It is not expedient for me doubtless to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
Read Chapter 12
Ambrosiaster
AD 400
Paul is now going to describe how he has been raised up in order that the Corinthians might understand how great and how wonderful the things said to him were and that they might realize that he is not inferior in any way to the other apostles. Commentary on Paul’s Epistles.
SYNOPSIS OF THE CHAPTER
i. That the Corinthians may esteem him above the false apostles, he describes his being carried up into the third heaven.
ii. He goes on to say (ver7) that to prevent his being puffed up a thorn in the flesh was given him; for strength is made perfect in weakness.
iii. He clears himself (ver11) from any charge of self-love, by pointing out that it was they who had compelled him to praise himself, instead of commending him, as they ought to have done, for his long-suffering, miracles, preaching without charge, charity, and care for them.
iv. He refutes the calumny (ver17) brought against him, that he collected money from them craftily, not personally, but by means of Titus.
v. He expresses a fear (ver21) lest, when he should come to them, he might find some of them involved in dissensions and other sins; and thus he tacitly warns them that he may with grief be compelled to castigate them.
If I must glory. St. Paul in the whole of this discourse shows the repugnance he had of speaking in his own praise, and that if he did it, it was only through constraint, and for the advantage of the Corinthians; as also to defend himself from his calumniators. (Calmet)
Of the following chapter, and say he only went twice; the first time as mentioned in Acts xviii. 1.; the second time, as we may draw from Acts xx. 2 and 3, after this epistle, as it is evident from comparing 2 Corinthians i. 15.
What is this? Does he who has spoken such great things say, [It is not expedient] doubtless to glory? as if he had said nothing? No; not as if he had said nothing: but because he is going to pass to another species of boasting, which is not intended indeed by so great a reward, but which to the many (though not to careful examiners) seems to set him off in brighter colors , he says, It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. For truly the great grounds of boasting were those which he had recounted, those of his trials; he has however other things also to tell of, such as concern the revelations, the unspeakable mysteries. And wherefore, says he, It is not expedient for me? he means, 'lest it lift me up to pride.' What do you say? For if you speak not of them, yet do you not know of them? But our knowing of them ourselves does not lift us up so much as our publishing them to others. For it is not the nature of good deeds that uses to lift a man up, but their being witnessed to, and ...
It is not so much the deeds themselves which are the cause of pride, as our telling them to others. Good deeds will not puff anybody up unless they are witnessed to and remarked upon by others.
Hear, then, the parables of the tower; for I will reveal all to you, and give me no more trouble in regard to revelation: for these revelations have an end, for they have been completed. But you will not cease praying for revelations, for you are shameless.
