Chapter 12
V1 From the outset it is imperative to bear in mind that this is a continuous epistle, hence Paul’s train of thought from the previous chapter, would neither have been interrupted nor discontinued. Hence for some commentators to claim that the man spoken of in succeeding verses, was someone else other than Paul, takes the whole discourse out of context and creates confusion that does not exist when read continuously. Notwithstanding, verses 7-9 of this chapter further prove that this man spoken of in the third person is definitely Paul himself. Paul clearly states that he shall continue to defend his case of being a genuine apostle in comparison to the disingenuous charlatans, whom the Corinthians had tolerated for so long. The succeeding words would be evidence concerning him, to be presented to the recipients of this epistle, to support his claims. This would touch on visions and revelations presented to him by Yeshua haMashiach Himself.
V2-3 The heavens are divided into 3 areas. The lower region of the clouds which we observe on earth would be the 1st heaven. This is where birds can fly hence the term the fowls of heaven cf Eze 31:6. The 2nd heaven constitutes the area where the angels and spirits battle for the souls of mankind. This would be above our atmosphere where the stars are present, but below the abode of Yehovah and His angels. The Jews referred to this as the heaven of heavens cf 1 Ki 8:27.
The 3rd heaven is where Yehovah dwells, with His holy angels and also the righteous souls awaiting their resurrected bodies in paradise cf 12:4; Lk 23:43 and Rev 2:7. The epistle has been dated as being written in AD 56-57. More than 14 years before would have been a period before 42-43 AD. Several points in scripture may have related to the time he was harpazo/caught up, raptured into the 3rd heaven cf Acts 22:17; Gal 2:2. Whether his whole body was transported or only his soul, Paul never knew. Only Elohim did. Regardless, out of body or not, he was given revelation.
V4 Paul was haparzo/snatched away in the same manner as those that shall be snatched away or caught up at Yeshua’s second advent cf 1 Thes 4:17. Paradise is beyond a shadow of a doubt in the 3rd heaven as deduced by the narrative. Arrhetos refers to unspeakable in the sense of being too sacred. So sacred were these words heard that it was forbidden for mankind to utter hence explaining why Paul had been mum about them for over 14 years. The purpose therefore of hearing utterances in paradise and being disallowed to express these to others, was clearly not for revelation, but rather for Paul to have a glimpse of the promises laid out for the saints in the afterlife.
This likely would have been to embolden him and give him reason to not give up the spiritual battle against evil on earth, which through the terrible ordeals he experienced for the gospel, may without these visions of hope, have led him to throw in the towel in despair. Saints who experienced visions throughout the ages tend to have been those who had suffered great calamity and persecution in life. Although we are to live by faith, it seems as if when saints experience insurmountable persecution, they may at times be afforded an opportunity by Elohim to have a glimpse of the promises lying ahead, as a means of reinforcing their resolve, to which Paul revelled in as we shall read shortly in this chapter.
V5 Note the words ‘a one’ are inserted in the KJV but absent in the original manuscript. This is unnecessary as it confuses and contradicts the narrative. Paul is saying ‘of this sort of thing will I glory’. He did not glory in himself, but in the experience of having been blessed with visions and revelations. Regarding his earthly experiences, he gloried in his infirmities for the furtherance of the gospel of Messiah. Churches of our day are plagued by false preachers and prophets boasting of purported visions and revelation, hellbent on legitimizing their falsified statuses through hoodwinking the ignorant masses, and for the ultimate purpose of swindling them off their money through offerings.
V6 Despite having greater reason to boast about his supernatural experiences, which far exceeded the lacklustre ministries of the false apostles to which they tooted their own trumpets to, Paul preferred to abstain from such temptation for vain worldly praise. Furthermore, his innumerable experiences would unlike the false apostles, be actually truthful and well-founded. Rather, he chose for people to base their opinions according to his physical appearance and utterances, instead of on his supernatural encounters with the Messiah and the heavenly realm, lest he be hero-worshipped at the expense of Messiah, who deserves all glory. For this reason, Paul did not divulge further what was expressed in his journey to the third heaven.
V7 In order to quell any potential haughtiness stemming from his privileged encounter with the supernatural realm, and succeeding plenteous revelations bestowed upon him, Paul was given a skolops/ Greek for stake or splinter in his body to keep his pride in check. Elohim allowed for the aggelos/angel of Satan to kolaphizo/Greek for strike with a fist, should he ever allow pride to supersede his humility from these revelations specially given to him. The flesh is the area where sin operates through, and is at great variance with the Holy Spirit. Anybody who has personally encountered Yeshua, or been given great revelation from the throne room of Elohim, would undoubtedly become big-headed and high and mighty were they not to be supernaturally monitored to keep them in line cf Rom 8:5-8. Arrogance does not belong in the ministry of proclaiming the gospel of Messiah. The thorn in the flesh may have been an ophthalmic malady cf Gal 4:13-15. Despite this having been from the angel of Satan, it was for the greater good cf Rom 8:28.
V8 So unpleasant was this stake in his flesh that he begged Yeshua on three separate occasions to free him from it. So many immature Christians wish for supernatural encounters with the spiritual world, yet do not understand the implications of such experiences on their lives going forth. The more acquainted we become with that realm, the greater the torment that we attract from the kingdom of Satan. We should rather wait on the Holy Spirit of Elohim to reveal that which is not of our realm in His own time for His own greater purpose, and accept that we are weak vessels through which the supernatural operates.
If we were strong enough to tackle the host of hell single-handedly, we would not need protection that we have been given in being unable to physically perceive them. I for one would not relish being able to see the hideous demonic host that surrounds us in great multitude throughout our lives. Even Yeshua Himself beseeched Elohim the Father to remove the cup of affliction in the garden of Gethsemane cf Lk 22:42-44. So great was the agony he experienced in the garden that an angel from heaven was sent to alleviate this attack from the satanic realm, that caused Yeshua’s sweat to be sanguine.
V9-10 We must never doubt Yeshua in our darkest hour of affliction from Satan. When weakened for the sake of the gospel, one must rejoice, for this is evidence of having rattled his kingdom. The grace of Elohim permits us to overcome the torment, His strength being observed in action through victory over the enemy. Being weakened in body for Messiah’s gospel, leads to spiritual strength, the two being inversely proportional to each other. The formula stands thus: increase in spiritual maturity and proclamation of the gospel=decrease in bodily strength and worldly honour=increased glory of Elohim cf Jn 3:30; 1 Pet 1:6-7; Phil 1:29.
V11 Paul, despite his aversion for vain worldly boasting for equally vain praise from man, felt compelled to express his glorying in his ministerial deeds, not for his own pleasure, but for the sake of differentiating his genuine commitment and loyalty to Messiah and His gospel. This he did to differentiate himself from the lies of the false apostles, of which the Corinthians had foolishly been drawn towards. Despite these false ministers having much to show for in material wealth, through merchandising a skewed gospel, Paul surpassed the greatest of this bunch of scoundrels in sincerity and commitment, despite being a pauper with nothing material to his name.
V12 Paul had lived out the qualities that qualify one as a true apostle:
a. Hupomone-endurance, constancy, steadfastness
b. Signs and wonders i.e. miracles
c. dunamis -power derived from the Holy Spirit to display the various gifts. cf Acts 2:22; Rom 15:18-19; Heb 2:3-4.
V13 The Corinthian ecclesia had not been behind other ecclesia in this respect of signs, wonders and power cf 1 Cor 1:7. If anything they only fell behind other congregations in that their minister, Paul, despite full entitlement, did not live off them, as did other apostles elsewhere cf 1 Cor 9:1-6. For this, Paul apologised, with a hint of sarcasm. Paul’s role as a minister of the gospel differed from other ecclesia in that he did not ask them for any form of material sustenance.
V14 Paul was about to visit them a third time, yet still without the intention of seeking their material belongings, but their souls for Messiah instead. Such intentions for seeking ministerial duties should dictate our Christian walk. Sadly, a great multitude seek ministering to enrich themselves, far above soul winning for the kingdom. The minister should tend to and nurture the flock of Yeshua spiritually, as a parent would a child physically, and not expect the congregation to be obliged to materially meet their needs, just as a child would not be expected to financially provide for the very parent who is rearing them. Children may from time to time help their parents, if they are struggling in some of their duties, but a really good parent should be financially independent of their child cf 1 Cor 9:11-12.
V15 ekdapanao translated be spent literally means to be wholly used up. As leaders of the flock of Messiah, one must not expect remittance from the congregation, but must with great vigour, voluntarily give their all without complaint. This is the example of a true apostle. Although the likelihood of the same degree of love given may not be returned, the pastor of the ecclesia should not be bogged down by this, as the congregants by virtue of being a mixture of mature and immature members, are unlikely to be as benevolent and loving as their spiritually mature leader. Even worse the more a pastor showers their love and attention, the more Satan’s demons may work through weaker members of the flock to inversely retaliate with unappreciation and even animosity. This comes part and parcel with the pastoral office.
V16 This verse is senseless unless seen as Paul expressing the accusations of his enemies i.e. he was speaking aloud their thoughts. They were admitting that indeed Paul may not have burdened the Corinthian ecclesia through living off them, but had been adroit in carrying them away.
V17 pleonekteo translated make gain, is Greek for taking advantage of another. Paul rebuts such an accusation laid out in v16, by rhetorically asking if he had craftily taken advantage of anybody at all through the apostles whom he had sent to them. The answer was obviously an emphatic no.
V18 Furthermore, having summoned Titus and another unmentioned apostle to tend to the Corinthians, Paul asks if there is any proof whatsoever of them having taken advantage of the ecclesia. The false apostles were clearly in agreement according to v15 that Paul had not been a burden nor taken advantage per se of the Corinthians. Hence if they were also in agreement that Titus and the unnamed apostle walked in the same spirit and steps as Paul, then where was this evidence that Paul was using them as a means of gaining and taking advantage of the ecclesia? These wild accusations by his detractors were clearly unfounded and callous. Verses 12 through to 18 are irrefutable evidence that chapters 8-9 are definitely not a reference to the ecclesia giving away money to the clergy or any other group for that matter, but rather of them sharing the gospel of repentance and subsequent grace unto reconciliation with the Father, in sincerity with others.
V19 Besides Paul expresses with a hint of exasperation that he did not need to answer to these false accusers, seeing as they were not his masters. Rather, he and his fellow co-workers Titus and the unnamed brother, spoke in the presence of Elohim, their true Master, in or by Messiah. We must never feel we need to answer to the world, when carrying out our divine duties in righteousness and truth. We shall always be dogged by false allegations from human agents of the devil in wide retaliation against our endeavours to preach the true unadulterated gospel. The Holy Spirit is our ultimate witness whom we should only care to consider cf Rom 9:1. The goal of our preaching should be for the edifying of the ecclesia and not for entertaining wild accusations, which only draw us into wasteful arguments, which are but a distraction from the mission at hand.
V20 Paul feared that should the ecclesia fall for the lies of his detractors, on visiting them he might have found them in a state contrary to that which he hoped to find them in i.e. one of regression into their former life of wickedness. Conversely, he also feared that by so doing they would have the wrong mental picture and expectations of Paul on his arrival if they were to believe the character assassination that had been employed by the false apostles hellbent on dragging his name through the mud. The potentially regressive behaviour back to wicked ways, likely to be stirred up by belief of these lies is then listed by Paul. This had been the behaviour that had bedevilled the Corinthian ecclesia in which Paul’s first epistle had addressed cf 1 Cor 1:11. The consequences of rumour mongering within the ecclesia, especially by jealous, self- seeking, power hungry opponents of apostles of Messiah, are evidently quite dire, as observed in this list of wickedness given by Paul cf Jm 4:1-5.
V21 So great was Paul’s fear that on his third visit, he might find an ecclesia in spiritual turmoil, filled with unrepentant souls, despite his severe letters of reproach and correction. This would surely lead him into a state of depression considering how greatly he had toiled into veering the congregation towards a path of repentance and righteous living. These wolves in sheep’s clothing had to be repelled, hence his passionate discourse defending his true apostleship, to prevent this much unwanted eventuality.