Scripture Reading : 2 Corinthians 12
Theme : Discernment
As part of their scam to deceive the Corinthians, the false apostles undoubtedly claimed visions and revelations of their own. To counter their phony claims, Paul reluctantly related his own genuine vision.
- Vision of God’s soldier (12:1-4). With characteristic humility, Paul related his vision as a third person, but it is obvious that he was that man (2 Cor. 12:7). This vision probably took place sometime between Paul’s return to Tarsus from Jerusalem (Acts 9:30) and his commissioning by the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:1-3). It is possible that God may have granted Paul this glimpse of heaven to steel him against the suffering he would experience on his missionary journeys.
- Suffering of God’s soldier (12:5-10). Paul had received many visions in his life (cf. Acts 9:3-12; 16:9-10; 18:9-10; 22:17-21; 23:11; 27:23-24). To humble his otherwise proud flesh, the Lord allowed Paul to undergo intense suffering. The identity of that “thorn in the flesh” has been much debated, but it is best understood as a demonic messenger of Satan who had used the false apostles to deceive the Corinthians into a rebellion against him.
- Concerns of God’s soldier (12:11-21). Despite the Corinthians’ failure, Paul nevertheless loved them as his spiritual children (1 Cor. 4:15). He did not want their money, he wanted their hearts and so he is willing to sacrifice himself for them. Here is the point which marks the transition to the closing section of this epistle, which deals with the edification of the church and sanctification of its members. It is out of this painful concern for the Corinthians’ holiness that prompted Paul to call for their repentance.
Praying the Scripture
- Unlike modern charlatans who claimed trips to heaven and visions of God, Paul gave no sensational, detailed description of what he saw or experienced in heaven. This is because visions and revelations do not benefit the church and could lead to pride. What God wants us to know is already revealed in the Bible. Let’s pray that we will be built up and sanctified by the word of God (Acts 20:32), not by any “extraordinary” visions and revelations.
- God is sovereign over all of His creation and allow Satan to bring devastating suffering on His saints to achieve their greater usefulness (cf. Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7; Luke 22:31). Let’s pray that we will joyfully embrace the trials that God allow us to undergo, knowing that it is through them that God to display His greatest grace and power in our life and so “the testing of your faith produces endurances” (James 1:2).
- The supernatural miracles done by the apostles were signs pointing them as genuine messengers of God to draw the onlookers’ attention to the message they proclaimed. Once the apostles had laid the doctrinal foundation of the church (Eph. 2:20), the foundation does not need to be continuously laid today by self-proclaimed apostles. Let’s pray that we will be discerning towards everyone who claimed to be a messenger of God by evaluating their message against the complete Word of God.
经文：哥林多后书12
主题：辨别能力
假使徒为要欺哄哥林多人，无疑声称他们有异象和启示。为击垮他们伪造的申明，保罗以勉强地述说自己得到的真实异象。
- 神精兵的异象（12:1-4）。保罗用以往谦卑的心，以第三人的身份叙述了他的异象——他显然就是那人（7节）。这异象大约是在保罗从耶路撒冷回返大数（徒9:30）及他受圣灵委托之间所见到的（徒13:1-3）。神让保罗得知天堂的一丝滋味，或许是要建立他，叫他在传道行程中受难时能站立得住。
- 神精兵的苦难（12:5-10）。保罗在他有生之年领受诸多异象（参：徒9:3-12, 16:9-10, 18:9-10, 22:17-21, 23:11, 27:23-24）。为使他骄傲的肉体谦卑，主容许保罗经历重重苦难。至于在保罗肉体上所加的一根刺是什么，其最佳解释是撒旦的使者——牠藉着假使徒欺哄哥林多人，叫他们悖逆保罗。
- 神精兵的关注（12:11-19）。虽然哥林多人失败了，但保罗仍爱他们，像爱自己灵里的儿女一样（林前4:15）。他不要他们的钱；他要的是他们的心，叫他愿为他们牺牲自己。之后，保罗便对书信作总结，针对教会的造就及其成员的圣洁而论。保罗是因急切关注哥林多人的圣洁，才促使他召他们悔改的。
用经文祷告
- 与现代自称曾到天堂并领受神之异象的假教师有别的是，保罗并没对自己在天堂的所见所闻给予详细，轰动的叙述。这是因为异象与启示不能造就教会，且能令人骄傲。神要我们晓得的事已记载在圣经里。让我们祷告我们会藉着神的话得建立与圣洁（徒20:32），而不是靠非凡的异象和启示。
- 神主宰祂所有的造物，并容许撒旦给圣徒带来极度的苦难，叫我们更能为主所用（参：伯1:6-12, 2:1-7；路22:31）。让我们祷告我们会以喜乐的心迎接神让我们经历的试炼，因我们晓得神是藉着它们彰显祂在我们生命中极大的恩典与能力，叫我们的“信心经过试验就生忍耐”（各1:3）。
- 众使徒所显出的非凡神迹是他们作神属实使者的凭据，叫人能注视他们所传的信息。一旦使徒们为教会的教义根基殿下基础（弗2:20），这基础就无需经自称为使徒的继续建立。让我们祷告我们能分辨凡称是神的使者的，以神完全的话对他们的信息作评估。
