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Texts -- 2 Corinthians 12:1-21 (NET)

Context
Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh
12:1 It is necessary to go on boasting . Though it is not profitable , I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord . 12:2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know , God knows ) was caught up to the third heaven . 12:3 And I know that this man (whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know , God knows ) 12:4 was caught up into paradise and heard things too sacred to be put into words , things that a person is not permitted to speak . 12:5 On behalf of such an individual I will boast , but on my own behalf I will not boast , except about my weaknesses . 12:6 For even if I wish to boast , I will not be a fool , for I would be telling the truth , but I refrain from this so that no one may regard me beyond what he sees in me or what he hears from me , 12:7 even because of the extraordinary character of the revelations . Therefore , so that I would not become arrogant , a thorn in the flesh was given to me , a messenger of Satan to trouble me – so that I would not become arrogant . 12:8 I asked the Lord three times about this , that it would depart from me . 12:9 But he said to me , “My grace is enough for you , for my power is made perfect in weakness .” So then , I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses , so that the power of Christ may reside in me . 12:10 Therefore I am content with weaknesses , with insults , with troubles , with persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ , for whenever I am weak , then I am strong .
The Signs of an Apostle
12:11 I have become a fool . You yourselves forced me to do it, for I should have been commended by you . For I lack nothing in comparison to those “super-apostles ,” even though I am nothing . 12:12 Indeed , the signs of an apostle were performed among you with great perseverance by signs and wonders and powerful deeds . 12:13 For how were you treated worse than the other churches , except that I myself was not a burden to you ? Forgive me this injustice ! 12:14 Look, for the third time I am ready to come to you , and I will not be a burden to you, because I do not want your possessions, but you . For children should not have to save up for their parents , but parents for their children . 12:15 Now I will most gladly spend and be spent for your lives ! If I love you more , am I to be loved less ? 12:16 But be that as it may, I have not burdened you . Yet because I was a crafty person , I took you in by deceit ! 12:17 I have not taken advantage of you through anyone I have sent to you , have I? 12:18 I urged Titus to visit you and I sent our brother along with him. Titus did not take advantage of you , did he? Did we not conduct ourselves in the same spirit ? Did we not behave in the same way? 12:19 Have you been thinking all this time that we have been defending ourselves to you ? We are speaking in Christ before God , and everything we do, dear friends , is to build you up . 12:20 For I am afraid that somehow when I come I will not find you what I wish , and you will find me not what you wish . I am afraid that somehow there may be quarreling , jealousy , intense anger , selfish ambition , slander , gossip , arrogance , and disorder . 12:21 I am afraid that when I come again , my God may humiliate me before you , and I will grieve for many of those who previously sinned and have not repented of the impurity , sexual immorality , and licentiousness that they have practiced .

Pericope

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Hymns

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  • Yang Mau Dibimbing oleh Tuhan [KJ.379]
  • [2Co 12:9] All I Need
  • [2Co 12:9] Always Enough
  • [2Co 12:9] Grace, Enough For Me
  • [2Co 12:9] His Grace Is Enough For Me
  • [2Co 12:9] His Grace Is Sufficient For Me (gabriel)
  • [2Co 12:9] His Grace Is Sufficient For Me (morris)
  • [2Co 12:9] In Age And Feebleness Extreme
  • [2Co 12:9] Not What I Am, O Lord
  • [2Co 12:9] Satisfied With Thee, Lord Jesus
  • [2Co 12:9] Soul Cheering Promise, The

Questions

Sermon Illustrations

Paul’s Healing Ministry; From the Lord; Attention-Getter; Thank God for Your Thorns; Suffering and Adversity; 2 Corinthians 12:9; Charles Haddon Spurgeon 1; 2 Corinthians 12:10; Thank God for Your Thorns; Gods’s Unmerited Favor; 2 Corinthians 2:11; Unspeakable; Why Me?; Wonderful Burden; Eleven Visions of God; Strength for Ministry (2 Tim. 2:1)

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • Breaking God's covenant resulted in the Israelites' separation from fellowship with Him. It did not terminate their relationship with Him, but it did hinder their fellowship with Him. Similarly when Christians sin we do not c...
  • To formulate a statement that summarizes the teaching of this book it will be helpful to identify some of the major revelations in Numbers. These constitute the unique values of the book.The first major value of Numbers is th...
  • Suggestions for Preventing DivorceAs I have worked with several couples and individuals who were thinking about getting a divorce, I have noticed a pattern of behavior that is quite common.1. One or both of the partners in th...
  • Israel's continuing success led her enemies to exert increasing opposition against the people of God. This chapter records the Canaanites' first aggressive action against the Israelites.10:1-5 The Jebusites lived in and aroun...
  • The Book of Joshua demonstrates that God is perpetually at war with sin. He hates it and will judge it not only because it is an offense to His character but because it destroys the people He created for fellowship with Himse...
  • David probably ordered this census about 975 B.C."After the revolutions of both Absalom and Sheba it would have been reasonable for David to reassess his military situation against the possibility of similar uprisings or othe...
  • Abijah generally did not please God (1 Kings 15:3). However there was the instance the Chronicler recorded in which he spoke out in favor of the temple, the priests, and the Levites against the apostate Jeroboam and Israel.Th...
  • Isaiah now applied this knowledge of God to the discouraging prospect that the Judahites faced, namely, Babylonian captivity (cf. 39:6). He encouraged them by pointing to the sufficiency of their God. Since the creator knows ...
  • The Lord, through His prophet, assured fearful Israel in this segment. Israel need not fear the nations (vv. 1-7) because Yahweh remained committed to His people and would use them to accomplish His purposes in the world (vv....
  • 10:18 This is the third instance in this chapter of Daniel receiving strength from an angel who touched him (vv. 10, 16; cf. Heb. 1:14).400This human-appearing angel was probably the same one who touched Daniel's lips (v. 16)...
  • 4:6 The angel announced a word of explanation from Yahweh that Zechariah was to pass on to Zerubbabel, the descendant of David who was the leader of the first group of returnees from exile.88He was to tell him, "not by might ...
  • Though some help understanding the vision came through the preceding oracles concerning Zerubbabel, Zechariah still had some questions about what he had seen in the vision. The angel helped him further.4:11-12 Zechariah asked...
  • This pericope illustrates the importance of facing temptation with vigilance and prayer. What is more important, it reveals Jesus' attitude toward what He was about to do. Until now, Jesus seems to have been anticipating His ...
  • Mark said that Jesus appeared to the Eleven on this occasion. However, John qualified that statement by explaining that Thomas was absent (John 20:24). Mark was speaking of the Eleven as a group.16:14 This event evidently hap...
  • Jesus continued His instruction to the disciples about His return. He told them a parable designed to encourage them to continue praying while they lived in the interval before His second coming.18:1 The audience for this par...
  • This is another incident that only Luke recorded. It reflects his interest in needy people receiving salvation from Jesus. This is such a dominent theme in Luke's Gospel that one commentator concluded that this incident is th...
  • John's return to the Word in verse 14 from verse 1 introduces new revelation about Him. Though still part of the prologue, the present section focuses on the Incarnation of the Word.1:14 The Word, who existed equal with God b...
  • John now presented evidence that Jesus knew people as no others did and that many believed in His name (2:23). This constitutes further witness that He is the Son of God. John summarized several conversations that Jesus had w...
  • The exact time of this miracle and Jesus' resultant discourse is unclear. Evidently these events transpired sometime between the feast of Tabernacles (7:2, 10; September 10-17, 32 A.D.) and the feast of Dedication (10:22-39; ...
  • Luke concluded each of his narratives of the Samaritans' conversion (8:4-25), Saul's conversion (9:1-31), and Cornelius' conversion (10:1-11:18) with references to the mother church in Jerusalem. He evidently wanted to stress...
  • 11:19 Luke's reference back to the persecution resulting from Stephen's martyrdom (7:60) is significant. It suggests that he was now beginning to record another mission of the Christians that ran parallel logically and chrono...
  • 14:1-2 Iconium was a Greek city-state in the geographic region of Phrygia.". . . while Rome chose Antioch of Pisidia and Lystra as bastions of its authority in the area, Iconium remained largely Greek in temper and somewhat r...
  • The following incident throws more light on the spiritual darkness that enveloped Ephesus as well as the power of Jesus Christ and the gospel.19:13 "But"introduces a contrast to the good miracles that "God was performing . . ...
  • This pericope gives the reason for what follows in the remainder of Acts.19:21 Paul evidently sensed that having laid a firm foundation in Asia Minor and the Aegean Sea region he needed to press on to Gentile areas yet unreac...
  • "This report of Paul's return visit to Macedonia and Achaia is the briefest account of an extended ministry in all of Acts--even more so than the summary of the ministry at Ephesus (cf. 19:8-12). Nevertheless, it can be fille...
  • Sequence of Paul's ActivitiesDateEventReferenceBirth in TarsusActs 22:3Early life and theological education in Jerusalem under GamalielActs 22:334Participation in Stephen's stoning outside JerusalemActs 7:57-8:134Leadership i...
  • In the foregoing verses Paul spoke of God's plan for creation and the believer. In these verses he showed how central a place His children occupy in the plan He is bringing to completion in history.8:26 Hope helps us in our s...
  • Sequence of Paul's ActivitiesDateEventReferenceBirth in TarsusActs 22:3Early life and theological education in Jerusalem under GamalielActs 22:334Participation in Stephen's stoning outside JerusalemActs 7:57-8:134Leadership i...
  • Paul offered the example of his preaching among the Corinthians as a further illustration of what the wisdom of God can do in contrast to what the words that humans regard as wisdom can do."The matters of literary contextand ...
  • "With rhetoric full of sarcasm and irony he [Paul] goes for the jugular. His own apostleship, which he portrays in bold relief, contrasting his own shame' with their perceived high station,' is alone consonant with a theology...
  • The absence of the key phrase "now concerning"is the clue that this chapter does not deal with a new subject. It is a continuation of the discussion of eating in idol temples that Paul began in 8:1. Subjecting our freedom for...
  • In these first three verses Paul showed that love is superior to the spiritual gifts he listed in chapter 12."It is hard to escape the implication that what is involved here are two opposing views as to what it means to be sp...
  • As the preceding verse revealed, Paul's plans were tentative to some extent. He wanted the Corinthians to know that he anticipated a return to Corinth and hopefully a stay of several months. Timothy and Apollos might return t...
  • First Corinthians did not dispel the problems in the church at Corinth completely. While it resolved some of these, opposition to the Apostle Paul persisted and Paul's critics continued to speak out against him in the church....
  • I. Introduction 1:1-11A. Salutation 1:1-2B. Thanksgiving for comfort in affliction 1:3-111. Thanksgiving for comfort 1:3-72. Thanksgiving for deliverance 1:8-11II. Answers to insinuations about the sincerity of Paul's commitm...
  • 1:3 The Greek word translated "blessed"(eulogetos) occurs eight times in the New Testament mostly in Paul's writings. It always occurs with the person of God.27It expresses both gratitude and adoration (cf. Eph. 1:3; 1 Pet. 1...
  • Paul's thanksgiving continues, but its focus shifts from the reason for thanksgiving to the situation that provided the occasion for it.1:8 We cannot identify the precise affliction to which Paul referred certainly. This text...
  • 1:23 Paul's use of an oath should not disturb us."Our Lord's prohibition of swearing in Matt. 5:33ff. is directed against the casuistry that was prevalent among the Jews of His time, in accordance with which not only was swea...
  • "The passage that follows (2:14-7:4) is the longest coherent section within 2 Corinthians and is, arguably, the centerpiece of the entire letter. Nonetheless, it is not freestanding, but continuous with what precedes it."109P...
  • 4:1 Paul now returned to the theme of being a minister of the New Covenant (3:6). Since we have a ministry in which the Spirit opens people's eyes and transforms their characters we can feel encouraged. Our job is not simply ...
  • Paul presented many paradoxical contrasts involved in the sufferings and supports of the Christian to clarify for his readers the real issues involved in serving Jesus Christ."This passage, which is about suffering and death ...
  • 5:11 Respect for the Lord since He would be his judge (v. 10) motivated Paul to carry out his work of persuading people to believe the gospel. A healthy sense of our accountability to God should move us to fulfill our calling...
  • 6:1 Since God appeals to the unsaved through heralds of the gospel (5:20), the herald is in that sense a partner with God in His work of bringing people into final reconciliation.198Evangelism is a joint effort of the Lord an...
  • Paul returned to the subject of his meeting Titus in Macedonia (2:13), which he had left to expound new covenant ministry (2:14-6:10) and to urge acceptance of his ministry (6:11-7:4).7:5 When he had arrived in Macedonia Paul...
  • Paul was not only proud of the Corinthians but he also rejoiced over the Christians in Macedonia, the Corinthians' neighbors to the north. This joy connects the present section with the former one.8:1-2 Paul tactfully began h...
  • Having motivated his readers to finish the collection Paul proceeded to explain the practical steps he had taken to pick up their gift. He wanted the Corinthians to know what to do and what to expect. He gave a letter of comm...
  • Paul revealed his plan to visit Corinth soon after Titus and his two companions arrived to motivate the Corinthians further to complete their collection and have it ready to go to Judea. Chapter 9 continues the subject of cha...
  • Paul concluded his exhortation regarding the collection by reminding his readers of the benefits God inevitably bestows on those who give liberally. He did this so they would follow through with their purpose and believe that...
  • In this third and last major division of his epistle the apostle Paul defended his apostolic authority. He did this to silence his critics in Corinth and perhaps elsewhere permanently and to confirm the united support of the ...
  • In the first subsection he explained his need to present this evidence.11:1 Paul found it necessary to remind and reveal to the Corinthians some of the evidences of the Lord's commendation of his ministry (cf. 10:18). He call...
  • To answer his critics and prove the extent of his own service and sufferings for Christ, Paul related many of his painful experiences as an apostle.11:16 Paul apologized again for having to resort to mentioning these experien...
  • Paul had cited his freedom to minister without the Corinthians' financial support and his sufferings in ministry as grounds for boasting. He next mentioned the special visions and revelations that God had granted him. He refe...
  • 12:11 Again Paul reminded his readers that he had spoken of his own qualifications as an apostle as he had only because the Corinthians required such proof. He had not done so because he wanted to commend himself or because h...
  • 12:14-15 Paul was about to return to Corinth another time, his "anticipated visit."283When he came, he planned to continue his same financial policy with them; he would remain financially independent of them (cf. 1 Cor. 9:15;...
  • As he concluded his epistle Paul looked forward to his anticipated return to Corinth in the immediate future (cf. v. 14). He shared his concerns about what he might experience and warned his readers to make certain changes be...
  • 12:19 The first part of this verse may have been a statement or a question. The meaning is the same in either case. Paul said what he did, especially in 10:1-12:18, primarily to build up the Corinthian believers in their fait...
  • 13:1 There are at least four possibilities about what Paul meant by the two or three witnesses that would confirm his credibility and his critics' guilt. First, he may simply have been saying that the church would pass judgme...
  • 13:11 Obedience to five commands would result in one condition that Paul wanted his readers to express in a particular practice.1. They were to rejoice, probably because they had the opportunity to judge themselves before God...
  • Paul related other events of his previous ministry, specifically his meeting with the Jerusalem church leaders. He did so to establish for his readers that although he was not dependent on anyone but God for his message and m...
  • Paul appealed next to his past contacts with the Galatians and called on them to remember his visits to Galatia to move them to abandon nomism."If the reader is inclined to think Paul has been impersonal in dealing with the p...
  • Paul began to pray for his readers again (cf. vv. 1, 14), but he interrupted himself to tell them more about the church. What he said in this section gives background information concerning the church as a mystery.3:1 "For th...
  • Paul had to expend physical, mental, and spiritual energy toiling to this end. Sometimes he had to strive and contend with adversaries in the world as well as with his own flesh and the devil. Nevertheless the supernatural po...
  • Paul had previously written to Timothy explaining that the local church is a supporting pedestal for God's truth (1 Tim. 3:15). He had said that the purpose of the local church is the proclamation of God's truth in the world....
  • Paul may have visited Crete more than once. It seems unlikely that he would have had time to plant a church in Crete on his way to Rome as a prisoner (Acts 27:7-13, 21). One may have already been in existence then (cf. Acts 2...
  • Having just encouraged his readers with a reminder of God's help for the faithful (1:14) the writer next urged his readers to be faithful. He did so to warn them of the possibility of retrogressing spiritually and consequentl...
  • It is not surprising to find that James dealt with physical sickness in this epistle. He referred to the fact that departure from the will of God sets the Christian on a course that, unless corrected, will result in his or he...
  • One writer has identified five major motifs in 1 Peter. These are the believer's behavior, the believer's unfair circumstances, the believer's deference, the believer's motivation by Christ's example, and the believer's antic...
  • 2:1 "Therefore"goes back to 1:3-12 as well as 1:22-25. To prepare for an exposition of the Christian's calling, Peter urged his readers to take off all kinds of evil conduct like so many soiled garments (cf. Rom. 1:29-30; 2 C...
  • Peter proceeded to address the situation of Christians working under the authority of others."The unusual fact, unnoticed by most Bible readers, is that he [Peter], along with Paul (1 Cor. 7:21; Eph. 6:5-8; Col. 3:22-25; 1 Ti...
  • Since Jesus Christ has gained the victory, Peter urged his readers to rededicate themselves to God's will as long as they might live. He wanted to strengthen their resolve to continue to persevere. He resumed here the exhorta...
  • 5:8 Trust in God is not all that we need, however. We also need to practice self-control and to keep alert (cf. 1:13; 4:7) because Satan is on the prowl (cf. Job 1:7; Matt. 26:41; 1 Cor. 16:13). Peter's readers were in danger...
  • Peter concluded this epistle with a final exhortation and greetings from those with him and himself to encourage his readers further.5:12 Silvanus is the Roman form of the Greek name Silas. This Silas may very well have been ...
  • John commended Gaius for his love of the brethren to encourage him to continue practicing this virtue.v. 5 John loved Gaius as Gaius loved the brethren to whom he had extended hospitality."The early Christian community's deep...
  • "These things"refer to the revelation of the messages to the seven churches (chs. 2-3; cf. 1:19). After John had received these messages, he received a vision of heaven in which Jesus Christ invited him (cf. 1:10, 12-16) to e...
  • 10:1 Whereas a few commentators have identified this strong angel as Jesus Christ,341the evidence for his being simply another (Gr. allon, another of the same kind) strong angel seems more convincing (cf. vv. 5-6). Other comm...
  • John now saw a new scene that elaborated on the passing away of the present earth and heaven to which he had just referred briefly (20:11). The new earth and heaven will come into existence after the Millennium and the great ...
  • Essentially what John saw next was Paradise regained (cf. 2:7; Gen. 2; Luke 23:43; 2 Cor. 12:2). Having viewed the splendor of the New Jerusalem he now saw what will nourish and enrich the lives of God's people there."Up to t...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; 2. How that. in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their l...
  • For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee; for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infir...
  • I seek not yours, but you.'--2 Cor. 12:14.MEN are usually quick to suspect others of the vices to which they themselves are prone. It is very hard for one who never does anything but with an eye to what he can make out of it,...
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