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2 Corinthians

Chapter 12

Revelation, Thorn, and Fatherly Concern

Paul continues the reluctant boasting by speaking of a man in Christ caught up to the third heaven and into Paradise, yet he refuses to build his claim on such revelations or on anything beyond what people can see and hear in him. Instead he turns to the thorn given to keep him from conceit and to the word from Christ that grace is sufficient and power is perfected in weakness, so that weakness becomes the place where Christ's power rests. The chapter then returns to Corinth itself, where Paul insists that all his defense has been for their upbuilding and expresses fear that he may find disorder and unrepentant sin when he comes again.

This chapter brings Paul's boasting in weakness to its most intimate point and then folds it back into pastoral love for Corinth. It sets up the final chapter by holding together authority, vulnerability, and the possibility of coming discipline.

3 sections·581 words·~3 min read

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2 Corinthians 12

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vv. 1-4

Paul’s Revelation

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I1 must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to gain, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. 2I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows. 3And I know that this man— whether in the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows— 4was caught up to Paradise. The things he heard were inexpressible, things that man is not permitted to tell.

vv. 5-10

Paul’s Thorn and God’s Grace

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I5 will boast about such a man, but I will not boast about myself, except in my weaknesses. 6Even if I wanted to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me, 7or because of these surpassingly great revelations.

8So to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me. 10That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

vv. 11-21

Paul’s Concern for the Corinthians

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I11 have become a fool, but you drove me to it. In fact, you should have commended me, since I am in no way inferior to those “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing. 12The marks of a true apostle — signs, wonders, and miracles — were performed among you with great perseverance. 13In what way were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!

14See, I am ready to come to you a third time, and I will not be a burden, because I am not seeking your possessions, but you. For children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. 15And for the sake of your souls, I will most gladly spend my money and myself. If I love you more, will you love me less? 16Be that as it may, I was not a burden to you; but crafty as I am, I caught you by trickery. 17Did I exploit you by anyone I sent you? 18I urged Titus to visit you, and I sent our brother with him. Did Titus exploit you in any way? Did we not walk in the same Spirit and follow in the same footsteps?

19Have you been thinking all along that we were making a defense to you? We speak before God in Christ, and all of this, beloved, is to build you up. 20For I am afraid that when I come, I may not find you as I wish, and you may not find me as you wish. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, rage, rivalry, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder. 21I am afraid that when I come again, my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of their acts of impurity, sexual immorality, and debauchery.

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  1. 01vv. 1-4Paul’s RevelationPaul says he must go on boasting, though there is nothing to gain by it, and speaks of visions and revelations from the Lord through the story of a man in Christ caught up to the third heaven and to Paradise. Yet even here he keeps the experience at a distance, stressing only that God knows its manner and that what was heard there cannot be spoken.
  2. 02vv. 5-10Paul’s Thorn and God’s GracePaul says he would boast about such a man but not about himself except in weakness, and even truthful boasting is restrained so that no one thinks more of him than what they can see and hear. Because of the surpassing revelations, a thorn was given to keep him from conceit, and though he pleaded for its removal, Christ answered that grace is sufficient and power is perfected in weakness. So Paul says he will gladly boast in weakness, because that is where Christ's power rests and where true strength is found.
  3. 03vv. 11-21Paul’s Concern for the CorinthiansPaul says the Corinthians should have commended him, since the signs of a true apostle were performed among them, even though he himself is nothing, and he returns with irony to the one thing in which they were 'wronged' by him: that he did not burden them financially. He is ready to come a third time still seeking not their possessions but themselves, like a parent who spends for children rather than the other way around. Yet beneath the defense lies concern, because he fears that when he comes he may find strife, disorder, and older sins that remain unrepented.
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