The Strand Study Bible

Written From Philippi During Paul’s Third Missionary Journey

II CORINTHIANS

1946

12:4 a Notice that paradise is up (up in Heaven), not down (not down in some “side compartment” of Hell). 12:4 b This word ( paradise ) is the Greek word SDUDGHLσοQ ( paradeison ) and is found only three times in the NT: (1) II Cor 12:4 ; (2) Lk 23:43 ; and (3) Rev 2:7 . Paradise is always in reference to Heaven. 12:4 c Paul said, “I visited Heaven before my time. Me, a man , a human earth-dweller, was there.” 12:7 Sometimes God allows us to go through “devilish things” just to keep us humble ( lest I should be exalted above measure ). 12:9 To Paul the power of Christ was more important than freedom from pain ( will I rather glory in my infirmities ). 12:10 There are three reasons why Christians should take pleasure in adversity: 1. No heartache – no heaven (vs 1-5) Paul makes it a point here to remind us that his past and present distresses (infirmities) are what cause him to focus on his future destination. The fact is, if nothing ever went wrong here, this would be Heaven and we would be focusing on this life instead of the next. But things do go wrong here and the things that go wrong are meant to cause us to focus on the promises of the future, not the problems of the past. Sad to say, not every believer who suffers focuses on the next life, even though that is what suffering was meant to do ( I Pet 1:7 and II Cor 1:3-6). David C. Cook in All Things New notes: While many are much depressed by each ache and pain, others have become exalted through bodily suffering. A few weeks ago I was asked to go and see a sick girl. Her father told me that for three years she had not known freedom from pain. When I saw her, the disease had become so bad that she could not move any part of her body or turn upon the bed. He father had employed many physicians without avail. He had tried faith-healing also. One look into her face told me that she had entered into a life above the physical. A heavenly love, joy and peace seemed written upon her countenance. At first I thought it might be the way the light shone upon her, or something unusual in the color or the features. I had expected to find some one in great trouble, and perhaps to offer consolation. I asked her several questions about herself, which she answered hesitatingly, because of pain. I saw from her answers that her face had not deceived me. I had come to help her – but how much more could she help me! 1 The reason Christians need to take pleasure in adversity is because it allows us to focus on the future. Those desiring to see beyond this world must undergo adversity. 2. No hurting – no humility (vs 6-7) – Moses said in Deuteronomy 8:2-3:

And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.

No adversity – no humility. No humility – no access to God. The reason Christians need to take pleasure in adversity is because it leads to humility, which leads us to the very presence of God. Those desiring to understand God and His Word must undergo adversity. 3. No pain – no power (vs 8-10) – Moses said in Deuteronomy 8:16-18:

Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end; And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth…

No adversity – no power. No power – no act of God. Sadly, most Christians depend upon what their flesh can do for God than what the SPIRIT OF GOD within them can do for God. Yet in God’s world, things get done via the SPIRIT or they don’t get done at all (Zech 4:6). Regrettably, millions and millions of Christians wake up in America everyday failing to tap into that power through prayer (Lk 11:9-13). Sad to say, until we need God, we rarely see our need for God. Pain usually leads to pray. Thus, no pain – no prayer. No prayer – no power. The reason Christians need to take pleasure in adversity is because it leads us back to God, who in turn has all the power we need to accomplish His will. Those desiring to see God work must undergo adversity. NOTE – Had Paul not experienced a premature death of some sort fourteen years earlier (sometime before Acts 11:25), he would have never experienced future glory. No grief – no glory. Luke reminds us of the same truth in Acts 14:22 when he said: …we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. God reminds us every day through nature that nothing temporal lasts. Nothing seems to long remain the same. Does not God clothes the trees with leaves, only to strip them off within a few months? Does God not make the tiny bud and develops it into a beautiful flower, then allow it to wither and fade within a week? Is not each meeting with a friend followed by a parting? Does not every sunrise have a sunset? Have you never noticed that we can never have the new thing without parting with the old? The plant can have no fruit until it parts with the flower. 12:14 Paul first visited Corinth while on his second missionary journey in AD 52. His second visit to Corinth was by way of his first letter, which was written three months earlier in the spring of AD 57. This letter was then Paul’s third time to come to the Corinthian believers. 1 Cook, David C., All Things New , Chicago, ILL., David C. Cook Publishing Co., 1898. Print.