2 Corinthians 12:2 NIV

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Corinthians 12:2

When we consider what man is, and who Christ is, the conjunction seems wonderful indeed. Yet, when apprehended, this union appears one fraught with richest blessings for him who is the inferior and dependent member. The thought was one familiar to the apostle; himself "a man in Christ," he spoke of others who were "in Christ before" himself, and he designated Christian societies, "Churches in Christ Jesus." I. THE NATURE OF THE UNION THUS DESCRIBED . 1 . The Christian is... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Corinthians 12:2

St. Paul spoke of himself. Once he had been out of Christ, though in a legal fashion very religious. But he gave up his legality when he found Christ. He looked to him for help, fled to him for defence, and thenceforward lived in him as a new creature. It is the best short description of every believer. I. CHOSEN IN CHRIST . ( Ephesians 1:4 .) We put this first, because this must come first in the Divine order and in the very nature of things. But man does not begin with any... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 2 Corinthians 12:2

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... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 2 Corinthians 12:2-3

2 Corinthians 12:2-3. I knew a man in Christ That is, a Christian. He must undoubtedly have meant himself, or the whole article had been quite foreign to his purpose. Indeed, that he meant himself is plain from 2 Corinthians 12:6-7. Fourteen years ago So long, it seems, the apostle had concealed this extraordinary event; a circumstance which shows how little disposed he was to speak vauntingly of himself. Whether in the body And by the intervention of its senses; or out of the body ... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 12:1-10

A genuine case for boasting (12:1-10)Before leaving the subject of boasting, Paul wants to give one more example (12:1). Fourteen years previously he had seen a vision, but because he does not want to exalt himself, he speaks about his experience in the third person, referring to himself simply as ‘a man’. By some unknown means he was taken up into Paradise, where he heard and saw things that God does not normally allow people to know (2-4). He is not telling this story so that the Corinthians... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 2 Corinthians 12:2

knew. Greek. oida. App-132 . The 2nd Perf. with sense of the Present Tense. man. Greek. anthropos. App-129 . in . Greek. en. App-104 . Christ . App-98 . above , &c. Literally before (Greek. pro. App-104 . xiv) four-teen years. cannot tell = know (Greek. oida as above) not (Greek. au). out of = without. Greek. ektos. See 1 Corinthians 6:18 . God . App-98 . caught up = caught away. Greek. harpazo . See John 10:12 . to = as far as. Greek. heos. heaven. Singular. See Matthew... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - 2 Corinthians 12:2

I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I know not; or whether out of the body, I know not; God knoweth), such a one caught up, even to the third heaven.A man in Christ ... The center and circumference of Pauline theology are summed up in the phrase "in Christ." The thought behind the use of the third person here is that it was not as himself that these experiences came to him, but that "as Christ" and "in Christ" he was granted those things. On this account, his... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - 2 Corinthians 12:2

2 Corinthians 12:2. I know a man in Christ— St. Paul must undoubtedly mean himself, or the whole article had been quite foreign to his purpose. It hence appears, that the Apostle had concealed this extraordinary event fourteen years; and if this Epistle was written about the year 58, as is supposed, this vision must have fallen out in the year 44, which was so long after his conversion as to prove it quite different from the trance mentioned, Acts 9:9. Some think that this glorious... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - 2 Corinthians 12:2

2. Translate, "I know," not "I knew." a man—meaning himself. But he purposely thus distinguishes between the rapt and glorified person of 2 Corinthians 12:2; 2 Corinthians 12:4, and himself the infirmity-laden victim of the "thorn in the flesh" (2 Corinthians 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... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 2 Corinthians 12:1-10

4. Special revelations Paul received 12:1-10Paul 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 referred to these here to bolster his readers’ confidence in his apostolic calling and authority further. read more

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Corinthians 12:2

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Corinthians 12:2

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 2 Corinthians 12:2

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 2 Corinthians 12:2-3

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 12:1-10

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 2 Corinthians 12:2

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - 2 Corinthians 12:2

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - 2 Corinthians 12:2

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - 2 Corinthians 12:2

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 2 Corinthians 12:1-10

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