2 Corinthians 12:1-10--Paul's Visions and His Thorn

2 Corinthians 12:1-10
English Standard Version
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Paul's Visions and His Thorn
12 I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. 3 And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows-- 4 and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. 5 On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses-- 6 though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. 7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

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Paul starts this chapter by continuing to boast, so it seems clear the the "man" that he knows is himself, even though he's speaking in third person (a common literary device of the time, and meant to show humility).  Paul says that he saw the third heaven (the throne of God) though he didn't know if it was simply a vision or if his soul was actually taken up to heaven for a time and he had an "out of body experience."  In either case, he saw things that he could not describe, which makes sense when we read Ezekiel, Daniel and Revelation as they are full of things that authors struggle to describe.  He boasts in the privilege of having this experience, but knows at the same time that he is weak and did nothing to deserve this.

There seems to be a lot of double-speak here about if he did brag about it he wouldn't be a fool, but he's not going to brag about it, even though that's exactly what appears to be going on.  The main thing Paul wants to get across here is that even in having such a vision, he still needs to remain humble and not be conceited.  While this would probably make him more "super" than any of the "super-apostles," he knows that pride and arrogance are from the devil and not from God.  So, God gave Him a "thorn in the flesh" to help keep him humble--no we don't know what it is, and I don't think we're supposed to.  So then, it was through this that Paul learned to rely fully on the grace of God each and every day for everything, even the patience to endure trials and tribulations that God had sent his way.  "For when I am weak, then I am strong" is song that the Christian can sing that makes no sense to the world, since it is not our strength but the strength of the One that lives within us and lives through us that makes us strong in our weakness.