2 Corinthians 12

2Co 12:1-21.

REVELATIONS IN

WHICH

HE

MIGHT

GLORY:

BUT

HE

RATHER

GLORIES IN

INFIRMITIES, AS

CALLING

FORTH

CHRIST'S

POWER:

SIGNS OF

HIS

APOSTLESHIP:

HIS

DISINTERESTEDNESS:

NOT

THAT

HE

IS

EXCUSING

HIMSELF TO

THEM; BUT

HE

DOES

ALL FOR

THEIR

GOOD, LEST

HE

SHOULD

FIND

THEM

NOT

SUCH AS

HE

DESIRED, AND

SO

SHOULD

HAVE TO

BE

SEVERE AT

HIS

COMING.

1. He proceeds to illustrate the "glorying in infirmities"

(2Co 11:30).

He gave one instance which might expose him to ridicule

(2Co 11:33);

he now gives another, but this one connected with a glorious revelation

of which it was the sequel: but he dwells not on the glory done to

himself, but on the infirmity which followed it, as displaying

Christ's power. The oldest manuscripts read, "I MUST

NEEDS boast (or glory) though it be not expedient; for I

will come." The "for" gives a proof that it is "not expedient to

boast": I will take the case of revelations, in which if anywhere

boasting might be thought harmless. "Visions" refers to things

seen: "revelations," to things heard (compare

1Sa 9:15)

or revealed in any way. In "visions" their signification was not

always vouchsafed; in "revelations" there was always an unveiling of

truths before hidden

(Da 2:19, 31).

All parts of Scripture alike are matter of inspiration; but not

all of revelation. There are degrees of revelation; but not of

inspiration.

of--that is, from the Lord; Christ,

2Co 12:2.

2. Translate, "I know," not "I knew."

a man--meaning himself. But he purposely thus

distinguishes between the rapt and glorified person of

2Co 12:2, 4,

and himself the infirmity-laden victim of the "thorn in the

flesh"

(2Co 12:7).

Such glory belonged not to him, but the weakness did.

Nay, he did not even know whether he was in or out of the body when the

glory was put upon him, so far was the glory from being his

[ALFORD]. His spiritual self was his highest and

truest self: the flesh with its infirmity merely his temporary self

(Ro 7:25).

Here, however, the latter is the prominent thought.

in Christ--a Christian

(Ro 16:7).

above--rather, simply "fourteen years ago." This Epistle was

written A.D. 55-57. Fourteen years before will

bring the vision to A.D. 41-43, the time of his

second visit to Jerusalem

(Ac 22:17).

He had long been intimate with the Corinthians, yet had never mentioned

this revelation before: it was not a matter lightly to be spoken of.

I cannot tell--rather as Greek, "I know not." If in the body, he must have been caught up bodily; if out of the body, as seems to

be Paul's opinion, his spirit must have been caught up out of the

body. At all events he recognizes the possibility of conscious

receptivity in disembodied spirits.

caught up--

(Ac 8:39).

to the third heaven--even to, &c. These raptures

(note the plural, "visions," "revelations,"

2Co 12:1)

had two degrees: first he was caught up "to the third heaven,"

and from thence to "Paradise"

(2Co 12:4)

[CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA,

Miscellanies, 5.427], which seems to denote an inner recess of

the third heaven [BENGEL]

(Lu 23:43;

Re 2:7).

Paul was permitted not only to "hear" the things of Paradise, but to

see also in some degree the things of the third heaven (compare

"visions,"

2Co 12:1).

The occurrence TWICE of "whether in the body

. . . I know not, God knoweth," and of "lest I should be

exalted above measure," marks two stages in the revelation. "Ignorance

of the mode does not set aside the certain knowledge of the

fact. The apostles were ignorant of many things" [BENGEL]. The first heaven is that of the clouds, the

air; the second, that of the stars, the sky; the third is

spiritual

(Eph 4:10).

3. Translate, "I know."

out of--Most of the oldest manuscripts read "apart from."

4. unspeakable--not in themselves, otherwise Paul could not have

heard them; but as the explanation states, "which it is not lawful . . .

to utter" [ALFORD]. They were designed for Paul's own consolation, and

not for communication to others. Some heavenly words are communicable

(Ex 34:6;

Isa 6:3).

These were not so. Paul had not the power adequately to utter; nor if

he had, would he have been permitted; nor would earthly men comprehend

them

(Joh 3:12;

1Co 2:9).

A man may hear and know more than he can speak.

5. of myself--concerning myself. Self is put in the background,

except in respect to his infirmities. His glorying in his other self,

to which the revelations were vouchsafed, was not in order to give

glory to his fleshly self, but to bring out in contrast the

"infirmities" of the latter, that Christ might have all the glory.

6. For--Not but that I might glory as to "myself"

(2Co 12:5);

"FOR if I should desire to glory, I shall not be a

fool"; for I have things to glory, or boast of which are good matter

for glorying of (not mere external fleshly advantages which when he

gloried in

[2Co 11:1-33]

he termed such glorying "folly,"

2Co 11:1, 16, 17).

think of me--Greek, "form his estimate respecting me."

heareth of me--Greek, "heareth aught from me." Whatever haply he

heareth from me in person. If on account of healing a cripple

(Ac 14:12, 13),

and shaking off a viper

(Ac 28:5),

the people thought him a god, what would they have not done, if he had

disclosed those revelations? [ESTIUS]. I wish each

of you to estimate me by "what he sees" my present acts and

"hears" my teaching to be; not by my boasting of past

revelations. They who allow themselves to be thought of more highly

than is lawful, defraud themselves of the honor which is at God's

disposal [BENGEL]

(Joh 5:44; 12:43).

7. exalted above measure--Greek, "overmuch uplifted." How

dangerous must self-exaltation be, when even the apostle required so

much restraint! [BENGEL].

abundance--Greek, "the excess"; exceeding greatness.

given . . . me--namely, by God

(Job 5:6;

Php 1:29).

thorn in the flesh--

(Nu 33:55;

Eze 28:24).

ALFORD thinks it to be the same bodily affliction

as in

Ga 4:13, 14.

It certainly was something personal, affecting him individually, and

not as an apostle: causing at once acute pain (as "thorn"

implies) and shame ("buffet": as slaves are buffeted,

1Pe 2:20).

messenger of Satan--who is permitted by God to afflict His saints,

as Job

(Job 2:7;

Lu 13:16).

to buffet me--In Greek, present: to buffet me even now

continuously. After experiencing the state of the blissful angels, he

is now exposed to the influence of an evil angel. The chastisement from

hell follows soon upon the revelation from heaven. As his sight and

hearing had been ravished with heavenly "revelations," so his

touch is pained with the "thorn in the flesh."

8. For--"concerning this thing."

thrice--To his first and second prayer no answer came. To his third

the answer came, which satisfied his faith and led him to bow his will

to God's will. So Paul's master, Jesus, thrice prayed on the Mount

of Olives, in resignation to the Father's will. The thorn seems (from

2Co 12:9,

and Greek,

2Co 12:7,

"that he may buffet me") to have continued with Paul when he

wrote, lest still he should be "overmuch lifted up."

the Lord--Christ. Escape from the cross is not to be sought even

indirectly from Satan

(Lu 4:7).

"Satan is not to be asked to spare us"

[BENGEL].

9. said--literally, "He hath said," implying that His answer is enough

[ALFORD].

is sufficient--The trial must endure, but the grace shall also endure

and never fail thee [ALFORD],

(De 33:25).

The Lord puts the words into Paul's mouth, that following them up he

might say, "O Lord, Thy grace is sufficient for me" [BENGEL].

my strength--Greek, "power."

is made perfect--has its most perfect manifestation.

in weakness--Do not ask for sensible strength, FOR My power is perfected in man's "strengthlessness"

(so the Greek). The "for" implies, thy "strengthlessness" (the

same Greek as is translated "weakness"; and in

2Co 12:10,

"infirmities") is the very element in which My "power" (which moves

coincident with "My grace") exhibits itself more perfectly. So that

Paul instead of desiring the infirmity to "depart," "rather" henceforth

"glories in infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest

(Greek, 'tabernacle upon,' cover my infirmity all over as with a

tabernacle; compare Greek,

Joh 1:12)

upon" him. This effect of Christ's assurance on him appears,

2Co 4:7;

1Co 2:3, 4;

compare

1Pe 4:14.

The "My" is omitted in some of the oldest manuscripts; the sense is the

same, "power" (referring to God's power) standing absolutely, in

contrast to "weakness" (put absolutely, for man's weakness). Paul often

repeats the word "weakness" or "infirmity" (the eleventh, twelfth, and

thirteenth chapters) as being Christ's own word. The Lord has more need

of our weakness than of our strength: our strength is often His rival;

our weakness, His servant, drawing on His resources, and showing forth

His glory. Man's extremity is God's opportunity; man's security is

Satan's opportunity. God's way is not to take His children out of

trial, but to give them strength to bear up against it

(Ps 88:7;

Joh 17:15).

10. take pleasure in--too strongly. Rather as the Greek, "I am

well contented in."

infirmities--the genus. Two pairs of species follow, partly

coming from "Satan's messenger," partly from men.

reproaches--"insults."

when--in all the cases just specified.

then--then especially.

strong--"powerful" in "the power of Christ"

(2Co 12:9;

2Co 13:4;

Heb 11:34).

11. in glorying--omitted in the oldest manuscripts. "I am become a

fool." He sounds a retreat [BENGEL].

ye--emphatic. "It is YE who have compelled me; for I ought to have

been commended by you," instead of having to commend myself.

am I behind--rather as Greek, "was I behind" when I was

with you?

the very chiefest--rather, as in

2Co 11:5,

"those overmuch apostles."

though I be nothing--in myself

(1Co 15:9, 10).

12. Truly, &c.--There is understood some such clause as this, "And

yet I have not been commended by you."

in all patience, in signs, &c.--The oldest manuscripts omit

"in." "Patience" is not one of the "signs," but the element IN which

they were wrought: endurance of opposition which did not cause me to

leave off working [ALFORD]. Translate, "IN . . . patience, BY

signs," &c. His mode of expression is modest, putting himself, the

worker, in the background, "were wrought," not "I wrought." As

the signs have not been transmitted to us, neither has the

apostleship. The apostles have no literal successors (compare

Ac 1:21, 22).

mighty deeds--palpable works of divine omnipotence. The silence of

the apostles in fourteen Epistles, as to miracles, arises from the

design of those Epistles being hortatory, not controversial. The passing

allusions to miracles in seven Epistles prove that the writers were not

enthusiasts to whom miracles seem the most important thing.

Doctrines were with them the important matter, save when convincing

adversaries. In the seven Epistles the mention of miracles is not

obtrusive, but marked by a calm air of assurance, as of facts

acknowledged on all hands, and therefore unnecessary to dwell on.

This is a much stronger proof of their reality than if they were

formally and obtrusively asserted. Signs and wonders is the regular

formula of the Old Testament, which New Testament readers would

necessarily understand of supernatural works. Again, in the Gospels the

miracles are so inseparably and congruously tied up with the history,

that you cannot deny the former without denying the latter also. And

then you have a greater difficulty than ever, namely,

to account for the rise of Christianity; so that the infidel has

something infinitely more difficult to believe than that which he

rejects, and which the Christian more rationally accepts.

13. wherein you were inferior--that is, were treated with less

consideration by me than were other churches.

I myself--I made a gain of you neither myself, nor

(2Co 12:17, 18).

wrong--His declining support from the Corinthians might be regarded

as the denial to them of a privilege, and a mark of their spiritual

inferiority, and of his looking on them with less confidence and love

(compare

2Co 11:9, 11).

14. the third

time--See

Introduction

to the first Epistle. His second visit was probably a short one

(1Co 16:7),

and attended with humiliation through the scandalous conduct of some of

his converts (compare

2Co 12:21;

2Co 2:1).

It was probably paid during his three years' sojourn at Ephesus, from

which he could pass so readily by sea to Corinth (compare

2Co 1:15, 16; 13:1, 2).

The context here implies nothing of a third preparation to come;

but, "I am coming, and the third time, and will not burden you this

time any more than I did at my two previous visits" [ALFORD].

not yours, but you--

(Php 4:17).

children . . . parents--Paul was their spiritual father

(1Co 4:14, 15).

He does not, therefore, seek earthly treasure from them, but

lays up the best treasure (namely, spiritual) "for their

souls"

(2Co 12:15).

15. I will . . . spend--all I have.

be spent--all that I am. This is more than even natural parents do.

They "lay up treasures for their children." But I spend not merely

my treasures, but myself.

for you--Greek, "for your souls"; not for your mere bodies.

the less I be loved--Love rather descends than ascends

[BENGEL]. Love

him as a true friend who seeks your good more than your good will.

16. I did not burden you--The "I" in the Greek is emphatic. A

possible insinuation of the Corinthians is hereby anticipated and

refuted: "But, you may say, granted that I did not burden you

myself; nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you (in my net) with

guile"; namely, made a gain of you by means of others

(1Th 2:3).

17. Paul's reply: You know well I did not. My associates were as

distinterested as myself. An important rule to all who would influence

others for good.

18. I desired Titus--namely, to go unto you. Not the mission mentioned

2Co 8:6, 17, 22;

but a mission previous to this Epistle, probably that from which he had

just returned announcing to Paul their penitence

(2Co 7:6-16).

a brother--rather "OUR (literally, 'the') brother"; one well known to

the Corinthians, and perhaps a Corinthian; probably one of the two

mentioned in

2Co 8:18, 22.

same spirit--inwardly.

steps--outwardly.

19. Again--The oldest manuscripts read, "This long time ye think

that we are excusing ourselves unto you? (Nay). It is before God (as

opposed to 'unto you') that we speak in Christ"

(2Co 2:17).

English Version Greek text was a correction from

2Co 3:1; 5:12.

20. For--Assigning cause why they needed to be thus spoken to "for

their edification"; namely, his fear that at his coming he should find

them "not such as he would," and so he should be found by them "such as

they would not" like, namely, severe in punishing misconduct.

debates--Greek, "strifes," "contentions."

envyings--The oldest manuscripts read "envying," singular.

strifes--"factions," "intrigues," "factious schemes" [WAHL].

Ambitious self-seeking; from a Greek root, "to work for hire."

backbitings, whisperings--open "slanderings," and "whispering

backbitings"

(Ga 5:20).

swellings--arrogant elation; puffing up of yourselves.

Jude 16,

"great swelling words"

(2Pe 2:18).

21. my God--his God, however trying the humiliation that was in

store for him.

will humble me--The indicative implies that the supposition

will actually be so. The faithful pastor is "humbled" at, and

"bewails" the falls of his people, as though they were his own.

sinned already--before my last coming [BENGEL], that is, before the

second visit which he paid, and in which he had much at Corinth to

rebuke.

have not repented--shall not have repented [ALFORD].

uncleanness--for example, of married persons

(1Th 4:7).

fornication--among the unmarried.