1 It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—4 how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. 5 Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities. 6 For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me.
Commentary
Vs. 1 "It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord:"
Carrying on from all that the Apostle Paul had previously stated that the Lord had brought him through as an Apostle of Christ, Paul now says that he will continue on in his "boasting." Here though a turn takes place in that what Paul reveals about his Apostleship does not entail external endurance, but rather a very profound experience given him by God that brought him into revelations and visions of the Lord. But first Paul acknowledges that there is nothing profitable (for himself) in his doing so, that is in his retelling these events, thus his doing so now is not for his sake, but ours.
Vs. 2 "I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven."
In order to not be wrongly identified with the bragging and boasting of the false apostles, the Apostle Paul will now in retelling these events refrain from directly identifying himself as the man in Christ. And so unlike the false apostles and prophets and such who are always quick to identify themselves as having had visions, (without even discerning the source of them). The Apostle Paul had for fourteen years not told anyone. To begin then Paul says that whether or not these things occurred while in the body, or out of the body, he himself does not know, God knows. Here the reference to being in the body, or out of the body, is a reference to either Paul's body and spirit, or just Paul's spirit which as Paul states was caught up to the third heaven. Now Paul's stating that it was the third heaven was so that no one would confuse this with being either the earthly sky (the first heaven), or the planets and stars and galaxies and such (the second heaven), but rather Paul, whether in body or out of it, was caught up to the third heaven, which is the realm and place of Almighty God Himself.
Vs. 3 "And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—"
Again so profound was this occurrence that Paul does not know if his whole person was taken there or just his spirit.
Vs. 4 "how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter."
The Apostle Paul now identifies the third heaven as Paradise (gr. παράδεισος), using the same word the Lord Jesus Christ used to described heaven, His eternal dwelling place, (see Luke 23:43). And so Paul's using this specific word here was so that there would be no confusion as to just where God had taken him to give him these visions and Revelations of the Lord. Now it was while there that Paul heard what he calls, "inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter." That is what the Apostle heard there was not to be expressed by him down here. Later the Apostle John would experience something similar but would be commanded to write down and declare all that he heard.
Vs. 5 "Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities."
Unlike the false apostles, Paul did not directly apply this revelation to himself, (since that was the tactic of the false apostles and such to claim all kinds of fantastic "spiritual" experiences to try make themselves appear apostles). Neither then would Paul readily boast of himself, (again something the false apostles loved to do), rather Paul would only boast in his infirmities, the very thing which his detractors were using to turn others against him. Because it was in his weaknesses that Christ made Paul strong (2 Cor 12:10). And so of a man having such a revelation Paul would boast, but of himself, Paul would never boast.
Vs. 6 "For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me."
In light of such things the Apostle Paul could easily boast (and given the carnal nature of the Corinthians they might even think him being "spiritual" if he did). Yet Paul says he will refrain from such foolishness and leave that to others. For Paul does not want to become the center of people's faith for having experienced such things. Nor does Paul want to be exalted above others, or "honored" because of having experienced these things (consider Acts 14:8-18), rather Paul wants Christ crucified to always be the front and center of our faith, and for Him alone to be exalted in the church.
Now there are many things that are spiritual in nature, and yet the Lord does not want us to taken with them, or anyone associated with them (consider Rev. 19:1-10), because the most important thing is not having these, or hearing of someone who has had experienced these. The most important and most crucial and critical thing is that you (and I) have our personal faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. For He alone can and will save us from not only our sins and transgressions, but also the wrath of God that is coming on this unbelieving and unrepentant world. For the Lord has come to stand in the gap to give salvation to one and to all who believe in Him crucified and Risen from the dead. Therefore seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near, so that you too may also freely drink of the cup of His consolation and salvation and regeneration that is being freely poured out and into all who repent and believe in Him (Isaiah 55:6-7; Rev. 21:6-8; 22:12-17). Therefore receive the Lord Jesus Christ today! (John 1:12; Rev 3:20)
Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.
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