My 84 year old Mom – on the park bench

The Third Heaven 

2 Corinthians 12 

Paul’s defense against the false teachers has come to a crescendo here in chapters 11,12. We are now in chapter 12 and it seems he is responding to three attacks.  

1. Paul hasn’t had visions and revelations like the false teachers have had 

1. Since Paul wasn’t physically with Jesus on earth, he isn’t a true apostle 

1. Paul is crafty and deceitful and in it for personal gain.  

Certainly, these verbal attacks hurt, but what really rocked Paul’s world with anguish and heartache, was that the Corinthians had believed the attacks against him. Now that hurts. Paul expressed this hurt in 12:15,  

“I will most gladly spend and be expended for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?” 

So, in chapter 11, which we discussed last time, Paul reluctantly began to boast to validate himself. But he did it in a counter-intuitive manner. Rather than outlining his credentials, he outlines an extensive list of trials, tribulations and suffering. His trials reveal the depth of the grace of God in his life. It wasn’t his accomplishments.  

Now in chapter 12, he reluctantly continues his defense in verse 1 when he says “…but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.” To counter the criticism that Paul had never been with Jesus and he didn’t have the true credentials of an apostle, Paul tells of his “trip” to heaven. Paul is so uncomfortable with boasting that he speaks of himself in the third person. Verses 2-4 says,  

“…whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows-such a man (Paul himself) was caught up to the third heaven…was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak.”  

In Acts, Luke refers to Paul’s visions several times.  But here, Paul makes it really clear. He was transported to the third heaven. The first heaven is considered the earth’s atmosphere; the second heaven is the interplanetary galaxy and the third heaven is the abode of God. He was specific. He didn’t meet Jesus in a dream-like vision above his bed; he didn’t meet him ‘halfway’ somewhere amidst the stars; he was in “The” Heaven listening to the voice of the Lord.  

He then says, “I speak the truth; but I refrain from (telling you more) so that no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me.”  In other words, he’s saying that he’s not giving any more details of his heavenly experiences than what is needed to make his point. This is because he’s not trying to earn any more credit than the credit he deserves for living among them as a friend and teacher.  

In other words, he says ‘judge me not for my heavenly experiences but of my life among you-my message which is true, my love for you which is sincere and my commitment which is as a servant of Christ.  

The trip of a life-time 

When I hear about people who claim to have visited heaven, I become skeptical (although it could, I suppose, happen). But if they go on and give a detailed version, writing books, appearing on TV, etc., then my skepticism really kicks in because it is so contrary to what I read here from Paul.  

To me, it makes sense that Paul had these super encounters with God beyond what is typical. He was called to live out a ministry of paramount importance in the plan of God. He was called to take the gospel of a Jewish Messiah into the Gentile world. How hard is that?!! No one in their right mind would do that. Even if they began, they could never complete it because the opposition was insurmountable.  

Nevertheless, Paul began it and ultimately, he completed the full mission God called him to. The things Paul saw in heaven and the words he heard gave him the confidence, drive and the determination to endure massive pain, failure upon failure, constant opposition and physical persecution.  

Most likely, while his flesh was being ripped off by scrounging or he’s floating in the ocean for 36 hours after his ship went down or when a mob sweeps him away to stone him to death, he is clinging to his experience in heaven and the words of His Lord. He needed those encounters with God in order to fulfill what was probably the single most difficult ministry a man has ever been called to (apart from Jesus). But the point of the passage is not that he had the experience but that he didn’t want to talk about. He spoke about it just enough to make his point and defend himself. Nothing more and nothing less. 

In essence he is saying, ‘people, don’t follow me or anyone because a claim to have ‘had an experience’ with God. Follow me as I follow Christ because my message is true, my life is sincere and my love for you is enduring.’ Pastors and Christian leaders like this are hard to find. I am blessed that I have such a pastor. I pray you have one as well. Amen.