2 Corinthians 12:2

“I knew a man in Christ about fourteen years ago, etc..] Which is to be understood of himself, as appears from (<471207>2 Corinthians 12:7), where he speaks in the first person; and the reason why he here speaks in the third, is to show his modesty and humility, and how much he declined vain glory and popular applause; and whilst he is speaking of himself, studies as it were to conceal himself from being the person designed, and to draw off the mind of the reader from him to another person; though another cannot be intended, for it would not have been to his purpose, yea, quite beside it, when he proposes to come to visions and revelations he had of the Lord, to have instanced in the rapture…”

“Translate, "I know," not "I knew." a man--meaning himself. But he purposely thus distinguishes between the rapt and glorified person of Co2 12:2, Co2 12:4, and himself the infirmity-laden victim of the "thorn in the flesh" (Co2 12:7). Such glory belonged not to him, but the weakness did. Nay, he did not even know whether he was in or out of the body when the glory was put upon him, so far was the glory from being his [ALFORD]. His spiritual self was his highest and truest self: the flesh with its infirmity merely his temporary self (Rom 7:25). Here, however, the latter is the prominent thought. in Christ--a Christian (Rom 16:7). above--rather, simply "fourteen years ago." This Epistle was…”

“I knew a man in Christ - I was acquainted with a Christian; the phrase “in Christ” meaning nothing more than that he was united to Christ or was a Christian; see Romans 16:7. The reason why Paul did not speak of this directly as a vision which he had himself seen was probably that he was accused of boasting, and he had admitted that it did not become him to glory. But though it did not become him to boast directly, yet he could tell them of a man concerning whom there would be no impropriety evidently in boasting. It is not uncommon, moreover, for a man to speak of himself in the third person. Thus, Caesar in his Commentaries uniformly speaks of himself. And so John in his Gospel speaks of…”

“I knew a man in Christ - That is, a Christian. It is plain from Co2 12:6-7, that he means himself, though in modesty he speaks as of a third person. Whether in the body or out of the body I know not - It is equally possible with God to present distant things to the imagination in the body, as if the soul were absent from it, and present with them; or to transport both soul and body for what time he pleases to heaven; or to transport the soul only thither for a season, and in the mean time to preserve the body fit for its re - entrance. But since the apostle himself did not know whether his soul was in the body, or whether one or both were actually in heaven, it would be vain curiosity for us…”

“12:2 I was caught up (literally I know a man in Christ who was caught up): In Greek, Paul demurely uses third person to speak of himself. • The third heaven is a Jewish expression for the immediate presence of God. • fourteen years ago: That is, about AD 43.”

“knew: Co2 12:3, Co2 12:5 in Christ: Co2 5:17, Co2 5:21, Co2 13:5; Isa 45:24, Isa 45:25; Joh 6:56, Joh 15:4-6, Joh 17:21-23; Rom 8:1; Rom 16:7; Co1 1:30; Gal 1:22, Gal 5:6 above: "ad 46, at Lystra." Act 14:6, Act 22:17 in the: Co2 5:6-8; Kg1 18:12; Kg2 2:16; Eze 8:1-3, Eze 11:24; Act 8:39, Act 8:40, Act 22:17; Phi 1:22, Phi 1:23; Rev 1:10, Rev 4:2 God: Co2 12:3, Co2 11:11 caught: Co2 12:4; Luk 24:51; Th1 4:17; Heb 9:24; Rev 12:5 third: Gen 1:14-20; Kg1 8:27; Isa 57:15 2 Corinthians 12:4”