2 Corinthians 12

2 Corinthians 12:1

But I shall give over these things; for if I should go on in it, I should then come to mention the visions and revelations which I have had from God.

2 Corinthians 12:2

I know one that was transported in a vision by the Spirit of Christ; that is, I myself about fourteen years past was in an ecstasy, Acts xxii. 18, such an one that I am not able to say whether I were bodily removed and carried to the third heaven, the place of God’s glorious residence, or whether only in a vision such representations were made to me remaining upon the earth.

[a] a man in Christ] What ἄνθρωπος ἐν Χριστῷ, a man in Christ, here signifies, may possibly be guessed by other phrases of the same making; such is that of St. Luke, Acts xii. 11, where it is said of Peter, γενόμενος ἐν ἰαυτῷ, being in himself, that is, having been formerly in a trance, and now returned out of it; and that is called being in himself: such that Rev. i. 10. ἐγενόμην ἐν πνεύματι, I was in the spirit, that is, I was in a trance or ecstasy, and there received a vision or revelation from God: such Mark i. 23. ἄνθρωπος ἐν πνεύματι ἀκαθάρτῳ, and the same again ch. v. 2. a man in an unclean spirit, that is, one agitated with a diabolical spirit, rapt and carried to do things which of himself he would never do. And accordingly here a man in Christ may be one that by the spirit of Christ was thus transported, received revelations from Christ; and therefore, ver. 1, there is mention of visions and revelations, of which this is here an instance, and so ver. 7. And all the circumstances of the context incline to this interpretation. And this is the importance of the ἑκστασις, ecstasy, (see note [c] on Mark iii.) being out of himself, transported either by a good or evil spirit; when by a good, it signifies a prophetic vision; when by a bad, a kind of madness, as in the demoniacs, (though the word is nowhere in the New Testament used of them,) and both contrary to the being ἐν

2 Corinthians 12:3

I say, I know not which of these it was, God only knows.

¹⁶ the concurrence of business that comes daily upon me, the solicitude for all— ἡ ἐπισύστασις μου ἡ καθ’ ἡμέραν, ἡ μέριμνα πασῶν. ¹⁷ scandalized, σκαρδαλίξεται. ¹⁸ am not on fire, οὐ πυροῦμαι. ¹⁹ governor of the nation, ἐθνάρχης. ²⁰ But it, Δή. ²¹ for I shall come, ἐλεύσομαι γάρ. ³ I know, οἶδα. ⁴ snatched as far as, ἀρπαγέντα ἕως.

O 2

2 Corinthians 12:4

But whether bodily or in vision, methought I was in the highest heaven, ver. 2, here called paradise in respect of the joys that dwell there, and had such revelations made to me by an angel from God as were wonderful to consider, but which I was forbidden to declare to others.

2 Corinthians 12:5

And though I have this abundant matter of glorying, yet shall I not make use of it any further or more plainly, but boast only of my sufferings for Christ.

2 Corinthians 12:6

For if I would speak of this, I justly might, for it is most certainly true; but I will say no more of this subject; for I desire not to put men into any other opinion of me than what they have from those more visible evidences, my ordinary constant actions or words.

2 Corinthians 12:7

And indeed after I had these high transcendent revelations, that I might not be elevated with them, a sharp affliction was sent me in mercy by God, but inflicted on me by Satan and some instruments of his, who dealt very roughly with me, beat me, imprisoned me, scourged me, (see Chrysost. Epist. 15. tom. 7. p. 101. line 40,) and this was by God designed to keep me humble.

2 Corinthians 12:8

And I earnestly prayed to God to be delivered from it.

2 Corinthians 12:9

And the only answer I received was this: It is enough for thee that what I do is for thy good; afflictions are the means to do the Christian most good; the greater the pressures are, the more visible is the perfection of the divine assistance; or, the more thy persecutions are, the more is the gospel propagated by thee (Theophylact); nay, afflictions therefore are the things I rejoice in (see note [a] Heb. iii.) more than any thing, even than revelations themselves, as the means by which the power of Christ and his presence may appear more visibly upon me (see note [b] Rom. ix.) than by any other means it could, even in as glorious a manner as that wherein God exhibited himself in the ark.

2 Corinthians 12:10

This therefore of diseases, and afflictions, and reproaches, and persecutions for Christ, is a thing

2 Corinthians 12:11

You see how vain I am in boasting; yet your calumnies have made it necessary for me to do so; for sure I have done and suffered as much as any the most valued apostle, though indeed I have no reason to have any opinion of myself for all this.

2 Corinthians 12:12

If patience of whatsoever sufferings for the gospel’s sake, if working of miracles of all kinds be able to testify a man to be sent and authorized by Christ, (as beyond all other things that is most proper to do it,) then sure it doth appear that I am an apostle in despite of my calumniators.

2 Corinthians 12:13

For there is no church that hath had more pains taken among them, more gifts bestowed for the building them up, more of any thing that is needful, than ye have had from me; the only thing wherein ye differ from others is, that all hath been done without any charge of yours, without my asking or receiving any thing from you; and if this be a wrong, you will easily, I suppose, forgive it me.

2 Corinthians 12:14

I have now made a third resolution (see ch. i. 16.) to come shortly among you, and I will do it without putting you to any charge; for I covet not your possessions, but your salvation; and as a parent I desire to do all manner of good to you, and to receive none from you.

2 Corinthians 12:15

And I will offer up myself most cheerfully for the good of your souls, exhaust all the small goods I have, and venture even my life for you, and never be discouraged, though as my love and the effects thereof increase toward you, so your’s lessen toward me.

2 Corinthians 12:16

But it is by some among you suggested against me, that although I never received any pay from you for the preaching the gospel, yet I have cunningly and underhand gotten a great deal from you.

2 Corinthians 12:17

If this have any truth in it, let it appear: have I done this by any of those whom I have sent to you?

2 Corinthians 12:25

[d] in the deep] To what passage of St. Paul’s story this of his being a day and a night ἐν τῷ βυθῷ, in the deep, doth belong, cannot be shewed out of scripture. It is not altogether improbable what Beda l. Quæst. qu. 3. tit. 8. saith out of Theodorus Tarsensis, that in Cyzicum (which is in the Propontis, a famous city) there is a prison, which for the depth of it under ground is called βυθός, or “the bottom of the sea,” a most noisome filthy prison, as in Athens there was one called βάραθρον, hell, at Syracuse λατομία, the mineral, and many the like in other places: see Suidas in the word βάραθρον. Into this, as a most infamous prison, St. Paul might well be cast, passing from Troas to that city, though St. Luke, who reports not things particularly, save when he himself was present, make no mention of it. And indeed whatsoever else may be meant by the word βυθός, St. Luke seems not to have made mention of this passage, there being no reason to apply that of Acts xxvii. to it, the Epistle being written before that time, in the compass of the Macedonian progress, Acts xx. 1; and if it might be conceived to be written after it, that would more reasonably be defined to be one of his three shipwrecks foregoing here. Theophylact speaks of some that interpreted it of a well, called βυθός, profundity, because of the great depth of it, wherein, after his danger at Lystra, he hid himself.

2 Corinthians 12:29

If any man be sick or ill-affected in spirit, I am in sympathy with him, in care how to relieve and get him up again; if any be fallen into sin, or fallen back from discipleship, I am constantly inflamed with a holy zeal to get him out of it.

2 Corinthians 12:30

And these my sufferings are the only things which I shall think fit to boast of now I am by my calumniators constrained to do so.

2 Corinthians 12:32

Acts ix. 24. ### CHAP. XII.

¹ IT is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. ² I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

² I knew [a] a man in Christ about fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one ⁴ caught up to the third heaven.

³ And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out

[e] Aretas] The Gassanii reigned in Syria some say four hundred, others six hundred years; many of them were called Harethi or Aretæ, which is the name of the king here. See Mr. Pococke’s notes on Gregorius Abul Farajius’s story of the Arabians, pp. 77, 78.