Footsteps #209

Paul speaks of himself in the third person in 2Cor12:1-6 because he finds self-promotion distasteful and is sensitive to the pride it could invoke. V1 explains why he kept it quite for 14 years. He would much rather be teaching about Jesus. What is going to be gained by him talking about a unique experience he enjoyed that no one else will experience until the second coming? Secondly, human language is incapable of describing it (v4). Paul has a wonderful command of the Greek, Latin, Hebrew and Aramaic, but this occasion calls into question even his considerable linguistic ability. Paul’s problem is that he has seen things about the afterlife that are neither human nor earthly in any sense and God wouldn’t allow him to share it (v4.) There is another reason why Paul chooses to keep this whole thing under wraps for 14 years. Look at v6: Visions are a poor judge or measure of a person’s character. Paul stakes his reputation on the truthfulness of this event, but then he tells us that visions and revelations are not the proper standard by which to judge a man–his words and actions are! If you ever find yourself becoming overly impressed with claims a man or woman is making about visions or dreams or words of knowledge or miracles or whatever, remember what Paul says here: Examine my life and my teaching, because that’s where the rubber meets the road. Supernatural events and visions may be frosting on the cake, but they are not what gives a man authority! Why does he finally reveal it now?” And the answer is related totally to the fight he is having with the spiritual predators in the church there at Corinth. Look ahead to v11. Paul has revealed this amazing experience because he feels it is the only way to rescue the Corinthian church from the clutches of these false teachers. If the Corinthian believers are going to base their confidence in leadership on things like visions and revelations, he can play that game; in fact, he can beat all the opposition hands down. But how sad that he has to do this.