2 Corinthians 12:1-21
1 It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will comea 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.
3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)
4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawfulb for a man to utter.
5 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.
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 rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
11 I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.
12 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.
13 For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong.
14 Behold, 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;c though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.
16 But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile.
17 Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you?
18 I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps?
19 Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto 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 unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:
21 And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.
The boasting continues. However, it takes on a new and startling characteristic. In his apostleship there had been something supernatural, something not to be finally explained. Of this, he will glory. As to the method, Paul himself declares his ignorance. However, there was no uncertainty about the great fact that he received revelations not to be accounted for by any merely natural hypotheses, neither were these revelations given to him for communication, for again he affirms that he "heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter."
The purpose of the revelations was evidently to give him courage and confidence in his work. The peril lay in the danger of his becoming "exalted overmuch." In order to prevent this, came the "thorn in the flesh." "Now," says the apostle, "will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the paver of Christ may rest upon me."
The letter was now coming to a close, and the apostle was careful to make perfectly clear what had been his attitude in writing. His dealing with them had been conditioned in a threefold fact: first, in the sight of God; second, in Christ; third, for their edifying. This paragraph shows an unveiling of the heart of the true spiritual teacher, yearning in love over his children, desiring earnestly their highest welfare, caring little for their approval of his conduct but much for their approval by God. Out of such desire he delivered his message, conscious of its authority because he speaks in Christ.