Reading for November 22nd

Read 2 Corinthians 12.1-13
In 1-10: Experiecing visions and revelations.
In verse 1: Paul now moves to a different order of boasting.
In verse 2: The person in Christ is surely Paul himself.
Fourteen years ago would put it shortly after his conversion, probably in the 30's.
In verse 3: The language suggests an ecstatic experience, in which he was taken out of the body.
In verse 4: Paradise is where God dwells (Lk 23.43; Rev 2.7).
Hearing unrepeatable things describes the revelations in greater detail (v. 1).
What he saw is emphasized less.
In vers 5: Such an experience enabled Paul to distinguish his ordinary self from the one caught up into heaven.
In verses 6-7: In talking about such experiences, less is better.
In verse 7: What this thorn in the flesh was no one knows, though many guesses have been made.
Messenger of Satan is literally "Angel of Satan."
In verse 8: The Lord can be either God (1.2) or Christ (13.4).
In verse 9: Power of Christ: Christ transmits the power he experienced in the resurrection (4.11; 1 Cor 6.14).
In verse 10: Weak ... strong expresses the paradox of the cross (1 Cor 1.25).
In verses 11-13: Concluding the fool's speech.
In verse 11: Super-apostles: 11.5.
I am nothing: Again Paul speaks sarcastically, mimicking the opponents (10.7).
In verse 12: Paul occasionally refers to his wonder-working ability (Rom 15.19).
It is developed much more fully in Acts.
In verse 13: Their argument could have run: You were much closer to Philippi; they supported you financially (Phil 4.15).
Comments or Questions..