Study 2 Corinthians 12

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1. What did Paul say about his boasting?

It appeared he was caught up in it, although it was not profitable.

2. What did Paul proceed to describe?

His visions and revelations of the Lord.

3. How long ago did Paul have this particular revelation?

Fourteen years previously.

4. Was Paul caught up to Heaven in his body?

He was not certain.

5. Where was Paul brought by the Lord?

To the third heaven. Some teachers believe that the first heaven is earth's atmosphere and begins just above the surface of the earth. This may be the sphere of Satan's activity in that he is referred to as the "prince of the power of the air" (Ephesians 2:2). Satan is the ruler of the spirits that have their thrones in the air. From this vantage point the lords of darkness control the actions of people on the earth (Ephesians 2:2).

The second heaven, then, would be all outer space, commencing at the termination of earth's atmosphere. The second heaven appears to be a battleground in which the saints and the holy angels battle against the forces of darkness. The third heaven would be the spiritual Heaven, the land of angels, of departed saints, and of the Throne of God. Paul refers to the third heaven as "Paradise."

Some who have had spiritual visions have stated that in the third heaven there is a city, the heavenly Jerusalem, which itself is constructed on three levels, each higher level being an area of greater holiness and glory. At the top level of the city is located the Throne of God and of Christ. The lowest level of the city seems to be more in line with our ordinary conception of Heaven, that is, a beautiful countryside filled with flowers, parks, and saints and angels dwelling together in love, joy, and peace.

6. What did Paul hear while he was in Paradise?

Words and sayings that men are not permitted to speak.

7. About whom would Paul boast?

About a man who was caught up to Paradise. There is general agreement that Paul was speaking of himself since he had just stated that he had had visions and revelations of the Lord.

8. Now, openly speaking of himself, concerning what would Paul boast on his own behalf?

His weaknesses.

9. What would be true if Paul decided to boast of his revelations and works?

He would not be speaking foolishly but would be speaking the truth; for he did possess an extraordinary commission from the Lord Jesus.

10. Why did Paul refrain from boasting?

So the believers in Corinth would not esteem Paul to be more than they saw in him or heard from him.

11. What danger was Paul in because of the exceeding greatness of his revelations?

The danger of exalting himself.

12. How did the Lord Jesus protect Paul from the danger of exalting himself?

He sent to Paul a thorn in his flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment him so he would not exalt himself. There has been speculation as to what Paul's "thorn" was. Some have felt that it was a physical infirmity. Others have protested that the promises of God would shield Paul from sickness. Whatever the "thorn" was it served to keep Paul dependent on the Lord. God's "thorns" always accomplish God's purposes if the saint will cooperate with the Lord and not resist Him. On the other hand, we should never become passive and assume that our troubles are a thorn from the Lord. We have not had Paul's revelations. If we pray when we are afflicted we find to our joy that while the afflictions of the righteous are many, the Lord delivers him out of them all.

13. Did Paul accept the "thorn" passively?

He did not. He asked the Lord three times that it be removed from him. We are to call on the Lord in the day of trouble and He shall deliver us. Praising God for everything that comes to us, without letting our requests be made known to God, can easily lead us into passivity. Passivity is a form of deception. We are to pray fervently and continuously that God's will, as we understand it, will be performed in the earth. This includes salvation for our unsaved love ones, healing for our bodies, a breakthrough when we are surrounded by the enemy, and deliverance from every other affliction and problem that confronts us during our pilgrimage.

We never are to accept our circumstances passively, assuming that what is taking place is God's will. All surrender to inevitability, to passivity, to hopelessness and helplessness, must be cast out of the saints completely and at once. Passivity, and praising God in the sense of accepting blindly all that happens to us, is not a scriptural form of positive thinking. It is a trick of the enemy to lead us away from the fiery, fervent, continuing supplication and intercession that result in the will of the Father being done in the earth. Arise! Cast off all your acceptance of things in your life that are not as they should be, about which you are not at peace. Immediately begin to believe God for the fulfillment of all the desires of your heart. We have not because we ask not.

Are we to praise God in all matters? Indeed we are. In addition, we are to proceed directly to Spirit-filled prayer concerning every issue with which we are troubled. Then, when our prayers are answered, our joy is full and praise to our wonderful Lord Jesus ascends to Him because of the answer to our prayers. Most Christians who are ill do not have a thorn from the Lord to keep them humble. Rather, they are in a spiritual battle. They will come through victoriously and be healed if they will believe that Jesus is their Healer, ask the Lord to heal them, obey the Lord in all matters, and forgive every person without exception against whom they are holding a grudge. It is the Lord's will that we be whole in spirit, in soul, and in body.

14. How did Christ respond to Paul's prayer to remove the thorn?

The Lord Jesus assured Paul that the torment (even though a messenger of Satan) was from Him so His power would be perfected in Paul's weakness. Also, the Lord promised Paul that grace had been given along with the thorn-grace that was perfectly adequate to carry Paul along in victory. Doesn't this contradict what we have just taught? No, it does not. If we as a Christian will pray and believe God for the answer to our prayers, God will hear us and give us our desire.

If we, praying diligently several times as Paul did, break through in prayer to the point where we hear the Lord's special assurance in our spirit that though circumstances are not to our liking they nevertheless are His will for this season, we then are to praise the Lord and cooperate with His leading in the problem. Such prayerful diligence and obedience is far different from passively accepting our situation, or praising God for all that is happening to us, or endlessly attempting to "rebuke the devil," or running about here and there to get various "healers" or "deliverers" to pray for us. We may be suffering because of our lack of knowledge or prayer, because of our faithlessness, disobedience, and spiritual uncleanness. Accepting our plight and praising God for our pain are not appropriate behaviors unless we add to these our fervent prayers to God for His help, correction, and deliverance. Judgment falls on a saint because of his sin. Is he then to praise God that such is God's will for him and continue in his sin? Not at all! He is to change his behavior, take up his cross, and patiently follow the Master. This is the way of Christ.

When we are afflicted we are to pray that God will deliver us from all our fears and troubles, meanwhile looking to see if there are areas of our behavior that are not pleasing to the Holy Spirit. Also, we always are to praise God for His ever-present help in our hour of need. Now we come to one of the main concepts of Second Corinthians. We mentioned this concept earlier in our study guide when discussing verse four of Chapter One. It is the concept of life from death. The Lord's power is perfected in our weakness. His grace enables us to march on in triumph when such victory would be impossible because of the pressures closing in on us from every side.

Let us quote from previous pages: "Life from death," "ministry from the cross," "strength from weakness," "the overflow of resurrection life," "I am crucified, nevertheless I live," "here is one of the key aspects of the Christian discipleship of victory and service." Union with the crucifixion and resurrection of the Lord Jesus is the heart of the new covenant. Again, when examining what we stated previously concerning verse eleven of Chapter Four: " . . . such suffering provides the opportunity for the eternal, indestructible, resurrection life of Jesus to raise them up (Christ's servants). The servants of the Lord thus are driven to live by the power of Christ's resurrection rather than by their own energy and wisdom." Paul was a man of exceptional personal ability and he had been trained from a boy to be expert in the Law of God. Therefore the Lord Jesus kept Paul off balance, just as he keeps you and me off balance, so that the Glory of Christ would be revealed to the world rather than the intellectual brilliance of Saul of Tarsus.

Jesus could have appeared to Paul before he assisted in the stoning of Stephen, sparing Paul that mental anguish throughout his ministry. Jesus has His ways of keeping us off balance. But all His dealings with His saints are loving and necessary for our welfare. God never will share His glory with another. If the Kingdom of God is to be built, God will build it. Every one of His servants must be hindered in such a manner that the power and wisdom proceed from the Spirit of God rather than from the energy and talents of the Christian worker. Christ, not we, builds His Church on the Rock that He Himself Is. If we desire that the Glory of the Lord be revealed in the earth, we must allow the Lord to break us and use us as He will. It is necessary that He bring to nothing all our abilities. Such weakness on our part makes possible the bringing of the Glory of God to mankind.

15. What was Paul's response to being made weak?

He decided to boast in his weaknesses so that the power of Christ would rest on him.

16. In what, therefore, did Paul take pleasure?

Weaknesses, insults, distresses, persecutions, difficulties.

17. Why was Paul well content with such unpleasant circumstances?

Because when he was weak, then he was powerful in Christ.

18. Why was Paul writing foolishness in his boasting to the believers in Corinth?

They had brought about his foolish remarks by their lack of confidence in him.

19. Why should the Corinthians have commended Paul instead of belittling him?

Although he had presented himself as a "nobody" he was in no respect inferior to the Jewish "apostles" that the Corinthians considered to be so outstanding. During the past several hundred years of Christian church history this "nobody" has turned out to be a very fruitful saint. He who humbles himself shall be exalted.

20. What marks of an apostle were patiently wrought through Paul among the saints in Corinth?

Signs, wonders, works of power.

21. For what did Paul, with a tinge of sarcasm, ask forgiveness?

Not burdening the church in Corinth with his material needs while he was preaching the Gospel to them.

22. What trip was Paul planning at this time?

His third trip to Corinth. Paul had established the church in Corinth in A.D. 52-53. Then he worked for three years in Ephesus, from A.D. 54-57. While he was still in Ephesus, in the spring of A.D. 57, Paul wrote First Corinthians. It is believed that just after he wrote the first epistle, and before he journeyed to Macedonia, he had visited Corinth (200 miles distant) because of the problems that had arisen there. Then he had returned to Ephesus. This was the second time Paul was in Corinth first in A.D. 52-53, and then in the spring of A.D. 57. Paul had left Ephesus in the summer of A.D. 57 intending to spend the winter in Corinth, which he did. He passed through Macedonia on the way, visiting Philippi and Thessalonica. Paul wrote Second Corinthians while in Macedonia. Thus he refers to his proceeding south to Corinth for the winter of A.D.57 as "the third time I am ready to come to you."

23. What did Paul promise the believers in Corinth?

That he would not burden them with his material needs. The collection Paul was going to take from them was not for his own needs, it was for the poor Christians in Jerusalem.

24. What reason does Paul give for desiring not to be a burden to them?

He wanted them for Christ, not their material wealth. Children are not expected to provide for their parents but parents for their children.

25. For what purpose would Paul gladly devote all that he had and be fully spent?

So that the saints in Corinth would be established in the will of Christ.

26. What question does Paul put to the Corinthians?

"If I love you more abundantly, do you love me less as a result?" In the sixteenth verse, Paul seems to be putting words in their mouth. According to Paul, the Corinthians were saying, "No, you didn't become a burden to us. You are too crafty for that. Instead you will get our money by trickery."

27. What does Paul ask those who may be accusing him of attempting to get their goods by guile?

"Did I take advantage of you by any of the men whom I sent to you?" ==28. What does Paul ask the Corinthians concerning Titus and the Christian man that he had sent with Titus?== "Titus did not take advantage of you, did he? Didn't we walk by the same Spirit as Titus? Didn't we walk in the same steps?"

29. What else does Paul ask them?

"Do you think by what we are saying that we are defending ourselves to you?"

30. How was Paul speaking to them?

Before God in Christ.

31. Why did Paul speak to them as he did?

In order to strengthen them in Christ.

32. What did Paul fear?

That when he came to them they would not be found as he wished, and he would not be found as they wished. If Paul did not find them behaving as Christians they were going to be faced with a concerned, distressed apostle!

33. What did Paul not want to find?

Quarrelling, jealousy, rivalry, evil speaking, gossip, arrogance, disturbances.

34. What would take place if Paul should find such behavior among the saints in Corinth?

God would humble Paul among them, and he would mourn over many of the believers who had sinned and still had not repented of the uncleanness, fornication, and debauchery they had practised.

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