2 Corinthians 12:9

“And he said unto me, etc..] Either by what the Jews call lwq tb, “Bath Kol”, a voice from heaven, an articulate audible one; or by some extraordinary revelation of the Spirit of God; or by a divine impression upon his mind; whereby he was assured of what follows, my grace is sufficient for thee; the Lord always hears and answers his people sooner or later, in one form or another, though not always in the way and manner they desire; but yet in such a way as is most for his glory and their good: the apostle had not his request granted, that Satan might immediately depart from him, only he is assured of a sufficiency of grace to support him under the exercise, so long as it should last. There…”

“said--literally, "He hath said," implying that His answer is enough [ALFORD]. is sufficient--The trial must endure, but the grace shall also endure and never fail thee [ALFORD], (Deu 33:25). The Lord puts the words into Paul's mouth, that following them up he might say, "O Lord, Thy grace is sufficient for me" [BENGEL]. my strength--Greek, "power." is made perfect--has its most perfect manifestation. in weakness--Do not ask for sensible strength, FOR My power is perfected in man's "strengthlessness" (so the Greek). The "for" implies, thy "strengthlessness" (the same Greek as is translated "weakness"; and in Co2 12:10, "infirmities") is the very element in which My "power" (which moves…”

“And he said unto me - The Saviour replied. In what way this was done, or whether it was done at the time when the prayer was offered, Paul does not inform us. It is possible, as Macknight supposes, that Christ appeared to him again and spoke to him in an audible manner. Grotius supposes that this was done by the בת קול Bath-qowl - “daughter of the voice,” so frequently referred to by the Jewish writers, and which they suppose to be referred to in 1 Kings 19:12, by the phrase, “a still small voice.” But it is impossible to determine in what way it was done, and it is not material. Paul was in habits of communion with the Saviour, and was accustomed to receive revelations from him. The…”

“But he said to me - ln answer to my third request. My grace is sufficient for thee - How tender a repulse! We see there may be grace where there is the quickest sense of pain. My strength is more illustriously displayed by the weakness of the instrument. Therefore I will glory in my weaknesses rather than my revelations, that the strength of Christ may rest upon me - The Greek word properly means, may cover me all over like a tent. We ought most willingly to accept whatever tends to this end, however contrary to flesh and blood. 2 Corinthians 12:10”

“My grace: Co2 12:10, Co2 3:5, Co2 3:6; Exo 3:11, Exo 3:12, Exo 4:10-15; Deu 33:25-27; Jos 1:9; Isa 43:2; Jer 1:6-9; Mat 10:19, Mat 10:20; Luk 21:15; Co1 10:13, Co1 15:10; Col 1:28, Col 1:29; Ti1 1:14; Heb 4:16 for: Psa 8:2; Isa 35:3, Isa 35:4, Isa 40:29-31, Isa 41:13-16; Dan 10:16-19; Eph 3:16; Phi 4:13; Col 1:11; Heb 11:34 Most: Co2 12:10, Co2 12:15; Mat 5:11, Mat 5:12 glory: Co2 12:5, Co2 11:30 the power: Kg2 2:15; Isa 4:5, Isa 4:6, Isa 11:2; Zep 3:17; Mat 28:18, Mat 28:20; Pe1 4:13, Pe1 4:14 2 Corinthians 12:10”