How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
Paul was taken in holy vision up to paradise, which is the third heaven. That paradise is the New Jerusalem containing God's temple, removed from the earth after the fall and counterpart to Old Jerusalem and its temple. There he heard words that man is not permitted to utter and was forbidden to tell or make known. What he saw was so enrapturing that human words could not describe it, so he could portray only feebly a hundredth or thousandth part of what was revealed. All that was shown him molded the messages he bore to the churches and was woven into his teachings, yet it did not lead him to boast but deepened his humility, and he did not claim perfection but kept pressing toward the prize.
The Paradise Vision
In holy vision Paul was caught up to paradise, which is the third heaven, one of the places called heaven. He was taken there in vision to the third heaven where he saw glorious scenes and heard words he was not permitted to reveal. That paradise is the New Jerusalem containing God's temple, not the other places also called heaven. Paradise was removed from the earth after humanity's fall, and the New Jerusalem with its temple has its counterpart in Old Jerusalem and its temple. The heavenly temple serves the New Covenant and will no longer be needed after Christ finishes His ministry and redeems His people, for when the Holy City comes down after the thousand years God and the Lamb themselves are its temple.
There he was given revelation after revelation in many visions and was shown heaven's beauty and glory. He was shown glorious scenes, revelations of divine glory, and celestial and eternal things in a grand place. He looked upon Christ there. He was so withdrawn from his surroundings that he could not tell whether he was in the body or outside it. Mysteries kept hidden for ages were opened to him there, as much of God's workings and God's dealings with human minds as he could bear.
What was opened included God's knowledge before the creation of the world of future events. It included the secret plan made in the eternal purposes for the defection of high intelligences, with an offering prepared to do the work done for fallen humanity. It included the charge to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ so that light would be given to the Gentiles, which is the mystery hidden for ages. His testimony proves that man can grasp only a faint notion of the infinite, eternal weight of glory. His testimony confirms that the things God has prepared for those who love Him lie beyond what eye has seen, ear has heard, or human heart has imagined, and Christ brings the eternal world within the mind's reach, withdrawing heaven's curtain to reveal its treasures and living glories.
The Unspoken Words
In paradise he heard unspeakable words, things unutterable by man, which it is not lawful for a man to utter and which he was forbidden and not permitted to speak, tell, or make known. Taken in holy vision to the third heaven, he saw glorious scenes and heard words he was not permitted to reveal.
What he saw there was so enrapturing that he could not describe it in human words. He retained the wonderful picture in his soul though he could portray it only feebly when he returned to consciousness of earthly things. He told only a hundredth part, a thousandth part, of what was revealed because it was too much to utter. The brightness of the celestial world and the splendor and joy of the Christian's hope make the heart glow within, yet spiritual truths communicated by the Lord Jesus cannot be adequately expressed in human words.
He would not satisfy curiosity about the heavenly courts and could not tell everything he had seen. Such things cannot be described so as to make a correct impression upon minds befogged by sin. Hearers would misuse his words, misapply the great truths presented, make a wrong use of that knowledge, and would not be able to comprehend them.
Apart from being taken to heaven in this way, the Bible contains all that is known for certain and all that can ever be hoped to be learned in regard to God and Christ. The verse means believers are not to search after oddities or unrevealed things in heaven, but to study, teach, and live the things God has commanded.
Its Mark on Paul
The glimpse brought Paul into close fellowship and close connection with God and prepared him for his extensive and important missionary work, especially his extensive work among the Gentiles. While he was praying in the temple God gave him his commission and set his broad missionary field before him with remarkable distinctness. God gave this more than usually clear revelation of His presence and compassion and love to prepare Paul for temptation, for before a great trial He prepares His people in this way.
Although he could not relate everything, all that was shown him molded the messages God gave him to bear to the churches and was woven into his teachings. What was revealed gave him a deep understanding of the gospel and shaped his understanding of humanity's duty and obligation to God. It helped him represent Christian life and character correctly in speech and letters. His teaching contains precious lessons of warning and encouragement for all to study, written with power not of man but of God, flashing as a sharp two-edged sword in the demonstration of the Spirit, and all his writings, letters, admonitions, and appeals have a heavenly character bringing in the sure word of prophecy.
This great honor did not lead him to boast, exalt himself, trust himself, or become self-confident, but called for constant watchfulness and self-denial and deepened his humility, so that he regarded himself as less than the least of all saints. After such honor is the time to walk humbly with God, and an affliction was sent to buffet him, and his eyes that had looked upon Christ remained afflicted. A close view of divine glory deepens humility, and a special revelation of God's presence and love may precede a severe trial and should lead to humility rather than self-exaltation.
The experience did not mean he had attained perfection; he did not claim to have attained it but continued pressing toward the prize of God's calling in Christ, showing that spiritual growth and sanctification are lifelong even for one who has received a remarkable heavenly experience. That great privilege, with his knowledge, eloquence, and miracles, would all prove unavailing, a defeat and dishonor, if he failed in duty to the church and the church for whom he labored proved inefficient and unfaithful and received the mold of the human instead of the divine. His hope of heaven grew dim when he contemplated any such failure toward the church.
Though so exalted above the other apostles by revelation, he labored with his hands as a tentmaker, proving that manual labor is not degrading and is not inconsistent with true greatness and elevation of human and Christian character. The greatness of what was shown him should wake people to want a home in heaven at the cost of everything here and to work for the conversion of souls.
Paul was taken in holy vision up to paradise, which is the third heaven. That paradise is the New Jerusalem containing God's temple, removed from the earth after the fall and counterpart to Old Jerusalem and its temple. There he heard words that man is not permitted to utter and was forbidden to tell or make known. What he saw was so enrapturing that human words could not describe it, so he could portray only feebly a hundredth or thousandth part of what was revealed. All that was shown him molded the messages he bore to the churches and was woven into his teachings, yet it did not lead him to boast but deepened his humility, and he did not claim perfection but kept pressing toward the prize.
The Paradise Vision
In holy vision Paul was caught up to paradise, which is the third heaven, one of the places called heaven. He was taken there in vision to the third heaven where he saw glorious scenes and heard words he was not permitted to reveal. That paradise is the New Jerusalem containing God's temple, not the other places also called heaven. Paradise was removed from the earth after humanity's fall, and the New Jerusalem with its temple has its counterpart in Old Jerusalem and its temple. The heavenly temple serves the New Covenant and will no longer be needed after Christ finishes His ministry and redeems His people, for when the Holy City comes down after the thousand years God and the Lamb themselves are its temple.
There he was given revelation after revelation in many visions and was shown heaven's beauty and glory. He was shown glorious scenes, revelations of divine glory, and celestial and eternal things in a grand place. He looked upon Christ there. He was so withdrawn from his surroundings that he could not tell whether he was in the body or outside it. Mysteries kept hidden for ages were opened to him there, as much of God's workings and God's dealings with human minds as he could bear.
What was opened included God's knowledge before the creation of the world of future events. It included the secret plan made in the eternal purposes for the defection of high intelligences, with an offering prepared to do the work done for fallen humanity. It included the charge to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ so that light would be given to the Gentiles, which is the mystery hidden for ages. His testimony proves that man can grasp only a faint notion of the infinite, eternal weight of glory. His testimony confirms that the things God has prepared for those who love Him lie beyond what eye has seen, ear has heard, or human heart has imagined, and Christ brings the eternal world within the mind's reach, withdrawing heaven's curtain to reveal its treasures and living glories.
The Unspoken Words
In paradise he heard unspeakable words, things unutterable by man, which it is not lawful for a man to utter and which he was forbidden and not permitted to speak, tell, or make known. Taken in holy vision to the third heaven, he saw glorious scenes and heard words he was not permitted to reveal.
What he saw there was so enrapturing that he could not describe it in human words. He retained the wonderful picture in his soul though he could portray it only feebly when he returned to consciousness of earthly things. He told only a hundredth part, a thousandth part, of what was revealed because it was too much to utter. The brightness of the celestial world and the splendor and joy of the Christian's hope make the heart glow within, yet spiritual truths communicated by the Lord Jesus cannot be adequately expressed in human words.
He would not satisfy curiosity about the heavenly courts and could not tell everything he had seen. Such things cannot be described so as to make a correct impression upon minds befogged by sin. Hearers would misuse his words, misapply the great truths presented, make a wrong use of that knowledge, and would not be able to comprehend them.
Apart from being taken to heaven in this way, the Bible contains all that is known for certain and all that can ever be hoped to be learned in regard to God and Christ. The verse means believers are not to search after oddities or unrevealed things in heaven, but to study, teach, and live the things God has commanded.
Its Mark on Paul
The glimpse brought Paul into close fellowship and close connection with God and prepared him for his extensive and important missionary work, especially his extensive work among the Gentiles. While he was praying in the temple God gave him his commission and set his broad missionary field before him with remarkable distinctness. God gave this more than usually clear revelation of His presence and compassion and love to prepare Paul for temptation, for before a great trial He prepares His people in this way.
Although he could not relate everything, all that was shown him molded the messages God gave him to bear to the churches and was woven into his teachings. What was revealed gave him a deep understanding of the gospel and shaped his understanding of humanity's duty and obligation to God. It helped him represent Christian life and character correctly in speech and letters. His teaching contains precious lessons of warning and encouragement for all to study, written with power not of man but of God, flashing as a sharp two-edged sword in the demonstration of the Spirit, and all his writings, letters, admonitions, and appeals have a heavenly character bringing in the sure word of prophecy.
This great honor did not lead him to boast, exalt himself, trust himself, or become self-confident, but called for constant watchfulness and self-denial and deepened his humility, so that he regarded himself as less than the least of all saints. After such honor is the time to walk humbly with God, and an affliction was sent to buffet him, and his eyes that had looked upon Christ remained afflicted. A close view of divine glory deepens humility, and a special revelation of God's presence and love may precede a severe trial and should lead to humility rather than self-exaltation.
The experience did not mean he had attained perfection; he did not claim to have attained it but continued pressing toward the prize of God's calling in Christ, showing that spiritual growth and sanctification are lifelong even for one who has received a remarkable heavenly experience. That great privilege, with his knowledge, eloquence, and miracles, would all prove unavailing, a defeat and dishonor, if he failed in duty to the church and the church for whom he labored proved inefficient and unfaithful and received the mold of the human instead of the divine. His hope of heaven grew dim when he contemplated any such failure toward the church.
Though so exalted above the other apostles by revelation, he labored with his hands as a tentmaker, proving that manual labor is not degrading and is not inconsistent with true greatness and elevation of human and Christian character. The greatness of what was shown him should wake people to want a home in heaven at the cost of everything here and to work for the conversion of souls.