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Paul’s patience is evident in this chapter. The super apostles of Corinth could not stop talking about themselves. It is likely they boasted about their dreams and visions which they used to add credibility to their résumé. Paul was tired of this “competition,” but for the sake of those reading his letter who needed to be protected from such false statements, he continued to write on his own experiences.
It is interesting to me the perspective Paul gives regarding dreams and visions. Paul was certainly qualified to speak on this topic. He could have used his visions of Christ as the backbone of his teaching. However, the story he tells about himself here in 2 Corinthians 12 is not mentioned anywhere else in Scripture.
I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows.
2 Corinthians 12:2 ESV
Paul was taken to heaven, but he does not report the details as if he arrogantly knows all things. He leaves the details to God because he does not want to overstep. Furthermore, Paul knows that dreams and visions are subjective, prone to misunderstanding and human error. It is true God speaks through dreams and visions but it is also true that most times, those visions have a significant and unique message for the one receiving them. Paul’s description of this miraculous vision has a stark contrast to the people today who jump at every opportunity to over-spiritualize a situation!
“When we think of this, we realize how different Paul is than most of those who describe their so-called “visions” of heaven today. First, Paul waiting fourteen years to say anything about the incident and he only said anything about it reluctantly. He does everything he can in relating the story to take the focus off of himself (such as writing in the third person). And he doesn’t bother at all with breathless descriptions of what he actually experienced. Instead, he says nothing of what he saw, and says of what he heard only they were things not lawful for a man to utter. There is nothing self-glorying, self-aggrandizing, or foolish in his description of his experience.”
David Guzik
The Lord allowed Paul to hear “unspeakable words” while in heaven. However, what came from that experience was the thorn in Paul’s flesh. Notice how the thorn is directly connected to the “greatness of the revelations.”
2 Corinthians 12:7 ESV So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.
“The interesting thing is that Paul kept quiet about this experience for fourteen years! During those years, he was buffeted by his “thorn in the flesh,” and perhaps people wondered why he had such a burdensome affliction. The Judaizers may have adopted the views of Job’s comforters and said, “This affliction is a punishment from God.” (Actually, it was a gift from God.) Some of Paul’s good friends may have tried to encourage him by saying, “Cheer up, Paul. One day you’ll be in heaven!” Paul could have replied, “That’s why I have this thorn – I went to heaven!””
Warren Wiersbe
Paul was given the thorn in his flesh to protect him from pride! Again, this is such a contrast to followers today who boast of their dreams and visions and use them to justify their closeness with God. In fact, in America we have even developed a theology around pride that leads people to believe that suffering is always a symptom of weak faith. Paul had strong faith, yet, he suffered. He didn’t boast like he could have. He told his stories while placing the focus on Jesus. Oh, how the modern-day church could learn from Paul’s example.