Tim Maas Supporter Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

Although the narrative in Acts 9 makes it sound as if the events described beginning in Acts 9:26 occurred immediately after the events described in Acts 9:1-25, there was in fact an interval of three years between them (as noted by Paul himself in Galatians 1:18), during which Paul remained mostly alone in the desert (except for occasional returns to Damascus) in solitary contemplation of his encounter with the glorified Christ on the Damascus road (Acts 9:3-7)(which had led to Paul's conversion to Christianity), and in preparation for the ministry to which God was calling him.

As an extraordinary part of that preparation, Paul (speaking of himself in the third person in 2 Corinthians 12:2-5 in order to avoid the appearance of boasting) was granted by God either a spiritual or actual physical experience in which he was taken up into Paradise (the abode to which Jesus referred in Luke 23:43), and then permitted to return to earth. The knowledge and insights that Paul gained as a result of this experience (which were too wonderful for him to even be able to convey them) prepared him as nothing else could have for his future missionary service.

February 05 2019 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jeffrey Johnson Supporter

Who is Paul talking about in 2 Corinthians 12:2-5 - ESV Bible

"I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I know not; or whether out of the body, I know not; God knoweth), such a one caught up even to the third heaven. 3 And I know such a man (whether in the body, or apart from the body, I know not; God knoweth), 4 how that he was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. 5 On behalf of such a one will I glory: but on mine own behalf I will not glory, save in my weaknesses."

In 2 Corinthians 12:2-5, Paul is talking about himself, referring to himself in the third person to show humility. He recounts a spiritual experience from 14 years prior, where he was "caught up to the third heaven" or "paradise" and heard "inexpressible things". He uses this experience to defend his apostleship while downplaying its significance, focusing instead on his weaknesses and God's power. 

In 2 Corinthians 12:2-3, Paul refers to a man who was "caught away to the third heaven." Who was that? In his letter to the Corinthian congregation, Paul stressed that God was using him as an apostle. (2 Cor. 11:5, 23) He then mentioned "visions and revelations of the Lord." Paul did not, in that context, mention other brothers. Thus, he was logically referring to himself as being the man who had received visions and revelations.​—2 Cor. 12:1, 5.

So Paul was the one who was "caught away to the third heaven" and "caught away into paradise." (2 Cor. 12:2-4) He used the term "revelations," which suggests a revealing of what will exist in the future.

In 2 Corinthians 12:2-4, the apostle Paul describes one who was "caught away... to the third heaven" and "into paradise." Since there is no mention in the Scriptures of any other person having had such an experience, it seems likely that this was the apostle's own experience. Whereas some have endeavoured to relate Paul's reference to the third heaven to the early rabbinic view that there were stages of heaven, even a total of "seven heavens," this view finds no support in the Scriptures. As we have seen, the sky is not explicitly described as divided into platforms or stages; instead, context must be relied on to determine whether the reference is to the heavens within earth's atmospheric expanse, the sky of outer space, the spiritual heavens, or something else. It therefore appears that the reference to "the third heaven" likely indicates the superlative form of rulership of the Messianic Kingdom. Note the way words and expressions are repeated three times at Isaiah 6:3; Ezekiel 21:27; John 21:15-17; Revelation 4:8, evidently for the purpose of expressing intensification.

It appears that Paul (about 41 C.E.) was privileged to experience a supernatural vision so real that he did not know whether it was in the body or out of the body that he was caught away to "the third heaven." “The third heaven" seems to refer to the superlative form of rulership of the Messianic Kingdom.​—2Co 12:1-4.

The context does not suggest that "the third heaven" refers to the atmosphere around our globe, outer space, or any parallel universes, as postulated by astrophysicists. The Bible often uses the number three to emphasise, intensify, or add strength. (Ecclesiastes 4:12; Isaiah 6:3; Matthew 26:34, 75; Revelation 4:8) Thus, what Paul saw in vision was elevated or exalted. It was spiritual. That vision doubtless gave Paul unique insight.

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