2 Corinthians 12:2-10
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- Reading the Text:
- NRSV (with link to Anglicized NRSV) at Oremus Bible Browser.
- Greek Interlinear Bible, ScrTR, ScrTR t, Strong, Parsing, CGTS, CGES id, AV.
- The Bible Gateway: NRSV, RSV, NIV, NASB, CEV, The Message, KJV, etc.
- The Blue Letter Bible. KJV, alternate versions, Greek text with concordance, commentaries.
- The World Wide Study Bible includes commentary, exposition and sermons.
- Historical References, Commentary and
Comparative Texts:
- Vision III.3, Shepherd of Hermas. (c.145)
- II.XXX.7, III.XX.1, V.II.3, V.III.1, V.V.1, Adversus Haereses, Irenaeus of Lyons. (c. 180)
- Chapter XXIV, The Prescription of Heretics, Tertullian (c. 200)
- II.3, On The Apparel of Women, Tertullian (c. 202)
- I.14, I.29, Against Marcion, Tertullian (c. 207)
- Chapter IX, On the Soul, Tertullian (c. 210)
- Chapter IX, Chapter XLVII, On the Resurrection of the Flesh, Tertullian (c. 211)
- V.12, Against Marcion, Tertullian (c. 212)
- Concerning Flight in Persecution (paragraph 2) Tertullian (c. 212)
- Chapter XIII, Scorpiace, Tertullian (c. 213)
- Chapter XIII, On Modesty, Tertullian (c. 217)
- II.VII.4, First Principles (De Principiis), Origen. (c.225)
- V.III, VII.XIV, The Refutation of all Heresies (Philosophumena), Hippolytus of Rome. (c. 225)
- I.XLVIII, VI.VI, VII.XLIII, Against Celsus, Origen (c. 246)
- On the Mortality -- Cyprian of Carthage (c. 252)
- III.24, VII.25, Ecclesiastical History, Eusebius of Caesarea (c 320).
- The Vision of Paul (c 350?)
- From the
Geneva Notes.
- "He concludes that he will only set his miseries against the vain braggings of the false apostles, and with this also excuses himself, because by their troublesome braggings he was forced to speak as much of those things as he did. That is, because if his apostleship were subverted, his doctrine would necessarily fall."
- From
Matthew Henry's
Commentary.
- "Troubles are sent to teach us to pray; and are continued, to teach us to continue instant in prayer. Though God accepts the prayer of faith, yet he does not always give what is asked for: as he sometimes grants in wrath, so he sometimes denies in love."
- From
Wesley's Notes.
- "We see there may be grace where there is the quickest sense of pain."
- From the
Commentary on the Whole Bible
(Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, 1871).
- "to buffet me--In Greek, present: to buffet me even now continuously. After experiencing the state of the blissful angels, he is now exposed to the influence of an evil angel. The chastisement from hell follows soon upon the revelation from heaven. As his sight and hearing had been ravished with heavenly "revelations," so his touch is pained with the "thorn in the flesh.""
- From The People's
New Testament, B.W. Johnson, 1891.
- "The Lord answered his prayer, not by removing the thorn, but by giving grace to bear it, and by the assurance that Paul's sense of weakness, caused by it, fitted him to receive the divine strength."
- Contemporary Commentary, Studies and Exegesis:
- "Strength in Weakness," Alan Brehm, The Waking Dreamer.
- "It seems the more vulnerable we realize that we really are, the more open we make ourselves to the presence of God, and the deeper our faith and our spirituality. On the contrary, the more we try to protect ourselves, to control our lives, and to avoid pain and weakness, the more we cut ourselves off from the presence of God."
- "Paul," sermon discussion from Frederick Buechner, Frederick Buechner Blog.
- "And how long was the whole great circus to last? Paul said, why, until we all become human beings at last, until we all 'come to maturity,' as he put it; and then, since there had been only one really human being since the world began, until we all make it to where we're like him, he said - 'to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ' (Ephesians 4:13). Christs to each other, Christs to God. All of us. Finally. It was just as easy, and just as hard, as that."
- "What Do You Boast About?," Commented Bible Passages from Taizé, 2011.
- "Many Bodies, Many Worlds," study guide for adults, Robert B. Kruschwitz, (other resources at) "Disability," Christian Reflection, The Center for Christian Ethics at Baylor University, 2013. Focus article: "Many Bodies, Many Worlds," by John Swinton.
- Commentary, 2 Corinthians 12:2-10, Sally A. Brown, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2012.
- "It may be timely for the preacher to focus less on individual experience and more on a congregation's collective experience."
- Radical Gratitude, lectionary-based stewardship, Northwest United Methodist Foundation. (.pdf)
- "Jesus Followers as A-Theists," Neal D. Presa, The Hardest Question, 2012.
- "Foolishness meets Reason."
-
Commentary,
2 Corinthians 12:1-10, David Tiede, Preaching This Week,
WorkingPreacher.org, 2009.
- "Instead of being full of himself and his religious experience, Paul is aware that his own weakness, his emptiness is the occasion for the presence of the living Christ..."
- "The Secret of Success," Alan Brehm, The Waking Dreamer, 2009.
- "What makes the church thrive is the confidence that “when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:10). That’s hard to put into a strategic plan, but I think trusting in the presence of the life-giving God and trusting in the power of the living Christ is a strategy for true success."
- Comments (commentary) and Clippings (technical notes for in-depth study), Chris Haslam, Anglican Diocese of Montreal.
-
"First
Thoughts on Passages on Year B Epistle Passages in the Lectionary,"
Pentecost 6, William
Loader, Murdoch University, Uniting Church in Australia.
- "He was a strange man, a world apart from us, but his issues remain just as relevant today. The struggle is still on."
- "Paul's Humiliation," Rev. Bryan Findlayson, Lectionary Bible Studies and Sermons, Pumpkin Cottage Ministry Resources. Includes detailed textual notes.
-
Commentary, Luke A. Powery, The African American Lectionary,
2009.
- "God?s grace is sufficient for us. God?s grace will see us through any hard time, even those that try our very souls."
-
"The
Gospel of our Weakness," guest essay by Dan Lewis.
The Journey with Jesus: Notes to Myself, Daniel B. Clendenin, Journey with
Jesus Foundation.
- "In a contemporary culture that stresses personal autonomy and social advancement?even in a Christian sub-culture that at times succumbs to the siren song of political clout?we should more directly conform our mindset to the gospel of our weakness."
- "Power Made Perfect in Weakness," study guide, Robert B. Kruschwitz, (other resources at) "Suffering," Christian Reflection, The Center for Christian Ethics at Baylor University, 2005.
- 2 Corinthians 12:7-12, Pentecost: Paul the Pastor in 2 Corinthians, David Fredrickson, Word & World Texts in Context, Luther Northwestern Theological Seminary, 1991.
-
"Declining with Grace," Robert C. and Elizabeth V. Roberts, (other
resources at)
"Aging," Christian Reflection, The Center for Christian
Ethics at Baylor University, 2003.
- "Gratitude and generosity - two virtues that acknowledge we are not all strength and independence, but also (and very basically) weakness and dependency - prepare us for better adjustment in situations of loss."
-
"Power Made Perfect in Weakness," Rebecca Konynkyk DeYoung,
(other resources at)
"Suffering," Christian Reflection, The Center for Christian
Ethics at Baylor University, 2005.
- "While our culture may idolize strength in adversity and tough self-reliance, courage has another side that many of us have not thought about much."
- "The 'Third Heaven'," Douglas Ward, Voice Bible Studies, Christian Resource Institute.
- "Strength in Weakness," Alan Brehm, The Waking Dreamer.
- Recommended articles
from ATLAS, an online collection of religion and theology journals, are
linked below.
ATLAS Access options are available for academic institutions, alumni of
selected theological schools, and clergy/church offices. Annotated list of "starting place" articles at ATLAS for this week's texts (includes direct links).
- Adams, Joanna, "Paul Almighty,"
The Christian Century, 2003.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Akin, Daniel L., "Triumphalism,
Suffering, and Spiritual Maturity: An Exposition of 2 Corinthians
12:1-10 in Its Literary, Theological, and Historical Context,"
Criswell Theological Journal, 1989.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Baird, William,
"Visions, Revelation, and Ministry: Reflections on 2 Cor 12:1-5 and Gal
1:11-17," Journal of Biblical Literature, 1985.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Barrier, Jeremy, "Visions of
Weakness: Apocalyptic Genre and the Identification of Paul's Opponents
in 2 Corinthians 12:1-6," Restoration Quarterly, 2005.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Bash, Anthony,
"A Psychodynamic Approach to the Interpretation of 2 Corinthians 10-13,"
Journal for the Study of the New Testament, 2001.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Carl, William J., Jr.,
"Reflections on Joy," The Living Pulpit, 1996. (see
Joy issue focus of The Living Pulpit 5.4, 1996.)
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Collins, Gerald,
"Power Made Perfect in Weakness: 2 Cor 12:9-10," Catholic Biblical
Quarterly, 1971.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Fredrickson, David, "Pentecost: Paul
the Pastor in 2 Corinthians," Word & World, 1991.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Garland, David,
"Paul's Apostolic Authority: The Power of Christ Sustaining Weakness (2
Corinthians 10-13)," Review and Expositor, 1989.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Goulder, Michael, "Vision and
Knowledge," Journal for the Study of the New Testament, 1994.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Harrell, Daniel, "Power Source,"
The Christian Century, 2006.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Loubser, J.A.,
"Exegesis and Proclamation: Winning the Struggle (Or: How to Treat
Heretics)," Journal of Theology for Southern Africa, 1991.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Mickey, Paul A.,
"Strength in Weakness: From Text to Sermon on II Corinthians 12:7-9,"
Interpretation, 1968.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Morray-Jones, C.R.A.,
"Paradise Revisited (2 Cor. 12:1-12): The Jewish Mystical Background of
Paul's Apostolate," Harvard Theological Review,
1993. Part 1.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Morray-Jones, C.R.A.,
"Paradise Revisited (2 Cor. 12:1-12): The Jewish Mystical Background of
Paul's Apostolate," Harvard Theological Review,
1993. Part 2.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - O'Collins, Gerald, S.J.,
"Power Made Perfect in Weakness: 2 Corinthians 12:9-10," The
Catholic Biblical Quarterly, 1971.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Oschwald, Jeffrey A.,
"Homiletical Helps on LW Series B - Epistles," Concordia Journal,
2006. (Section on this text begins on p. 234.)
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Peterson, Brian K.,
"Conquest, Control, and the Cross: Paul's Self-Portrayal in 2 Corinthians
10-13," Interpretation, 1998.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Polaski, Sandra Hack, "2 Corinthians
12:1-10: Paul's Trauma," Review & Expositor, 2008.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Smith, Neil Gregor,
"The Thorn that Stayed: An Exposition of II Corinthians 12:7-9,"
Interpretation, 1959.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Walton, Jon,
"2 Corinthians 12:1-10," Interpretation, 1998.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Wangerin, Mark E., "Thirteenth Sunday
after Pentecost: 2 Corinthians 12:6-10," Concordia Journal,
1983.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Ward, Richard F.,
"Pauline Voice and Presence as Strategic Communication," Semeia,
1994.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Welborn, L.L.,
"The Identification of 2 Corinthians 10-13 with the 'Letter of Tears,'"
Novum Testamentum, 1995.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
- Adams, Joanna, "Paul Almighty,"
The Christian Century, 2003.
- Sermons:
- "The Weakness in Virtue, the Virtue in Weakness," J. Warren Smith, Faith and Leadership, 2010.
- "Strong in the Broken Places," the Rev. Dr. Robert Franklin, Day 1, 2009.
- With Children:
- Worshiping with Children, Pentecost +6, Including children in the congregation's worship, using the Revised Common Lectionary, Carolyn C. Brown, 2012.
- "Strength in Weakness," Jim Kerlin, childrensermons.com.
- Drama:
- Liturgy:
- Graphics & Bulletin Materials:
- Commercial Site: Strength from Weakness (Visual Liturgy/Film: 2 Corinthians 12:2-10), The Work of the People.
- Hymns and Music:
- “We Hear, Lord, Your Promise,” Carolyn Winfrey Gillette’s hymn celebrating God’s grace even in times of suffering and hardship. Tune: ASH GROVE 6.6.11.6.6.11 D (“Let All Things Now Living”).
- Hymnary.org, hymns, scores, media, information.
- Hymns with Scripture Allusions: 2 Corinthians 12:9. The Cyber Hymnal.
- Fine Arts Images Linked at The Text This Week's Art Index:
- Movies Listed at The Text This Week's Movie Concordance:
- Study Links and Resources for the Book of 2 Corinthians
