The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians
2 Corinthians 12
Chapter XII · Vol. IV, pp. 387–388
1 For commending of his apostleship, though he might glory of his wonderful revelations, 9 yet he rather chooseth to glory of his infirmities, 11 blaming them for forcing him to this vain boasting. 14 He promiseth to come to them again: but yet altogether in the affection of a father, 20 although he feareth he shall to his grief find many offenders, and public disorders there.
1 It is not aexpedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to bvisions and revelations of the Lord.
2 Ic knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body,1 I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.2
c Ac.9.3,4; 22.6,17; 26.16,19. Ro.16.7. 1 Co.15.8. ch.5.16,17.
1 From this it is plain that Paul believed the soul had an existence separable from the body; and that, in that state of separation, it was capable of perception and recollection totally independent of bodily organs.—C.
2 The Jews reckoned three heavens. First, the region of the air; second, the region of the stars; third, the space beyond the stars, unvisited by human sight.—C.
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 dparadise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful3 for a man to utter.
5 Of such an one will I glory: eyet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.
e ch.11.30; ver.9,10.
6 For gthough 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.
g ch.10.8; 11.16. 1 Co.3.5,9,10.
7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a hthorn in the flesh,4 the messenger of Satan5 to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.Cited in WSC 106 · WLC 195 · WCF 5.5
h 2 Ch.32.25. Eze.28.24. Job 2.6,7. Lu.13.16. Ga.4.14.
4 Concerning the precise nature of this 'thorn in the flesh' conjectures are numerous, and, because they are but conjectures, useless and vain. All that can be certainly known is this: it was some bodily affliction, either from disease within or persecution without, — especially from 'his kinsmen according to the flesh.' What precisely it was, 'God knoweth.' But, though 'a thorn,' it was 'given'—sent as a gift, not as a punishment—an humbling memento to counteract the possibility of spiritual pride.—C.
5 Satan is, in fifty distinct places of Scripture, represented as the author of corporal maladies—which, indeed, must needs be so; for Satan is the author of sin—and sin is the cause of death—and disease is but death begun.—C.
8 For this thing iI besought the Lord thrice,6 that it might depart from me.Cited in WSC 106 · WLC 195 · WCF 5.5
i De.3.23-27. Ps.77.2-11. La.3.8. Mat.26.44.
6 This is not an indefinite expression for 'frequently'—as some suppose, —but seems to be an adoption of the scriptural practice (Da.6.10. Ps.55.17), which was also exemplified by our Lord in Gethsemane, Mat.20.44.—C.
9 And he said unto me, jMy grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will kI rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.Cited in WSC 106 · WCF 5.5
A.M. cir. 4064. A.D. cir. 60.
j 1 Co.10.13. Is.40.29,30; 41.10,14.
k ver.5,10; ch.11.30. 1 Pe.4.13,14.
10 Thereforel I take pleasure in 7infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake: for nwhen I am weak, then am I strong.
11 Io am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for pin nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.
12 Trulyq the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.
q Ro.15.19. 1 Co.9.1,2. ch.4.2; 6.4; 11.6. Ac.19.11,12; 2.22.
13 Forr what is it wherein you were 8inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong.9
r 1 Co.1.4,5, with 9.12. ch.11.8,9; ver.14,15.
8 In what apostolic evidence, or spiritual gift or privilege, were 'ye inferior to other churches?'—C.
9 An act may be right in one sense, and wrong in another. The apostle was right in forbearing to receive their aid, because he acted out of regard to their weakness and his own apostolic disinterestedness; but he admits he did wrong, because, while acting so tenderly, he was depriving them of the superior blessedness which lies in giving rather than in receiving, Ac.20.35. See ver.14.—C.
14 Behold, sthe third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.Cited in WLC 125
15 And tI will very gladly spend and be spent for you;1 though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.Cited in WLC 151, 159
16 But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being ucrafty, I caught you with guile.2
u Pr.11.30. ch.11.9; ver.13.
2 This is generally represented as a calumnious charge against the apostle. But, does it not rather mean that when 'he became all things to all men' he was employing the 'wisdom of the serpent' to win them, not to a nominal profession, not to himself, but to truth, to Christ, to holiness, to salvation?—C.
17 Didv I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you?
v 2 Pe.2.3. ch.7.2,6; 2.12. 1 Co.16.10.
18 Ix desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps?
x ch.8.6,16,18,22; 7.2.
19 Again, think ye that we yexcuse ourselves unto you? we speak zbefore God in Christ: but we ado all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.Cited in WLC 159
A.M. cir. 4064. A.D. cir. 60.
y ch.5.12; 3.1.
z See ch.11.10,31. Ro.1.9; 9.1.
a 1 Co.9.12,23; 10.33; 14.26. ch.5.12,13; 10.8; 13.10.
20 For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, band that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:
b ch.1.23,24; 2.1; 10.2; 13.2,10. 1 Co.4.16,18,21.
21 And lest, when I come again, cmy God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness, and fornication, and lasciviousness, which they have committed.Cited in WLC 144
c ch.2.1. Phi.3.18,19. 1 Co.5.1,11. Ro.13.13. Re.2.21.
Notes
Ver. 1. In ordinary cases it is indeed neither proper nor profitable to boast of my privileges and enjoyments; but since your judaizing teachers have by their reproaches forced me to it, I shall further add that I have as much ground to boast of immediate intercourse with God as any of them can pretend to. 2, 3. I knew a believer in and united to Christ who, about fourteen years ago, was in a vision rapt up to the highest heaven in his apprehensions; but whether his soul was separated from his body, or whether his whole man, soul and body, was carried up, I cannot determine, but must leave the matter to God. 4. But certain I am that this man had such clear manifestations of the glory of God, such clear, intelligible, and transporting revelations of heavenly things, as no words on earth can justly express. 5. Of this man, as so highly dignified, carried out of himself, and favoured with the immediate discoveries of God's love, I may and will speak honourably; but I will not speak a boasting word concerning myself, except it be of what plainly marks my weakness, and exposes me to the contempt of others, and thus tends to keep me humble, even while, for promoting the ends of my ministry, I seem to vaunt of them. 6. I could mention many other things, in consistence with good sense and strict truth; but I will say no more, either of my sufferings or revelations, lest some of my friends should be tempted to look upon me as more than a man, or greater than I really am. 7. Nay, lest through the unwatchfulness, vanity, and treachery of my own heart, I should pride myself in these extraordinary revelations, as if I were better than other men, the Lord very graciously permitted Satan and his instruments to afflict me in a very painful and debasing manner. 8. Almost overwhelmed with this trouble, I frequently and earnestly besought the Lord by solemn prayer that, if consistent with his will, he would rebuke and restrain the tempter, and deliver me from his violent assaults. 9. And though he did not grant me the very thing which I submissively asked, yet he graciously answered my requests, more to his own honour and my real advantage, by assuring me that his favour and love, and the gracious aids and comforts which he would afford me, would be every way sufficient and effectual to support me under and carry me through, and bring me off with great improvement, victory, and triumph and that his almighty power should be illustriously manifested in these effects, in proportion to my utter inability to produce them.—In the assured faith of this promise, I will rather rejoice and glory in reproaches, persecutions, and troubles, than be discouraged by, ashamed, or afraid of them,—that the all-sufficient power and grace of Jesus Christ, to whom I have committed myself, may surround, cover, and defend me, sanctify my tribulations, and enable me to bear them with all-becoming submission, patience, humility, and hope, and at last bring me out of them more than a conqueror. 10. In this view, I take pleasure in all the afflictions which come upon me for professing and preaching Christ and his gospel; for when by these means I most see and feel my own weakness, and appear most contemptible in the eyes of others, I find myself most sensibly strengthened in the Lord, by the influences of his Spirit in my inner man, courageously to bear up under and obtain glorious victories over them.—11. In mentioning so many things with an air of self-commendation, I have with reluctance, for the glory of God, the credit of the gospel, and your establishment and edification, done what in other circumstances would have been weak and foolish; but your culpable neglect to do my character justice, according to what ye had experienced under my ministrations, and your taking part with those who reproached me, made it necessary: for I appeal to your consciences if, by the grace of God, I did not, however insignificant in myself, in conversation, sufferings, ministrations, miracles, and success, far exceed any of your new preachers, and even equal Peter, or any other of Christ's apostles. 12. The unquestionable marks of a true apostle of Christ have been manifest in my ministrations among you, in my patience and meekness under my labours and sufferings, and in the miraculous operations and marvellous success which attended them. 13. Have not ye yourselves by my ministry been enriched with all spiritual gifts and privileges as much as any other Christian church, whether planted by me or by any other apostle? Wherein have I been wanting to you—unless that, for your benefit and the honour of the gospel, I took no maintenance from you? and if ye will have this to be a wrong done to you, or to any other church, I hope ye may easily forgive it.—14. I have now thrice intended and prepared to make you a visit. The first time I had the pleasure of accomplishing my purpose, and planted the gospel among you. On the second occasion I deferred my coming till it might better promote your honour and comfort. And now when for the third time I am prepared to come, I am determined to give you my labours freely; for I do not aim at procuring your temporal good things for myself, but at edifying and saving your souls. Since I have been instrumental in begetting you to Christ by the gospel, I resolve, like a parent, to exert myself to the utmost for your spiritual benefit, without expecting a reward of your worldly substance. 15. I could be glad to spend my time, strength, and labour, and all my temporal ease, honour, and advantages, or even to wear out my life itself, for the good of your souls, even though I were to be slighted, reproached, and abused by you in proportion to my kindness to you. 16. Your new preachers indeed pretend that though I took nothing from you myself, I hereby craftily decoyed you to give more liberally to my partners. 17. But I dare appeal to yourselves if there is the least evidence that I ever made the least advantage of you for myself by means of any of my brethren, whom I sent to promote your comfort, rectify your disorders, and excite your charity to the poor saints in Judea. 18. I appeal to you if Titus, or the respectable brother who attended him, took anything either for their own labours or my subsistence, and if we did not all act upon the same disinterested plan to promote your spiritual welfare. 19. Nay, as a believer in and apostle of Christ, I can appeal to the all-seeing God that I did not send them to make any apology for me or my faithful brethren, or to excuse the delay of my visiting you; but that all my conduct towards you has been intended to support my apostolic authority, in order that my ministrations might the more effectually promote your edification. 20, 21. For, as I formerly hinted, I am much afraid that when I shall pay you my intended visit I shall not find you so orderly and obedient to the authority of Christ in me as I wish, and that I shall be obliged to exercise my power in a manner more severe than ye will relish. I fear lest through hearkening to seducers there should be among you fierce and uncharitable disputes, envious tempers and talkers, warm and angry passions, carnal contentions, and revilings of others behind their backs, proud, haughty boastings, and disdainful insults, and a tumultuous carriage towards one another ; and lest my gracious God and Master should call me not to glory of you, or rejoice in beholding your faith and order, but to shame and grief, on account of Christ being so much dishonoured, and my labours so much lost among you,—and sharply to censure such as I find continuing impenitent in their scandalous sins.
Reflections.—Great are the changes which take place in the comforts and troubles of saints. God often lifts them up and casts them down again. The most ravishing manifestations are succeeded by sharp and fearful trials and temptations; but all is necessary to keep down pride and animate fervent prayer. And though God does not always answer the prayers of his people as they wish, he always does it in that manner which is best calculated to promote their spiritual benefit. If he secure to us his own powerful presence and grace, we may well glory in troubles, as giving him opportunities to perform his promises. And it is delightful to see the greatest ministers the most humble, and behaving in the most prudent and self-denying manner, in order to turn souls to Christ. But how shameful is it for people to break the hearts of their faithful and successful ministers by reproaches and impenitent continuance in scandalous enormities! And with deep impressions of the dishonour done to God and hurt to souls ought the unruly to be warned, and offenders to be censured.