Why Paul Defended Himself (Part 3)(12:1-6)
Neal Pollard
Before moving on to discussing an enigmatic “thorn in the flesh,” Paul talks about an event that may have helped precipitate the giving of such a “thorn.” Paul briefly “boasts” in defense of himself, to establish further proof of his apostleship. As he will say now and later in the chapter, the thing he boasted most in was his weakness, that the power of Christ could be in him and be seen in him (5,9). However, for the moment, he shares with them something that happened to him that proved him to be God’s genuine man–he speaks of himself in third person in this paragraph (1-6), but what he says in the next paragraph shows us that he was that “man in Christ” (2).
WHAT HAPPENED?
Paul received visions and revelations (1). He was “caught up to the third heaven” (2), “into Paradise and heard inexpressible words” (2,4). He experienced something of such a nature that he was not permitted to share it (4). Can you imagine being privy to such insight? He was shown something that proved God was with him.
WHERE DID IT HAPPEN?
Paul says “such a man…was caught up into Paradise” (2,4). “Paradise” is a word only found in three New Testament passages. In the first, Jesus says He will be with the penitent thief there (Luke 23:43). The last is an allusion made by Jesus as an incentive to the church at Ephesus to persevere. He says, “To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God” (Rev. 2:7). These two instances appear to be the place where Christ has gone to dwell after death. Paul apparently went there and is more impressed by what he hears (4) that what he might have seen in this vision.
WHY DID IT HAPPEN?
Paul does not seem to know what God’s intention was, beyond revealing truth to him in a vision. For a man who would be called on to suffer so much (see 11:17-33), this had to incentivize him to keep persevering. It armed him and emboldened him to keep on keeping on.
So, how do we make application of this? None of us have had this kind of experience. Yet, as Christians, how many of us have had our eyes opened to the way God is at work in our world and our lives today? You’ve seen God answer prayers in amazing ways. You’ve seen evidence of what seems to be His providence at work in your life. You have seen incredible doors of opportunity that bear His fingerprints. You’ve seen the marvels of His creation, in the heavens and on earth. You’ve seen promises in His Word, including some shared by the apostle Paul, fulfilled in your faithful service to God. You even have privy to this incident which happened to Paul to build your own faith. God has so abundantly blessed us with evidence of not just His existence, but the splendor and majesty of His character and nature. You can use this to persuade believers and answer and persuade unbelievers, just like Paul did. Make sure your eyes are open to His ways and your ears are open to His Word.
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