2 Corinthians 12
- Who wrote it
- Paul
- Who it was for
- The church in Corinth
- What was happening
- Visions, a thorn in the flesh, and the Lord's answer: "My grace is sufficient for you"
What’s happening
Paul says boasting is necessary, though not profitable, so he will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. He knows a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven, whether in the body or out of the body he does not know, God knows; and was caught up into paradise and heard inexpressible words which a man is not permitted to speak. On behalf of such a man he will boast, but about himself he will not boast, except in his weaknesses. If he decided to boast he would not be a fool, for he would be speaking the truth, but he refrains so that no one will think more of him than what is seen in him or heard from him. "And because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted excessively, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, that I should not be exalted excessively. Concerning this thing, I begged the Lord three times that it might depart from me. He has said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me. Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong." Paul has been a fool; they forced him to it, since they should have commended him, for he is not at all inferior to the "super-apostles," though he is nothing. The signs of an apostle were performed among them with all patience, by signs, wonders, and mighty works. The only way they were treated worse than other churches is that he did not burden them: "forgive me this wrong." He is ready to come a third time and will not be a burden: "I seek not your possessions, but you." Children should not save up for their parents but parents for their children, and he will gladly spend and be spent for their souls. He asks whether Titus and the brother took advantage of them. Now, they probably think he is defending himself to them, but he speaks in Christ for their building up. He fears that when he comes he will find them not as he wishes, and that he will find quarrels, jealousy, anger, rivalries, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder, and that his God may humble him before them, and that he will mourn over many who have sinned before and not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality they have practiced.
Why the setting matters
Paul describes himself in the third person ("a man in Christ"), a way of showing reluctance to boast and perhaps of signaling that the experience is not what defines him. The "third heaven" and "paradise" reflect Jewish ideas of layers of heaven; paradise here means God's presence, as in Luke 23:43. The date "fourteen years ago" would place the vision around AD 41 to 42, if the letter was written about AD 55 to 56, but the setting is not given. What "the thorn in the flesh" was has been debated since the early church: suggestions include an illness (eye trouble, malaria, epilepsy), a recurring temptation, or a human opponent. Paul calls it "a messenger of Satan," which would suit a person (the verb "to torment" is the word for striking a blow), but the text does not say, and the lack of detail is part of its use: any person can find themselves in it. Notice that Paul does not say God removed it; he says the Lord answered and gave something different. The signs and wonders of an apostle (12:12) echo Romans 15:19. Paul's treatment of money (12:13-18) shows again that some in Corinth had suspected him of using the collection for himself, which is why Titus and the brothers were chosen as named, trusted agents.
Who’s in this chapter
Paul
Describes a vision and a thorn, and learns that weakness is where power rests.
Titus
Went to Corinth with a brother; Paul asks if he took advantage.
The "super-apostles"
Outside teachers whom Paul says he is not inferior to.
The believers in Corinth
Paul's children, whom he is about to visit a third time.
Jesus
The Lord who answered Paul's prayer: "My grace is sufficient for you."
Talk it through
- Paul keeps the vision to himself for fourteen years and talks about it reluctantly. What does that say about how he views spiritual experiences?
- He asked three times for the thorn to be taken away, and the answer was "my grace is sufficient." How do we hold a "no" and a promise together?
- What does it mean that "power is made perfect in weakness"?
- Paul says parents should save for their children, not the other way around. How does he apply that to his own relationship with the Corinthians?
Read 2 Corinthians 12
World English Bible
1It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. For I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I don’t know, or whether out of the body, I don’t know; God knows), such a one caught up into the third heaven. 3I know such a man (whether in the body, or outside of the body, I don’t know; God knows), 4how he was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. 5On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in my weaknesses. 6For if I would desire to boast, I will not be foolish; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, so that no man may think more of me than that which he sees in me or hears from me. 7By reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted excessively, a thorn in the flesh was given to me: a messenger of Satan to torment me, that I should not be exalted excessively. 8Concerning this thing, I begged the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me.
10Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, and in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong. 11I have become foolish in boasting. You compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you, for I am in no way inferior to the very best apostles, though I am nothing. 12Truly the signs of an apostle were worked among you in all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty works. 13For what is there in which you were made inferior to the rest of the assemblies, unless it is that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong.
14Behold, this is the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I seek not your possessions, but you. For the children ought not to save up for the parents, but the parents for the children. 15I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the less? 16Even so, I myself didn’t burden you. “But, being crafty, I caught you with deception.” 17Did I take advantage of you by anyone of those whom I have sent to you? 18I exhorted Titus, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take any advantage of you? Didn’t we walk in the same spirit? Didn’t we walk in the same steps?
19Again, do you think that we are excusing ourselves to you? In the sight of God we speak in Christ. But all things, beloved, are for your edifying. 20For I am afraid that by any means, when I come, I might find you not the way I want to, and that I might be found by you as you don’t desire, that by any means there would be strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, whisperings, proud thoughts, or riots, 21that again when I come my God would humble me before you, and I would mourn for many of those who have sinned before now, and not repented of the uncleanness, sexual immorality, and lustfulness which they committed.
Text: World English Bible, Public domain. About our sources