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Sincerity is a difficult thing to judge. The commitment that people have to a cause can only be determined over time. One test might be: do they persevere through hardships and challenges? In this regard, Paul is without equal. If the cause of Jesus were a fleeting interest or a halfhearted pursuit, then he would have given up after his first beating. But Paul’s compassion for those who did not know the beauty of the gospel was stubborn and unyielding. This persecutor-turned-emissary always had his critics. But who could call him insincere?
Paul is speaking of himself in verses 2-5
in an odd, third-person way. He writes cryptically for a purpose: to
distract from the fact that, at least for the moment, he is boasting of
something other than weakness. In heavenly journeys, Paul has seen
amazing sights and heard amazing sounds—sights and sounds no human can
or should ever speak of.
But God adds something to keep Paul from being carried away by such ecstasies: He gives His emissary “a thorn in the flesh.” Perhaps it is a chronic physical or emotional illness he suffers. Perhaps it is the steady stream of opponents who follow Paul wherever he goes. In God’s wisdom, Paul doesn’t say because his listeners would likely fixate on whatever problem he has in unhealthy ways. That’s what humans do. Still Paul believes that God sent this unwelcome messenger, so he pleads with God three times to remove it. Why just three times? Why doesn’t he bombard heaven daily with his pleas? Well, it may be because he knows Jesus prayed three times in the garden for the cup of suffering to be removed. Ultimately Jesus surrendered to the will of the Father, and Paul does too: “Grace is enough, Paul. Grace is enough.”
********
Now, here's the passage itself, as translated in The Voice...
2 Corinthians 12
1 Boasting like this is necessary, but it’s unbecoming and probably unavailing. Since you won’t hear me any other way, let me tell you about visions and revelations I received of the Lord.
2 Fourteen years ago, there was this man I knew—a believer in the Anointed who was caught up to the third heaven.
(Whether this was an in- or out-of-body experience I don’t know; only God knows.)
3-4 This man was caught up into paradise
(let me say it again, whether this was an in- or out-of-body experience I don’t know; only God knows),
and he heard inexpressible words—words a mortal man is forbidden to utter.
5 I could brag about such a man; but as for me, I have nothing to brag about outside my own shortcomings.
6 So if I want to boast, I won’t do so as a fool because I will be speaking the truth.
But I will stop there, since I don’t want to be credited with anything except exactly what people see and hear from me.
7 To keep me grounded and stop me from becoming too high and mighty due to the extraordinary character of these revelations, I was given a thorn in the flesh—a nagging nuisance of Satan, a messenger to plague me!
8 I begged the Lord three times to liberate me from its anguish; 9 and finally He said to me, “My grace is enough to cover and sustain you. My power is made perfect in weakness.”
So ask me about my thorn, inquire about my weaknesses, and I will gladly go on and on—I would rather stake my claim in these and have the power of the Anointed One at home within me.
10 I am at peace and even take pleasure in any weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and afflictions for the sake of the Anointed
because when I am at my weakest, He makes me strong.
********
But God adds something to keep Paul from being carried away by such ecstasies: He gives His emissary “a thorn in the flesh.” Perhaps it is a chronic physical or emotional illness he suffers. Perhaps it is the steady stream of opponents who follow Paul wherever he goes. In God’s wisdom, Paul doesn’t say because his listeners would likely fixate on whatever problem he has in unhealthy ways. That’s what humans do. Still Paul believes that God sent this unwelcome messenger, so he pleads with God three times to remove it. Why just three times? Why doesn’t he bombard heaven daily with his pleas? Well, it may be because he knows Jesus prayed three times in the garden for the cup of suffering to be removed. Ultimately Jesus surrendered to the will of the Father, and Paul does too: “Grace is enough, Paul. Grace is enough.”
********
Now, here's the passage itself, as translated in The Voice...
2 Corinthians 12
1 Boasting like this is necessary, but it’s unbecoming and probably unavailing. Since you won’t hear me any other way, let me tell you about visions and revelations I received of the Lord.
2 Fourteen years ago, there was this man I knew—a believer in the Anointed who was caught up to the third heaven.
(Whether this was an in- or out-of-body experience I don’t know; only God knows.)
3-4 This man was caught up into paradise
(let me say it again, whether this was an in- or out-of-body experience I don’t know; only God knows),
and he heard inexpressible words—words a mortal man is forbidden to utter.
5 I could brag about such a man; but as for me, I have nothing to brag about outside my own shortcomings.
6 So if I want to boast, I won’t do so as a fool because I will be speaking the truth.
But I will stop there, since I don’t want to be credited with anything except exactly what people see and hear from me.
7 To keep me grounded and stop me from becoming too high and mighty due to the extraordinary character of these revelations, I was given a thorn in the flesh—a nagging nuisance of Satan, a messenger to plague me!
8 I begged the Lord three times to liberate me from its anguish; 9 and finally He said to me, “My grace is enough to cover and sustain you. My power is made perfect in weakness.”
So ask me about my thorn, inquire about my weaknesses, and I will gladly go on and on—I would rather stake my claim in these and have the power of the Anointed One at home within me.
10 I am at peace and even take pleasure in any weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and afflictions for the sake of the Anointed
because when I am at my weakest, He makes me strong.
********
I know all this might be kinda obscure.
Here's the 2 things I glean from this...
God's grace is enough, & that grace is able to work even in & especially through the areas of my greatest weaknesses.
Does that make any sense?
God's power seems to work the most when I'm the weakest - I guess because I'm so weak & have to get out of the way & let God in all His power to be & do what is needed &/or necessary?
I understand what Paul is saying here - I hope you can too.
Paul says it all in those last 10 words of the passage - when I am at my weakest, He makes me strong.
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