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What Does This Verse Mean?

C

catlover

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2 Corinthians 12
The Vision of Paradise
1 It is doubtless[a] not profitable for me to boast. I will come 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 whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. 3

-what specifically is the third heaven?
 

Fireinfolding

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2 Corinthians 12
The Vision of Paradise
1 It is doubtless[a] not profitable for me to boast. I will come 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 whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. 3

-what specifically is the third heaven?

Its "paradise" in 2Cr 12:4 :thumbsup:

Peace

Fireinfolding
 
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Knowledge3

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2 Corinthians 12
The Vision of Paradise
1 It is doubtless[a] not profitable for me to boast. I will come 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 whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. 3

-what specifically is the third heaven?

Paul says twice, "he does not know" in the text.
 
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O

OntheDL

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2 Corinthians 12
The Vision of Paradise
1 It is doubtless[a] not profitable for me to boast. I will come 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 whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. 3

-what specifically is the third heaven?

This is a Hebrew concept.

The first heaven is the earth atmosphere.

The second heaven is the space where the stars are.

The third heaven is where God's throne is.
 
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Iollain

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This Irenaeus guy mentioned the seven heavens:

http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/fathers/irenaeus_02_proof.htm#26



9. Now this world is encompassed by seven heavens,26 in which dwell powers and angels and |78 archangels, doing service to God, the Almighty and Maker of all things: not as though He was in need, but that they may not be idle and unprofitable and ineffectual.27 Wherefore also the Spirit of God is manifold in (His) indwelling,28 and in seven forms of service 29 is He reckoned by the prophet Isaiah, as resting on the Son of God, that is the Word, in His coming as man. The Spirit of God, he says, shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, (the Spirit of knowledge) and of godliness; the Spirit of the fear of God shall fill him.30 Now the heaven which is first from above,31 and encompasses the rest, is (that of) wisdom; and the |79 second from it, of understanding; and the third, of counsel; and the fourth, reckoned from above, (is that) of might; and the fifth, of knowledge; and the sixth, of godliness; and the seventh, this firmament of ours, is full of the fear of that Spirit which gives light to the heavens. For, as the pattern (of this), Moses received the seven-branched candlestick, that shined continually in the holy place; for as a pattern of the heavens he received this service, according to that which the Word spake unto him: Thou shalt make (it) according to all the pattern of the things which thou hast seen in the mount.32

26. 1 An account of the late Jewish teaching as to the Seven Heavens is given in Mr. H. St John Thackeray's valuable book St Paul and Contemporary Jewish Thought, pp. 172-179, where three parallel tables of their descriptions will be found. References to them in Christian apocryphal literature are collected in Dr Charles's Book of the Secrets of Enoch (from the Sclavonic), pp. xliv-xlvii. Hippolytus in his Commentary on Daniel (ed. Achelis, p. 96), referring to ... in the Benedicite, says: ... . Clement of Alexandria (Strom, iv. 25) says: ..., Origen (c. Cels, vi. 21) likewise mentions the Seven Heavens, but without committing himself to the exact number.
 
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Tyndale

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Paul was repeating a false unknown teaching. There were lots of them around. Paul was confused, baffled. He said, "How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter."

Read all the surrounding verses. Try to understand the context.
 
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Knowledge3

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Paul was repeating a false unknown teaching. There were lots of them around. Paul was confused, baffled. He said, "How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter."

Read all the surrounding verses. Try to understand the context.

Paul wouldn't teach false doctrine.
 
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Fireinfolding

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Paul was repeating a false unknown teaching. There were lots of them around. Paul was confused, baffled. He said, "How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter."

Read all the surrounding verses. Try to understand the context.

In accordance with the same measure of thought then John would have to be confused too right?

Rev 10:4 when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the Seven thunders uttered, and write them not.

John could actually be seen (as depicted here) as one justifying Paul's words rather then contradicting them.

John HEARD what the Seven thunders uttered but there was a command to seal it up and not write it down. That command was issued to John. Could not the same be said of Paul who understood this to mean it was not lawful to utter what he was not even given to write?

Its consistent to me.

Peace

Fireinfolding
 
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O

OntheDL

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This is a Hebrew concept.

The first heaven is the earth atmosphere.

The second heaven is the space where the stars are.

The third heaven is where God's throne is.

Continue to verse 4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

Paradise is where God and His holy angels live. It's the same as the third heaven. Paul was taken up in a vision to heaven and heard the glorious/unspeakable words.
 
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