2 Coríntios 12

2 Coríntios 12:9

Henry - Sometimes Christ sees that we need the sickness for the good of our souls more than the healing for the ease of our bodies. George Swinnock - Sanctified sickness is far better than unsanctified soundness. Abraham Wright - I am mended by my sickness, enriched by my poverty, and strengthened by my weakness. F. Whitfield - God's way of answering His people's prayers is not by removing the pressure, but by increasing their strength to bear it. The pressure is often the fence between the narrow way of life and the broad road to ruin; and if our Heavenly Father were to remove it, it might be at the sacrifice of Heaven. Oh, if God had removed that thorny fence in answer, often to earnest prayers, how many of us would now be castaways! How the song of many a saint now in glory would be hushed! How many a harp would be unstrung! How many a place in the mansions of the redeemed would be unfilled! If God answered all the prayers we put up to Heaven, we should need no other scourge. Blessed it is that we have One who is too loving to grant what we too often so rashly ask. AND HE HAS SAID TO ME, " (MY) GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR YOU": kai eireken (3SRAI) moi, arkei (3SPAI) soi e charis mou: 2Co 12:10; 3:5,6; Ex 3:11,12; 4:10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15; Dt 33:25, 26, 27; Josh 1:9; Isaiah 43:2; Jer 1:6, 7, 9; Mt 10:19,20; Lk 21:15; 1Co 10:13; 15:10; Col 1:28,29; 1Ti 1:14; Heb 4:16 For you - Psalms 8:2; Is 35:3,4; Is 40:29, 30, Is 40:31-note; Is 41:13, 14, 16; Da 10:16, 17, 18, 19; Ep 3:16; Php 4:13; Col 1:11; Heb 11:34) 2 Corinthians 12 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Jesus response to Paul follows a chiastic pattern (rhetoric reversal of the order of words in the second of two parallel phrases - e.g., he came in triumph and in defeat departs): A is sufficient B for you C my grace C my power B in weakness A is perfected How wonderful that Jesus' first words in the Greek sentence are "Is sufficient", which places emphasis on our supply of His grace, a truth which gives us encouragement when the battle is raging (And so we see that studying the original languages is neither boring nor pedantic but builds up and profits [note the somewhat "chiastic comment"]) R Kent Hughes rightly says that "This is the summit of the epistle, the lofty peak from which the whole is viewed in true proportion. (Ibid) John Piper introduces his sermon on this Scripture with these thoughts we all do well to ponder - One of the reasons biblical Christianity has to be so drastically distorted in order to sell it to mass markets is that the market wants power to escape weakness in leisure, but Christianity offers power to endure weakness in love. 2Cor 12:9 just doesn't sell: "Jesus said [in response to Paul's prayer], 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." IN weakness? What the market wants is escape from weakness, not power in weakness. But to meet that felt need in the market the message must be distorted—and often is. But by distorting the message to make it more immediately appealing, two things are lost: 1. the truth of the message is lost, and 2. the chance to meet the really deep need that we all have in the midst of adversity is lost. (2 Corinthians 12:1-10 Christ's Power Is Made Perfect in Weakness) Alan Redpath - "Truly God knows best how to deal with a man like Paul. I would say it very reverently, but when the Lord calls a man into a place of spiritual opportunity, into any place of leadership, be it as a missionary, as a pastor, as an administrator in some sphere of Christian work, whatever it may be, the Lord cannot afford to take any risks with him. There is too much at stake. God wanted to be sure that Paul's usefulness would never be marred and that he would be kept available, usable, and humble...I dare not speculate about the thorn in our life...but I know that behind it there is the ultimate purpose of God doing this very thing. However, I want to show you from this passage that there was not only a purpose in the thorn, but a wonderful provision. "...lest I should be exalted above measure" was the purpose. The provision, "...My grace is sufficient for you," and then the explanation , "for (term of explanation) My strength is made perfect in weakness." Notice that the Lord did not say to him, "My grace will prove to be sufficient," nor "I will give you enough grace to get through." No! But He is saying, in effect, "Paul, as I...allow this thorn to remain, I want you to understand that at each moment now there is ample provision (Ed: ample supernatural power) for your every need, for My grace is sufficient for thee."...How absurd to think that it could ever be any different! As if a little fish could swim in the ocean and fear lest it might drink it dry (Ed: Cf God's infinite power)!" And He has said to me - First observe what He DID NOT say! He did not say the "thorn" in Paul's flesh would be removed (which is what Paul requested three times - 2Co 12:8). God always answers our prayer -- just not always the way we might want! But "Father knows best" (see short synopsis of this truth)! Second, observe that what the Lord did affirm was that Paul would be given enough grace to enable him to endure the "thorn"! (Cf 1Peter 1:6 with 1Peter 4:12 - where various and manifold are the same Gk word poikilos - God always provides just the right amount of grace to "counter" or balance the weight of the burden or trial He allows!) It is interesting that the Lord's answer here is quite similar to the truths Paul himself had explained to the Corinthians in his first epistle writing... No temptation (peirasmos [from peirazo = to try in either a good or bad sense] means the putting to the test and then the tests themselves which come in order to discover a person's nature. Peirasmos = trouble that breaks the pattern of peace, comfort, joy, and happiness in one's life) has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful (pistos = trustworthy = see God's faithfulness) Who will not (ou = absolutely will not) allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able (dunamai = that which has inherent ability to accomplish some end = to be able, be strong enough), but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also (ekbasis - note "a" way, but "the" specific way - Upshot? Be alert to God's "divine escape hatch"), that you may be able to endure it (NB: Not that you may be able to escape it but to bear up, put up with the "burden"!). (1Co 10:13-note) Comment: In the present context, "the way of escape" so to speak is His sufficient grace. Robert