paul had his ministry validated by supernatural signs and wonders and miracles (12:12).”

• Tony Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Corinthians 12:12 ‘genuine apostleship requires no external credentials’: “The false apostles in Corinth had many external credentials. However, Paul pointed out that they had twisted the truth of the gospel and were lacking in godly character. In contrast, Paul’s character and message were above reproach. According to Paul, a genuine apostle preaches the gospel of Christ, shows the character of Christ, and ministers in the power of Christ.”

• Dorothy Kelley Patterson, General Editor, NIV Woman’s Study Bible (Patty Comber, Pauline Epistles contributor)

2 Corinthians 12:13 ‘no burden by Paul’: “Some of the Corinthians, no doubt instigated by the false apostles, accused Paul of making them inferior to other churches. But given the divine affirmation that accompanied his ministry (see 12:12), the only thing they’d ‘suffered’ was not being burdened by Paul (see 11:7-9). For this, Paul sarcastically begs, ‘Forgive me for this wrong!’”

• Tony Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Corinthians 12:14, 13:1 ‘Paul’s Third Visit to Corinth’: “Paul wrote this defense of his apostolic authority in advance of his third visit to Corinth (12:14; 13:1), and thus after his ‘sorrowful’ visit (see 1:23–2:1). Paul’s uncharacteristic personal boasts (12:1) and his harsh condemnations of his opponents are in stark contrast to his warm regard for the Corinthians in other parts of 2 Corinthians (see 7:8–11, 16). Possibly these chapters were written soon after the ‘sorrowful’ visit while emotions were still high on both sides, whereas the earlier chapters were written later once Paul and the Corinthians had been reconciled (see … 2 Cor. 8:1).
“Still, 2 Corinthians could have been written by Paul as it now appears in the New Testament. The apostle could have made reconciliation with some of the Corinthians while yet dealing with other opponents in the church.”

• Timothy B. Cargal, et al., The Chronological Study Bible

2 Corinthians 12:15 ‘Paul was not getting paid’: “Paul had determined not to accept financial support from the Corinthians while working among them. He explained that it was not their property but their hearts that he was eager to win. Furthermore, they were his spiritual children (1Co 4:15). Just as earthly parents provide for their offspring, so Paul was more than glad to spend his own resources and to be ‘expended’ personally on their behalf. To be ‘expended’ means to be consumed, used up, or spent entirely. Despite the Corinthians’ rejection of him, there was no limit to Paul’s love for them.”

• Dorothy Kelley Patterson, General Editor, NIV Woman’s Study Bible (Patty Comber, Pauline Epistles contributor)

2 Corinthians 12:20 ‘repentance before the visit’: “Paul was pondering his impending visit to Corinth. He was concerned that the Corinthians deal with the contents of his letter and repent before he arrived. He explained that his boasting was not for the purpose of outdoing his opponents but for the purpose of purifying and building up the church (vv. 1-18). Paul’s awareness of their sins caused him to fear lest he not find the Corinthians as he wished (repentant) and lest they find him as they did not wish (forceful and disciplinary).”

• Dorothy Kelley Patterson, General Editor, NIV Woman’s Study Bible (Patty Comber, Pauline Epistles contributor)

2 Corinthians 16:21 ‘How Immoral was Corinth?’: “Corinth was a large Greek city on the northeast coast of the Peloponnesus, the peninsula that forms the south part of Greece. Paul wrote at least two letters (1 and 2 Corinthians) to the Christians there. He was aware of the undesirable behavior of some in the church, behavior which he names as ‘uncleanness, fornication, and lewdness’ (2 Cor. 12:21). Such behavior might be expected in a city that had been characterized as sexually immoral.
“Actually, history had witnessed two Corinths. The ‘Greek Corinth’ was well known from classical antiquity as a major power in the Greek world. The Romans destroyed that city in 146 B.C., and not until about a century later did they rebuild ‘Roman Corinth’ in 44 B.C. Within a half century, Corinth had regained its economic preeminence in the Aegean world, as well as its leadership of the Isthmian Games. The new Roman Corinth, like the old Greek city, was a prosperous commercial center.
“This prosperity resulted in jealousy of a rival Greek city. Athens could look back on its past as a glorious age. But it could not match the commercial and financial success of Corinth. Jealousy may explain why it was often Athenians who made slanderous remarks concerning Corinth’s character, identifying Greek Corinth with fornication. Aristophanes was an Athenian writer of comedy, producing plays between 425 and 388 B.C. He used the phrase ‘to Corinthianize’ or ‘to live like a Corinthian’ as an expression of immoral conduct. Plato (427–347 B.C.), the great philosopher of Athens, used the phrase ‘a Corinthian girl’ to refer to a prostitute.
“Roman Corinth also was associated with immoral behavior. The novelist Apuleius, writing a humorous work called Metamorphoses in the 2nd century A.D., tells of sexual misconduct in Corinth. But Apuleius was partly educated in Athens, and it was possibly there that he heard of Corinth’s reputation.
“Such characterizations could reflect that Corinth really was more immoral than other Greek cities. On the other hand, the immoral reputation of Corinth could have been enhanced by Athenian authors who were antagonistic towards the city. In reality then, Corinth, though immoral, was possibly no more corrupt than any other contemporary Greek trading city.”

• Timothy B. Cargal, et al., The Chronological Study Bible

2 Corinthians 12 ‘Summary’: ”When I am weak, then I am strong. This is a simple principle that can change your entire outlook on life. It is during those times when you are feeling weak or confused that God is working behind the scenes in your life. He is preparing you to be used for His purposes.
“Paul understood the importance of living by this principle. When he traveled to Corinth for the first time, he had just left the city of Athens. His experience there had been unpleasant, to say the least, as the highly educated Athenians had rejected his message. So, on his way to Corinth-a city with an equally daunting reputation for intellectualism-the apostle decided he would not come ‘with excellence of speech or of wisdom … [but] in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling’ (1 Corinthians 2:1, 3).
“As a result, some of those in Corinth criticized Paul for not matching the oratory and sophistication of their great leaders and speakers. Paul embraced their criticism and said, ‘You’re right. I’m not impressive. All I am is a servant of Almighty God. I’m so weak that if God hadn’t done something through me, nothing would have happened.’ Paul understood that God only uses people when they are dependent on Him. So he chose to look to God for his strength so that the Lord could work in his life.
“Paul’s example reveals that while no one is too weak for God to use, there are many people who are too strong for God to use. This is why you must approach God with a humble heart. When you encounter times of struggle and weakness, your best strategy is to say, ‘Lord, what are You going to do in my life through this time? Whatever it is, I am okay with it. Show Yourself strong in my weakness. Use me during this time.’ Then step back, trust God to do the work, and see where He leads you next.”

• David Jeremiah, 2 Corinthians (Jeremiah Bible Study Series)

My Thoughts

While the major theme of 1 Corinthians was that the Corinthians were too proud, Paul boasts of their faith in this letter.  He is encouraging them to be bold and to stand against the false “apostles” that were leading them astray.

But to illustrate his lack of boasting about himself, he speaks of a man taken to the third heaven.  He did not know if this was in body or in spirit.  But he would boast about that kind of person, but he would only share his weakness.

Note: The third heaven is in Heaven itself.  The glory of heaven was revealed.  The first heaven is the sky, our atmosphere.  The second heaven is the sun, moon, and stars (the universe).

But Paul continues in this paragraph to talk about a thorn in the flesh.  He prayed three times for God to remove it.  God did not.  It was sufficient to constantly remind Paul of his weakness.  In weakness, we are reminded that we need God.  Thus, in not removing the thorn in the flesh, Paul gets a constant reminder that he is weak, and he relies that much more on God’s strength.

Too many people brag about God giving them strength, but their physical strength comes from the exercise regimen.  Their financial strength comes from their investments.  Their influence strength comes from their ability to impress others, their managerial level in the company, or their political savvy.

Yes, God could take any or all of those away, but those strengths cause us to rely on the earthly strength and not rely on God Himself.  Saying that God gave you such strengths so that you could rely on them is an excuse to not cast them aside and rely totally on God.  There may come a time when you are required to see the difference.  I pray that you can turn to God and rely solely on His strength.

Paul goes back to “foolish” talk.  He is not inferior to the “super apostles.”  Paul even apologizes for not being a burden to the Corinthians.  He simply spoke the truth.

The phrase “You get what you pay for…” is good advice when someone is trying to sell you a cheap Chinese knockoff.  That is a bit unfair in that China is not the only country that exports seemingly duplicate copies of expensive brands.  I have seen Louis-Vuitton handbags fall apart, even though the counterfeit authentication certificate looked real.  Fake Rolex watches work for a while.  I have heard that the fake golf clubs are not that bad.  And you must be careful with the DVD knockoffs to ensure the format is the correct one.  Check the globe on an American DVD.  I cannot remember the code number that the USA uses.  There are a variety of them around the world.

But that same phrase, when used in evangelism, should be flipped if the person is genuine.  Being a Christian costs you everything.  We are to take up our cross and follow Jesus.  But becoming a Christian cannot be bought with money, nor can it be bought by working for it.  It is a gift from God.  Paul made it even easier on the Corinthians.  He did not charge them for telling them about Jesus.

Then, the “super-apostles” come along and charge them because their message is “worth the money.”  That should be the red flag.  Yes, missionaries and evangelists need to be paid one way or another, but someone who withholds the Good News until they get paid is doing it for the wrong reasons, and the message may be tainted, as it was in this case.

Now, as Paul plans his third trip to Corinth, he again will not charge them for his message.  He will again not use tricks to impress them.  He will simply tell them the truth.

And Paul is worried about this third trip.  He will be grieved if they have not repented before he gets there.

He feels like a parent to them, and he will grieve if he finds them in sexual immorality or other sins.

As the Chronological Bible discusses above, there were two Corinths.  The cultural center was when the Greeks were in control, but the Roman Corinth was one of sexual immorality.  I spent several years in the military, active duty and reserves.  The massage parlors and strip clubs lined the streets outside the gates of the forts.  There are practically no steel mill towns across the USA without a strip club or gentlemen’s club nearby.  I have experienced a few who do not have such clubs nearby, but they are rare.  The Roman influence on Corinth provided the same type of temptation.  Where testosterone is king, sexual immorality will be exploited and making it part of Christian worship is the worst of heresies.

Some Serendipitous Reflections

2 Corinthians 12:1-10 Paul Vision and His Thorn 1. How do you react when God appears to be silent in answer to your urgent request? How do you feel when God answers (as in verse 9)? Why doesn’t God simply take the hurt away?
“2. How has God worked in and through you during a time of weakness? What will you do to develop trust in God during times of weakness?
2 Corinthians 12:11-21 Paul’s Concern for the Corinthians 1. To whom is God leading you to minister? How can you show the spirit of verses 14-15 them? What will that cost you? How will you prepare for that? How will you keep from being a burden on those to whom God is sending you?”

• Lyman Coleman, et al, The NIV Serendipity Bible for Study Groups

Second Corinthians 12 has two sets of question(s) as noted.

Substitute whatever group for any reference to a small group or ask who could come to your aid.

If you like these Thursday morning Bible studies, but you think you missed a few, you can use this LINK. I have set up a page off the home page for links to these Thursday morning posts. I will continue to modify the page as I add more.

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.