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Texts -- 2 Corinthians 12:1-4 (NET)
Pericope
NET
- 2Co 12:1-10 -- Paul's Thorn in the Flesh
Bible Dictionary
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TRANCE
[ebd] (Gr. ekstasis, from which the word "ecstasy" is derived) denotes the state of one who is "out of himself." Such were the trances of Peter and Paul, Acts 10:10; 11:5; 22:17, ecstasies, "a preternatural, absorbed state of mind...
[isbe] TRANCE - trans (ekstasis): The condition expressed by this word is a mental state in which the person affected is partially or wholly unconscious of objective sensations, but intensely alive to subjective impressions which, ...
[smith] (1) In the only passage-- (Numbers 24:4,16) --in which this word occurs in the English of the Old Testament italics show no corresponding word in Hebrew. In the New Testament we meet with the word three times -- (Acts 10:10; ...
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Heaven
[ebd] (1.) Definitions. The phrase "heaven and earth" is used to indicate the whole universe (Gen. 1:1; Jer. 23:24; Acts 17:24). According to the Jewish notion there were three heavens, (a) The firmament, as "fowls of the heaven" ...
[smith] There are four Hebrew words thus rendered in the Old Testament which we may briefly notice. Raki?a , Authorized Version, firmament. [FIRMAMENT] Shamayim . This is the word used in the expression "the heaven and the earth," o...
[nave] HEAVEN. God's Dwelling Place Deut. 26:15 Zech. 2:13; Isa. 63:15. 1 Kin. 8:30 vs. 39,43,49;; 2 Chr. 6:18, 21, 27, 30, 33, 35, 39; Jer. 23:24. 1 Chr. 16:31; 1 Chr. 21:26 2 Chr. 7:14; Neh. 9:27. 2 Chr. 2:6; 2 Chr. 30:27; Job ...
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Vision
[ebd] (Luke 1:22), a vivid apparition, not a dream (comp. Luke 24:23; Acts 26:19; 2 Cor. 12:1).
[nave] VISION, a mode of revelation, Num. 12:6; 1 Sam. 3:1; 2 Chr. 26:5; Psa. 89:19; Prov. 29:18; Jer. 14:14; 23:16; Dan. 1:17; Hos. 12:10; Joel 2:28; Obad. 1; Hab. 2:2; Acts 2:17. Of Abraham, concerning his descendants, Gen. 15:1-...
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Paradise
[ebd] a Persian word (pardes), properly meaning a "pleasure-ground" or "park" or "king's garden." (See EDEN.) It came in course of time to be used as a name for the world of happiness and rest hereafter (Luke 23:43; 2 Cor. 12:4; R...
[isbe] PARADISE - par'-a-dis (pardec; paradeisos): 1. Origin and Meaning: A word probably of Persian origin meaning a royal park. See GARDEN. The word occurs in the Hebrew Scriptures but 3 times: Song 4:13, where it is translated "...
[smith] This is a word of Persian origin, and is used in the Septuagint as the translation of Eden. It means "an orchard of pleasure and fruits," a "garden" or "pleasure ground," something like an English park. It is applied figurati...
[nave] PARADISE, the place of the glorified spirits, Luke 23:43; 2 Cor. 12:4; Rev. 2:7. See: Eden.
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PAUL, THE APOSTLE, 4
[isbe] PAUL, THE APOSTLE, 4 - IV. His Equipment. Ramsay chooses as the title of chapter ii, in his Paul the Traveler, the words "The Origin of Paul." It is not possible to explain the work and teaching of Paul without a just concep...
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PAUL, THE APOSTLE, 5
[isbe] PAUL, THE APOSTLE, 5 - V. Work. 1. Adjustment: There was evidently a tumult in Paul's soul. He had undergone a revolution, both intellectual and spiritual. Before he proceeded farther it was wise to think through the most im...
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Paul
[nave] PAUL Called also Saul, Acts 8:1; 9:1; 13:9. Of the tribe of Benjamin, Rom. 11:1; Phil. 3:5. Personal appearance of, 2 Cor. 10:1, 10; 11:6. Born in Tarsus, Acts 9:11; 21:39; 22:3. Educated at Jerusalem in the school of Ga...
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MEEKNESS
[isbe] MEEKNESS - mek'-nes (`anawah; praotes, prautes): "Meekness" in the Old Testament (`anawah, `anwah) is from `anaw, "suffering," "oppressed," "afflicted," denoting the spirit produced under such experiences. The word is someti...
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CORINTHIANS, SECOND EPISTLE TO THE
[isbe] CORINTHIANS, SECOND EPISTLE TO THE - I. TEXT, AUTHENTICITY AND DATE 1. Internal Evidence 2. External Evidence 3. Date II. RESUME OF EVENTS III. THE NEW SITUATION 1. The Offender 2. The False Teachers 3. The Painful Visit 4. ...
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Hades
[nave] HADES 1. The unseen world, translated hell in A.V., Matt. 11:23; 16:18; Luke 10:15; 16:23; Acts 2:27, 31; Rev. 1:18; 6:8; 20:13, 14. See: Hell; Sheol. Realm, or State, of the Dead usually expressed in Hebrew by Sheol and ...
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Apocalypse
[nave] APOCALYPSE Greek for "revelation" Luke 2:32; Rom. 2:5; 8:19; 16:25; 1 Cor. 1:7; 14:6, 26; 2 Cor. 12:1, 7; Gal. 1:12; 2:2; Eph. 1:17; 3:3; 2 Thess. 1:7; 1 Pet. 1:7, 13; 4:13; Rev. 1:1 See: Revelation
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Words
[nave] WORDS Of Jesus: Gracious, Luke 4:22; spirit and life, John 6:63; eternal life, John 6:68; shall judge, John 12:47, 48. Of the wise: As goads, and as nails well fastened, Eccl. 12:11; gracious, Eccl. 10:12. Spoken in season...
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Paradox
[nave] PARADOX. Prov. 13:7; Matt. 10:39 Matt. 16:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 17:33. John 12:25; 1 Cor. 3:18; 2 Cor. 6:4, 8-10; 2 Cor. 12:4, 10, 11; Eph. 3:17-19; Phil. 3:7; Rev. 21:18, 21
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Rapture
[nave] RAPTURE 2 Cor. 12:4; 1 Thess. 4:17; Jude 23; Rev. 12:5
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TONGUES, GIFT OF
[smith] I. glotta , or glossa , the word employed throughout the New Testament for the gift now under consideration, is used-- (1) for the bodily organ of speech; (2) for a foreign word imported and half-naturalized in Greek; (3) in ...
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PAUL, THE APOSTLE, 3
[isbe] PAUL, THE APOSTLE, 3 - III. Chronology of Paul's Career. 1. Schemes: There is not a single date in the life of Paul that is beyond dispute, though several are narrowed to a fine point, and the general course and relative pro...
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HEAVENS
[isbe] HEAVENS - hev'-'nz (shamayim; ouranoi): On the physical heavens see ASTRONOMY; WORLD. Above these, in popular conception, were the celestial heavens, the abode of God and of the hosts of angels (Ps 11:4; 103:19-21; Isa 66:1;...
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EXPEDIENT
[isbe] EXPEDIENT - eks-pe'-di-ent (sumphero): The Greek word translated "expedient" (sumphero) means literally, "to bear or bring together"; with a personal reference, "to be well or profitable." In the New Testament it never means...
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NUMBER
[isbe] NUMBER - num'-ber: I. NUMBER AND ARITHMETIC II. NOTATION OF NUMBERS 1. By Words 2. By Signs 3. By Letters III. NUMBERS IN OLD TESTAMENT HISTORY IV. ROUND NUMBERS V. SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS 1. Seven and Its Multiples (1) Ritual U...
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PARK
[isbe] PARK - park (pardec; Septuagint paradeisos; compare Arabic firdaus): "I made me gardens and parks," the King James Version "orchards" (Eccl 2:5); "Asaph the keeper of the king's forest," the Revised Version margin "park" (Ne...
Arts
Questions
- Paul was familiar with the learning of his age, and was a "master" in literary expression. He sat as a pupil "at the feet of Gamaliel," who was celebrated in the Talmudist writings as one of the seven teachers to whom the tit...
- This is a common question and one that is often mishandled. Satan is blamed for everything evil and while there is a certain sense in which that is true, it fails to take into consideration all the other issues like our own p...
- I've heard and read the same statement a number of times, but have never troubled myself to look up each passage. I'm not surprised that looking up "heaven" and "hell" in a concordance would give you contradictory results. T...
- Regarding the term rapture and its use in theology the following should answer your questions. It is taken from Ryrie's Basic Theology, Electronic Media from Parsons Technology. Our modern understanding of rapture appears...
- There is no passage that asserts it explicitly. There are, however, passages from which the inference is made. One of these is the assurance of Christ to the dying thief on the cross (Luke 23:43), "This day shalt thou be with...
- Old Testament saints went to a place called Abraham's bosom, which apparently refers to a paradise for Old Testament believers at the time of their death (cf. Luke 23:43; 2 Cor. 12:4). This was a heavenly place, but evidently...
- Scripture does not give us a great deal of information regarding a temporary place of the dead. We actually learn the most from Luke 16:19 and following, so a careful study of that passage would be most helpful. Let me st...
- Jesus' answer to the appeal of the penitent thief on the cross "gave him what he needed most--the assurance of rest and peace. The word 'paradise' meant to him repose and shelter, the greatest contrast possible to the thirst ...
Sermon Illustrations
Resources/Books
Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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....
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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...
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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...
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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 ...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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"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...
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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...
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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 ...
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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...
