11:16 ¶ I say again, Let no man
think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast
myself a little. 17 That which I speak,
I speak it not after the Lord,
but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting. 18 Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I
will glory also. 19 For ye suffer fools
gladly, seeing ye yourselves
are wise. 20 For ye suffer, if a man
bring you into bondage, if a man devour you,
if a man take of you, if a man
exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face. 21 I speak as concerning reproach, as though we
had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am
bold also.
Paul sets up an argument here admonishing the Corinthians who he
says would permit false teaching to pollute their faith. He is referring to
Judaizers who would try to put the Corinthians back under the Law as we will
see.
11:22 ¶ Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham?
so am I. 23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a
fool) I am more; in labours
more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths
oft. 24 Of the Jews five times received
I forty stripes save one.
25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once
was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the
deep; 26 In journeyings often, in
perils of waters, in perils of
robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
27 In weariness and painfulness, in
watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and
nakedness. 28 Beside those things that
are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? who
is offended, and I burn not? 30 If I
must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.
31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. 32 In Damascus the governor under Aretas the
king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me:
33 And through a window in a basket was
I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.
The Judaizers who are trying to put the Corinthians back under the
Law have nothing on Paul’s pedigree. He also is a Hebrew, an Israelite. He has suffered
a great deal for the gospel. These are his credentials; prison, beatings,
shipwrecks, and in grave peril for his life in many places. He barely escaped
death in Damascus.
Acts 9:22 But Saul increased the more in strength, and
confounded the Jews
which dwelt at Damascus, proving
that this is very Christ.
23 ¶ And after that many days
were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him: 24 But their laying await was known of Saul. And
they watched the gates day and night to kill him. 25 Then the disciples took him by night, and let
him down
by the wall in a basket.
His argument continues in trying to explain to the Corinthians
what he, Paul, has seen….
Chapter 12
12:1 ¶ It is not expedient for me doubtless to
glory. I will come 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 lawful 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.
Paul had a vision of being caught up to heaven. Could it have
happened when he was near death at Lystra as reported in Acts 14:8 through 20?
We simply do not know if it was that occasion or perhaps when he was first
blinded in his encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus as reported in
Acts 9.
Paul uses the phrase the
third heaven. This would suggest that the first heaven is the atmosphere of
earth where life can exist, the second heaven would be our understanding of
outer space containing stars and planets, the third heaven would be where God
dwells and the origination point of the heavenly New Jerusalem, that giant cube
of a city that is at some point headed toward us.
Revelation 21:16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length
is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve
thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.
It is to there that God has placed Paradise, what we call Abraham’s
Bosom from Luke 16:22, and the Tree of Life.
Revelation 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the
Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of
the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
Revelation 22:1 ¶ And he shewed me a pure river of water of
life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the midst of the street of it, and on
either side of the river, was there
the tree of life, which bare twelve manner
of fruits, and yielded
her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 And there shall be no more curse: but the
throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
4 And they shall see his face; and his
name shall be in their
foreheads. 5 And there shall be no night
there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God
giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
It is there that sorrow and suffering end for those who have
trusted in God, who have believed His word, and who are depending on Christ’s
righteousness and not their own for sanctification and justification before
God.
Revelation 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their
eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither
shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Paul can’t talk about it probably because we would not understand
it nor would we have any thing on earth to connect it to from our own
experience or understanding. It is beyond our comprehension. To explain
something we must have some sort of parallel or reference from experience. As
Isaiah noted;
Isaiah 64:4 For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by
the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.
Which Paul paraphrased as;
1Corinthian 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man,
the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
To keep Paul from getting a swelled head over this privileged experience
from God he was given a thorn in the
flesh, a messenger of Satan to afflict him. This gives us some suggestion
of the origination of disease, at least in some cases. We only see temporal
causes; unsanitary conditions, a disease agent, injury, or genetic factors but
there is also a spiritual explanation. Here is a reason for suffering that is
not linked to Paul’s sin but to his triumph in Christ and to his mission.
What was Paul’s condition? Well, we know that he was blinded on
the road to Damascus.
Acts 9:8 And Saul arose from the earth; and when his
eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.
Which he was delivered from….
Acts 9: 17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the
house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee
in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight,
and be filled with the Holy Ghost.18 And
immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received
sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.
And yet, he seemed to be plagued with vision problems after that.
Galatians 4:15 Where is then the blessedness ye spake of?
for I bear you record, that, if it had
been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have
given them to me.
He asked three times, thrice,
for the Lord to deliver him from his infirmity. But, he received…
My grace is sufficient for thee:
for my strength is made perfect in weakness.
God’s power shines through us in our disabilities, our weakness, our
infirmity, and our inability. It is in these circumstances that our desire for
preeminence and to have power over our world is severely diminished and then
God shines through our finite, frail vessels. It is a great testimony to the
world for them to see God’s power in your frailty.
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