These small group study notes on the book of 2nd Corinthians contain outlines, cross-references, Bible study discussion questions, lessons to learn, and applications. Feel free to print them, copy them, or share them. I only ask that you remember these are are personal study notes and are only meant as a supplement to your own study, not a replacement. May God be glorified! Visit our inductive Bible study main page for more studies on this and other books of the Bible. See the bottom of the page for the rest of the study on 2 Corinthians 12.
2 Corinthians Chapter 12:1-6 Inductive Bible Study - Outline, Key Words, Cross References, and Discussion Questions
2 Cor 12:1-6
1 Boasting is necessary, though it is not profitable; but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.
2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago — whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows — such a man was caught up to the third heaven.
3 And I know how such a man — whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows —
4 was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak.
5 On behalf of such a man I will boast; but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in regard to my weaknesses.
6 For if I do wish to boast I will not be foolish, for I will be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me.
Key Words
· Know 7
· Man 5
· Body 4
· Boast 4
· Such 3
· Behalf 2
· Whether 2
· Speak 2
· Caught up 2
· Heaven
· Paradise
Titles
Boasting in Weakness
A Visit to the Third Heaven
A Glimpse of Heaven
Vision of Inexpressible Words
Caught Up
Outline
I. Heavenly journey 1-4
II. Refrains from boasting 5-6
Cross References, Questions, Observations
1. Boasting is necessary, though it is not profitable; but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.
Jn 16:7
7 "But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.
1 Co 10:23
23 All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify.
Da 10:5-10
5 I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, there was a certain man dressed in linen, whose waist was girded with a belt of pure gold of Uphaz.
6 His body also was like beryl, his face had the appearance of lightning, his eyes were like flaming torches, his arms and feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a tumult.
7 Now I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, while the men who were with me did not see the vision; nevertheless, a great dread fell on them, and they ran away to hide themselves.
8 So I was left alone and saw this great vision; yet no strength was left in me, for my natural color turned to a deathly pallor, and I retained no strength.
9 But I heard the sound of his words; and as soon as I heard the sound of his words, I fell into a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground.
10 Then behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees.
Ac 22:17-21
17 "It happened when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I fell into a trance,
18 and I saw Him saying to me, ' Make haste, and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about Me.'
19 "And I said, 'Lord, they themselves understand that in one synagogue after another I used to imprison and beat those who believed in You.
20'And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was being shed, I also was standing by approving, and watching out for the coats of those who were slaying him.'
21 "And He said to me, 'Go! For I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'"
Ac 23:11
11 But on the night immediately following, the Lord stood at his side and said, " Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also."
2 Co 12:7
Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me — to keep me from exalting myself!
Gal 1:12
12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
a)
1)
2. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago — whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows — such a man was caught up to the third heaven.
Rv 4:2
2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne.
2 Co 5:17
17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
2 Co 5:21
21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Eph 1:3-14
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love
5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,
6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
8 which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight
9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him
10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him
11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will,
12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.
13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation — having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption ofGod's own possession, to the praise of His glory.
Eze 8:2-3
2 Then I looked, and behold, a likeness as the appearance of a man; from His loins and downward there was the appearance of fire, and from His loins and upward the appearance of brightness, like the appearance of glowing metal.
3 He stretched out the form of a hand and caught me by a lock of my head; and the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the north gate of the inner court, where the seat of the idol of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy, was located.
2 Co 5:6-8
6 Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord —
7 for we walk by faith, not by sight —
8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.
Lk 24:51
51 While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven.
1 Th 4:17
17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.
Rv 12:5
And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne.
1 Ki 8:27
27 "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You, how much less this house which I have built!
Isa 57:15
15 For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, "I dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite.
a) Who was the man Paul speaks of? Himself, see v7.
b) When did this vision take place? A.D. 42 (2 Corinthians was written about 56 A.D.)
c) What was the purpose of his journey?
d) Where is the third heaven?
e) Why does Paul give so few details of his amazing journey?
1) Paul is very humble in referring to himself in the third person.
3. And I know how such a man — whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows —
2 Ki 2:16
16 They said to him, "Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men, please let them go and search for your master; perhaps the Spirit of the LORD has taken him up and cast him on some mountain or into some valley." And he said, "You shall not send."
Eze 11:24
24 And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God to the exiles in Chaldea. So the vision that I had seen left me.
Da 10:8
8 So I was left alone and saw this great vision; yet no strength was left in me, for my natural color turned to a deathly pallor, and I retained no strength.
2 Co 5:8
8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.
a)
1)
4. was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak.
Lk 23:43
43 And He said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise."
Rv 2:7
7' He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.'
Lk 16:22-25
22 "Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham's bosom ; and the rich man also died and was buried.
23 "In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 "And he cried out and said, ' Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.'
25 "But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony.
Rv 22:1-5
1 Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb,
2 in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
3 There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him;
4 they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.
5 And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever.
a) What is the difference between inexpressible words and words that are not permitted to be spoken?
b) Why was he not permitted to speak the words of the vision that he saw?
1)
5. On behalf of such a man I will boast; but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in regard to my weaknesses.
2 Co 11:30
30 If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my weakness.
2 Co 12:9-10
9 And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness" Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
Heb 11:33-34
33 who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions,
34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.
a) Why boast in the third person?
1)
6. For if I do wish to boast I will not be foolish, for I will be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me.
Ro 9:1
I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit,
2 Co 1:18
18 But as God is faithful, our word to you is not yes and no.
2 Co 11:31
31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, He who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.
Eph 4:15
15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,
1 Jn 3:18
18 Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.
a)
1) Unlike the false “Super Apostles”, Paul wanted his reputation to be based on what people could observe in his life rather than on exaggerated claims.
Key Verse
6 For if I do wish to boast I will not be foolish, for I will be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me.
Central Teaching
Ministering humbly befits every believer at any level of maturity.
Application - You Make Your Own!
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