Paul gives an account of some

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knoweth that I lie not.

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A. M. 4064 Christ, which is blessed for evermore, a garrison, desirous to apprehend me: A. M. 4064. 33 And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.

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32 In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with

d Rom. ix. 5.

more. This clause is added to increase the solemnity of his appeal to God for the truth of what he had said, and was going further to say; and that not only concerning his deliverance at Damascus, but concerning the visions and revelations of the Lord, to be mentioned in the next chapter.

Acts ix. 24, 25.

escaped his hands-The assistance of good men co-operating with the care of God. Now, who that considers and credits the above brief account, though of but a part of the labours and sufferings which the apostle voluntarily sustained, that he might testify to mankind the gospel of the grace of God, can for Verses 32, 33. In Damascus, &c.-As if he had a moment question his certain knowledge of the said, I must be permitted to add one circumstance truth and importance of that gospel; especially as more to illustrate the dangers to which I was ex- he neither reaped, nor could expect to reap, any posed, as soon as I engaged in the Christian cause, worldly benefit whatever from preaching it? Did and the remarkable interposition of Divine Provi- || he do and suffer all these things to spread a doctrine dence for my preservation: the governor under which, for any thing he knew to the contrary, might Aretas-King of Arabia and Syria, of which Da- || be false; or if true, was not important to the salvamascus was a chief city, willing to oblige the Jews, tion of the human race? Surely no man can supkept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison-pose it, without first supposing that the apostle was That is, setting guards at all the gates, day and destitute of common sense. Consider this, reader, night; desirous, or, determining, to apprehend me— and remember, at the same time, how the Lord And to deliver me to them. And in such a danger, sanctioned and confirmed his testimony, by signs where even the form of a trial was not to be ex- and wonders, and divers miracles, and gifts of the pected, what could I do but flee? Through a win- || Holy Ghost, according to his own will, and then think dow-Therefore, of a house which stood on the city || how thou shalt escape if thou reject or neglect such a wall; I was let down in a basket-With ropes; and gospel, or the great salvation revealed in and by it.

CHAPTER XII.

In this chapter, (1,) The apostle, with great plainness and freedom, yet at the same time with great modesty, gives an account of some extraordinary revelations which he had received from God, and of those experiences which taught him to glory even in his infirmities, 1-10. (2,) He intimates that the signs of apostleship, which the Corinthians might have perceived in him, ought to have induced them to speak well of him, that he might not have been under the necessity of commending himself, 11-13. (3,) He declares his intention to make them a friendly, edifying, and, as formerly, an unexpensive visit, 14-19. (4) He intimates his fears lest he should be forced to use severity in dealing with some of them, 20, 21. IT is not expedient for me doubt- to visions and revelations of the A. M. 4061. less to glory. 1I will come Lord.

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NOTES ON CHAPTER XII.

1 Greek, For

Verse 1. After enumerating, in the former chapter, his almost incredible labours and sufferings for the gospel, the apostle, in this, proceeds to speak of some visions and revelations that had been made to him, as a further proof of his apostleship, and of the regard which ought to be paid to his doctrines, his advices, exhortations, or reproofs. It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory-Or boast of any thing I have done or suffered, as a minister of Christ,|| unless on so pressing an occasion. Yet, or nevertheless, as yap must be here understood to signify, I|| will come to visions and revelations of the LordThat he might not offend any one's delicacy, he forbears to say that these visions and revelations were VOL. II. ( 17 )

I will come.

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given to himself; although, doubtless, some of the Corinthians would infer, from his manner of speaking, that he himself had been favoured with them. Visions were things presented to a person in a supernatural manner, so as to be the objects of his sight while awake. Thus Zacharias, (Luke i. 11,) and Mary, (verse 26,) and Cornelius, (Acts x. 3,) had visions of angels. Probably here the apostle means his seeing the Lord Jesus on different occasions, after his ascension; and especially those visions of Christ which he saw when he was caught up into the third heaven. And revelations of the LordThese were discoveries of matters unknown, which Christ made to Paul by an internal impression on his mind; or by speech, such as the revelations b

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A. M. 4064. 2 1 knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth ;) such a one caught up to the third heaven.

of his visions and revelations.

4 How that he was caught up into A. M. 4064. paradise, and heard unspeakable

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words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

yet of

5 Of such a one will I glory myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.

c Luke xxiii. 43.- —2 Or, possible.—d Chap. xi. 30. state between death and the resurrection. See note on Luke xxiii. 43. Most of the ancients, (except || Origen,) as Clement of Alexandria, Justin Martyr, Ireneus, Tertullian, and, among the moderns, Bull, Whitby, Bengelius, were of opinion that the apostle had two different raptures; because, as Methodius very well argues, If one rapture only were spoken of, the repetition of whether in the body, &c., would have been needless, when speaking of his being caught up into paradise. And heard unspeakable words-Or things, words being frequently used by the Hebrews to denote matters: which it is not lawful-Or possible, as the word ε5ov properly signifies, and as the apostle doubtless means; for a man to utter-Men having no terms of speech fit to express such sublime ideas as the apostle was there taught to understand: nor, probably, would it be consistent with the schemes of Providence, which require that we should be conducted by faith rather than by sight, to suffer such circumstances as these to be revealed to the inhabitants of mortal flesh. It is justly observed by Dr. Macknight here, that since the things which he saw and heard in paradise could not, or might not, be expressed in human language, "it is plain that the purpose for which he was caught up was not to receive any revelation of the gospel doctrine, because that could have served no purpose, if the apostle could not communicate what he heard. But it was to encourage him in the difficult and dangerous work in which he was engaged. Accordingly, by taking him up into paradise, and showing him the glories of the invisible world, and making him a witness of the happiness which the righteous enjoy with Christ, even before their resurrection, his faith in the promises of the gospel must have been so exceedingly strengthened, and his hope so raised, as to enable him to bear with alacrity that heavy load of complicated evils to which he was exposed in the course of his ministry. Not to mention that this confirmation of the apostle's faith is no small confirmation of ours also." Some suppose that it was here the apostle was made acquainted with the mystery of the future state of the church, and received his orders to turn from the Jews, and go to the Gentiles.

3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth ;) a Rom. xvi. 7; Chap. v. 17; Gal. i. 22.- b Acts xxii. 17. mentioned Acts xiii. 2; 1 Tim. iv. 1. Perhaps also those which, he says, (verse 4,) he heard in paradise. Of the former kind were all the inspirations of the Spirit bestowed on the apostles, and on those who,|| in the first age, preached the gospel by revelation. Verses 2, 3. I knew a man in Christ-That is, a Christian. He must undoubtedly have meant hinself, or the whole article had been quite foreign to his purpose. Indeed, that he meant himself is plain from verses 6, 7. Fourteen years ago-So long, it seems, the apostle had concealed this extraordinary event; a circumstance which shows how little disposed he was to speak vauntingly of himself. Whether in the body-And by the intervention of its senses; or out of the body-And without any such intervention, the things which I saw and heard were communicated to me; I know not-It is equally possible with God to present distant things to the imagination in the body, as if the soul were absent from it, and present with them, as seems to have been the case with Ezekiel in the visions mentioned chap. xi. 24, and xxxvii. 1; and with John in those recorded Rev. xvii. 3, and xxi. 10; or, as the Spirit caught away Philip, (Acts viii. 39,) to transport both soul and body for what time he pleases to heaven; or to transport the soul only thither for a season, and in the mean time to preserve the body fit for its re-entrance. But since the apostle himself did not know whether his soul was in his body when he had these visions, &c.; or whether one or both were actually in heaven; for us to inquire into that matter would be vain curiosity, and extreme folly. "It is of more importance to observe, that he supposed his spirit might be carried into the third heaven, and into paradise, without his body. For, from his making such a supposition, it is plain he believed his spirit could exist out of his body; and that, by the operation of God, it could be made to hear and see, without the intervention of his bodily organs." Such a one caught up into the third heaven-The habitation of the divine glory, far above the aerial and the starry heavens. For, "in the language of the Jews, the first heaven is the region of the air, where the birds fly, which therefore are called the fowls of heaven. The second heaven is that part of space in which the stars are. This was called, by the Jews, the heaven of heavens. See 1 Kings viii. 27. The third heaven is the seat of God, and of the holy angels, into which Christ ascended after his resurrection, but which is not the object of men's senses, as the other heavens are."

Verse 4. How that he was caught up into paradise-The seat of happy spirits, in their separate

||

Verses 5, 6. Of such a one will I, or, I might, glory-As a person highly favoured of Christ; yet of myself-Considered as in myself; I will not glory -Willingly; but in my infirmities-See on chap. xi. 30. Instead of boasting of his raptures into the third heaven and into paradise, he will boast of those very weaknesses for which his enemies ridiculed him, because, the more weak and contemptible he ( 17* )

The apostle Paul troubled

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CHAPTER XII.

A. M. 4064. 6 For though 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.

with a thorn in the flesh.

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sure through the abundance of the re- A. M. 4064.
velations, there was given to me a
thorn in the flesh, & the messenger of Satan to
buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
8h For this thing I besought the Lord thrice,

7 And lest I should be exalted above mea- that it might depart from me.

Chap. x. 8; xi. 16.- Ezek. xxviii. 24; Gal. iv. 13, 14. appeared in the eyes of the world, the more clearly was his success in preaching shown to be the effect of the divine power. For if I should desire—0eλnow, will, or, resolve; to glory-Referring to, I might|| glory, (verse 5,) of such a glorious revelation; I should not be a fool-That is, it could not justly be accounted folly to relate the naked truth. But now I forbear-I speak sparingly of these things; lest any one should think of me-Whose presence is so mean, and whose speech is so contemptible; above that which he seeth me to be, &c.-Above what my spirit and conduct and the constant exercise of my ministry would warrant. Macknight thinks he addresses the faction here by way of irony, and that the sense is, "I might with truth boast of the visions and revelations of the Lord with which I have been honoured, but I will not, for fear any of you should think me a greater person than my mean bodily The messenger of Satan to buffet me-These appearance which he seeth, and my contemptible words, being here put by way of apposition, must speech, which he heareth, warrant him to think me." signify the same thing with the thorn in the flesh, Verse 7. Lest I should be exalted above measure and he must mean that he was buffeted by Satan, -Made to think highly of myself, and to put confi- when, by the false apostles and ministers of Satan, dence in myself, and thereby should be exposed to || (chap. xi. 13, 15,) he was contemned and made the the displeasure of him who resisteth the proud, subject of their scorn, for this infirmity in his flesh. 1 Peter v.5; through the abundance-Yepboy, the|| But it must be observed, that the original words here transcendency, of the revelations-That is, the num- may be properly rendered, There was given me a ber and the extraordinary nature of them; there was thorn in the flesh, that the angel, or messenger, of given to me-By the wise and gracious providence of Satan might buffet me. "Since, then, he calls the God; a thorn in the flesh—A visitation more painful false apostles ministers of Satan, it is not to be than any thorn sticking in the flesh. Let it be ob- wondered that he here styles them, or the chief of served, says Whitby, 1st, That this thorn in the flesh them, who thus reviled and contemned him for this was surely some infirmity in the flesh or body of infirmity, and laboured to take off the affections of St. Paul. So he himself informs us Gal. iv. 14, the Corinthians from him, an angel of Satan bufsaying, My temptation which was in my flesh ye feting him."-Whitby. Lest I should be exalted, despised not, nor rejected; (the original expressions, &c.-This clause is wanting in some MSS., and in ex esxvevnoate, ude ε§εлтνσате, properly signify, you did the Vulgate version, being omitted, doubtless, benot account me as nothing, nor spit upon or ridicule || cause it occurs in the beginning of the verse. But me;) but received me, notwithstanding, as an angel, || the repetition of it here is not improper, as it is inor messenger, of God. Whence we may observe, || tended to draw the reader's attention. The followboth that this thorn, or temptation, was in his flesh, ing observations of Baxter are worthy of every or in his body, and that it was such as rendered him, reader's particular attention: "1st, Even the holiest in his preaching, obnoxious to great contempt, and Christians, after their most heavenly acquaintance, made him despicable in the eyes of others. 2d, It is [their most intimate communion with God, and highly probable that this infirmity in the flesh hap-largest communications of light and grace from him.] pened to him after these visions and revelations of are not out of danger of pride, or of being too much which he here speaks, for he says it befell him that exalted. 2d, This spiritual pride is so dangerous a he might not be exalted through the multitude of sin, that it is a mercy to be saved from it, even by his revelations; and therefore must have been given || bodily pain. 3d, God will hurt the bodies to save him after he had that temptation to self exaltation. the souls, even of his dearest children. 4th, Satan, 3d, It is certain it was some infirmity of the flesh, that intendeth hurt, is oft God's instrument to do us which naturally tended to obstruct the efficacy of his good. 5th, Bodily pains are oft the messengers of preaching, by rendering it less acceptable to his Satan, and yet of God." hearers, and made him subject to reproach and contempt in the discharge of his ministry. This is ex-!!

Job ii. 7; Luke xiii. 16.-h Deut. iii. 23-27; Matt. xxvi. 44. tremely evident from Gal. iv. 14, above cited, which Theodoret thus paraphrases; "Though I brought with me great ignominy in my body, you did not reject me;" and also from Christ's answer to him, that his power was perfected in Paul's weakness: that is, the greater is thy infirmity in preaching the gospel, the greater is my power in rendering it efficacious. In the same sense Macknight understands the apostle, observing, "I have followed Whitby and others in thinking that the thorn in the apostle's flesh was some bodily weakness occasioned by his rapture, and which, affecting his looks, and gesture, and speech, rendered his manner of preaching less acceptable, and perhaps exposed the apostle himself to ridicule. Thus we find the revelations made to Daniel occasioned in him a change of countenance, || (chap. vii. 28,) and sickness, chap. viii. 27.”

||

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Verses 8-11. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice--All kinds of affliction had befallen the apos

Paul is assured that the grace

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II. CORINTHIANS.

9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore i will I rather glory in my infirmities, * that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: m for when I am weak, then am I strong.

i Chap. xi. 30. 1 Pet. iv. 14.Chap. xiii. 4.

vii. 4.
5; Gal. ii. 6-8.

Romans v. 3; Chapter
Chap. xi. 1, 16, 17.- Chap. xi.

of God would be sufficient for him.

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11 I am become a fool in glory- A. M. 4064. ing; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.

12 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.

13 For what is it wherein ye were inferior to

P 1 Corinthians iii. 7; xv. 8, 9; Ephesians iii. 8. Rom. xv. 18, 19; 1 Corinthians ix. 2; Chapter iv. 2; vi. 4; xi. 6. r1 Corinthians i. 7.

ing with me in a peculiar manner. I am become a fool in glorying-As I have done above, but consider where the blame lies; ye have compelled me-To do it, even against my will. For I ought to have been commended by you-Or vindicated, when my character, as an apostle, was attacked by the false teachers. For in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles-As ye well know : he means Peter, James, and John, whom he calls pillars, Gal. ii. 9. Though I be nothing-In the account of some, or of myself, without the aids of divine grace; not would I assume to myself any glory from what grace hath made me.

Verses 12, 13. Truly the signs of an apostle-The signs whereby a person was known to be an apostle, were his performing great and evident miracles openly in the view of the world, especially his healing diseases, his casting out devils, and his

tle, yet none of these did he deprecate. But here he speaks of his thorn in the flesh, as above all the rest one that macerated him with weakness, and by the pain and ignominy of it, prevented his being lifted up more, or at least not less, than the most vehement headache could have done, which many of the ancients say he laboured under. That the Lord to whom the apostle prayed was Christ, is evident from verse 9. It is supposed by some, that in praying thrice he imitated his Master's example in the garden. But perhaps his meaning is only that he prayed often and earnestly. That it might depart from me-Hence we see that it is lawful to pray for the removal of bodily pain, weakness, or any peculiar trial; yea, to be frequent and fervent in prayer for it. But he said to me-In answer to my third, or often-repeated request; My grace is sufficient for thee-Namely, to support thee under these trials, though I permit them to continue. How ten-speaking foreign languages. But the greatest of all der a repulse! Probably Christ appeared to his apostle and spake to him. At any rate, it was another revelation of the Lord, which his subject led him to mention, though his modesty did not allow him to insist on it directly. "This example of prayer rejected ought to be well attended to by all good men, because it shows that they neither should be discouraged when their most earnest prayers seem to be disregarded, nor discontented when they are rejected; because in both cases their good is designed and effectually promoted." My strength is made perfect in weakness-That is, is more illustri-hardships which he had endured while he executed ously displayed in the weakness of the instrument his office among them, and supported himself by his by which I work. Therefore will I glory in my own labour; as also the persecutions which he had infirmities-Rather than my revelations; that the suffered before he first visited them, namely, in the power of Christ may rest upon me-Greek, EROKη- Lesser Asia and in Macedonia, of which they had vwon, may pitch its tent over me, or cover me all over undoubtedly received information from himself or like a tent, and abide on me continually. We ought others. Perhaps likewise, as Locke supposes, there most willingly to accept whatever tends to this end, is here an oblique reproof to the false teachers, for however contrary to flesh and blood. Therefore I the luxury and ease with which they were living take pleasure-Evdokw, I am well pleased with, or among the Corinthians. In signs, and wonders, take complacency in, infirmities-Of the flesh, bo- and mighty deeds-The effects of divine and superdily weaknesses of whatever kind. In reproaches-natural power. See on Rom. xv. 19. "The appeal Suffered on that account ; in necessities-The various which the apostle here, and 1 Cor. iv. 7, made to the wants which I suffer in the execution of my office; whole church of the Corinthians, (in which there in persecutions, in distresses-To which I am ex- was a great faction which called his apostleship in posed; for Christ's sake: for when I am weak-question,) concerning the miracles which he had Deeply sensible of my weakness; then am I strong wrought in their presence, and the spiritual gifts -Through the power of Christ resting on me; and which he had conferred on many of them, is a strong my ministry is then most successful, the Lord work- || proof of the reality of these miracles and gifts."

the signs was his conveying spiritual gifts to them who believed; a power which none possessed but the apostles. All these signs St. Paul having exhibited at Corinth, and in particular having communicated the spiritual gifts to many of the Corinthians, he, on account thereof, called them, in his former letter, the seal of his apostleship, 1 Cor. ix. 2. In all patience-Under my various sufferings, and in the midst of the unreasonable opposition I have met with. By mentioning his patience, the apostle brought to the remembrance of the Corinthians the

CHAPTER XII.

A. M. 4064. other churches, except it be that I 18 I desired Titus, and with him A. M. 4064. myself was not burdensome to you? || I sent a fbrother. Did Titus make a forgive me this wrong.