THIRD HEAVEN
II Corinthians 12:1-10
Third = tritos meaning third
Heaven = ouranos meaning highest heaven where God is
Paradise = paradeisos meaning park, garden ground, sum
total of blessedness, dwelling place of God, equivalent of the third
heaven (See: Revelation 2:7; II Corinthians 12:4)
- 12:1
"It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory, I
will come to visions (optasias=visions, late word
from optazo, as in Luke 1:22 & Acts 26:19) and
revelations(apokalupseis=unveilings, from
apokalupto as in Revelation l:1; See II Thessalonians 1:7; I
Corinthians 1:7; I Corinthians 14:26. Also see visions of Christ
as in Acts 9:3; 18:9; Acts 22:17; Acts 27:23. See speaking by
direct revelation as in I Corinthians 11:23, 15:3; Galatians
1:12: Ephesians 3:3)of the Lord."
- 12:2
"I knew(oida= to have seen or perceived;
suggests fullness of knowledge) a man in Christ above fourteen
years ago(Probably while Paul was at Tarsus, See: Acts 9:30,
11:25), (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of
the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught
up(harpagenta = to seize by force) to the third
heaven.*(See note below)" (ouranou = highest heaven
where God is)
- 12:3
"And I knew (oida = to have seen or
perceived; suggests fullness of knowledge) such a man, (whether
in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell (ouk oida
= I do not know): God knoweth; (oida = to have
seen or perceived; suggests fullness of knowledge)"
- 12:4
"How that he was caught up (harpagenta = to
seize by force) into paradise (paradeison = Paul
uses paradise as the equivalent of the third heaven as above in
II Corinthians 12:2), and heard unspeakable words (arreta
remata = from arrhetos = unspoken, in connection to
Greek mysteries, words too sacred to be uttered), which it is
not lawful (ouk exon = from exesti meaning not
permitted) for a man to utter (laleo = to speak)."
Note other references: Luke 23:43; Revelation 2:7
- 12:5
"Of such an one will I glory ( See: Moffet
translation- "Of an experience like that I am prepared to
boast): yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.
(Paul will only glory in the things mentioned above, the things
of his weakness as in II Corinthians 11:30) (See: Phillips
translation - "But I have made up my mind not to boast of
anything personal, except of what may be called my weaknesses."
and again Moffet reads: "But not of myself personally, not
except as regards my weaknesses.")
- 12:6
"For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be
a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear (pheidomai
= to spare, to refrain from something), lest any man should
think of me above (huper = meaning over, more
than, exceeding) that which he seeth me to be, or that he
heareth of me."
- 12:7
"And lest I should be exalted above measure
(huperairo = high, lofty, highly esteemed, lift up
beyond) through the abundance (huperbole = a
throwing beyond, from huper, over and ballo, to
throw) of the revelations (apokalupsis = an
uncovering), there was given to me a thorn (skolops
= anything pointed, a splinter, a stake, indicating
physical, painful, humiliating) in the flesh, the messenger
(angelos = an angel, one sent, in the sense of agent,
affliction personified) of Satan to buffet (kolaphizo
= to strike with clenched hands or fist) me, lest I should
be exalted above measure (huperairo = to lift up
or beyond)."
- 12:8
"For this thing I besought (parakaleo
=to call to one's side) the Lord thrice, that it might depart
(aphistemi = to place off from for good) from me."
- 12:9
"And he said unto me (eireken =
Perfect active indicative, as if a final word), My grace
(charis = Divine favor, strength, power) is sufficient
(arkei = enough, suffices and abides), for thee: for
my strength is made perfect in weakness (teleitai =
to finish, perfected, power is continually increased as the
weakness grows). Most gladly therefore will I rather glory
(kauchaomai = to boast) in my infirmities (astheneia
= weakness, indicating inability to produce results), that the
power (dunamis = power, ability) of Christ may
rest upon (episkenosei to fix a tent or habitation
upon, abiding upon, as if the shechinah of the Lord
overshadowed) me."
- 12:10 "Therefore I take pleasure (dio
eudoko = to be well pleased, to think it good) in
infirmities (astneia = weakness, indicating inability
to produce results), in reproaches (hubris =
insolence, injury, harm), in necessities (anake =
what must needs be, needful, distress, pain), in persecutions
(diosmos = to put to flight, to drive away, pursue), in
distresses (stenochoreo = strait place or state, anguish)
for Christ's sake (huper = in behalf of): for
when I am weak (astheneo = to be without strength)
then am I strong (dunatos = able, powerful)."
*NOTE: Three heavens in the New Testament:
- The atmosphere surrounding the earth, where clouds gather
as in Matthew 6:2 "Behold the fowls of the air:"
- The outer space of heavenly bodies in which , moon and stars
are fixed
as in Matthew 24:29 "Immediately after the
tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the
moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from
heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:"
and Revelation 6:13 "And the stars of heaven fell
unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs,
when she is shaken of a mighty wind."
- The place above and beyond the physical dimension of being
where God's
presence is fully manifested as in
Matthew 6:9 "Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed
be thy name..."
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