2 Corinthians 12:1-6 - Humility, a key to spirituality

It seems so unlike Christ to boast. And Paul certainly felt uncomfortable about it. He personally felt that he would not gain anything out of boasting. It won’t make him more superior, or generate more financial support. It certainly won’t add to his self-image or made the Corinthians better people. Their conversion and repentance took place long before he had narrated to them this unique experience of his. He only shared it because the condition in Corinth made it necessary for him to do so. He needed to counter some of the claims of the false teachers and to prevent the Corinthians from being taken advantage of. So he would boast about a unique and ecstatic experience that he had.

Paul described the experience as a vision and revelation. Vision refers to what he saw and revelation to what he heard. Apparently some of his opponents must have claimed to have similar experiences, triggering him to share this supernatural encounter he had with the Lord some 14 years ago. Unlike the false prophets, Paul didn’t talk about it till now. He would not have talked about it had it not been for the senseless boasting of the false prophets.  

Using a roundabout way, Paul was referring to himself. The man in Christ to whom the unique encounter happened was Paul himself. This was inferred by verse 7. In this experience Paul was caught up into paradise, the Authorized Version of the Bible called this the third heaven. It essentially refers to the presence of God. In saying that he was caught up, he meant that he had a personal meeting with the Lord.

Paul couldn’t exactly tell how it happened. He couldn’t tell if this was a bodily visitation to heaven or out of the body visitation, only God knows. Although this would have added credibility to his ministry, Paul chose to talk about the crucified Christ rather than his unique revelation. He simply refused to take advantage of it to gain popularity. He was called to preach about Christ and His resurrection, and not try to duplicate supernatural experiences for people.

Paul would not describe exactly every detail that he had experienced in paradise. Those things were meant for him personally and he was not permitted to speak about them. He insisted that he would not boast about himself so as to get a following for himself. But on behalf of that man he would share his thoughts. Personally, he would rather share about his weaknesses.  He knew that the mark of a person’s maturity was not found in the vision he had, but how he handled the vision he received. He would rather tell the truth so that no one would credit him more than what was actually due to him.

What a humble man! It reminds us of what the Lord Himself had taught, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burdens is light.” Let’s heed this call and cultivate humility so that we will please the Lord in very way!