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•1虽然自夸无益，我还是不得不夸。我现在要提到主的异象和启示。2我认识一个在基督里的人，他在十四年前被提到第三层天上去；或在身内，我不知道，或在身外，我也不知道，只有　神知道。3我认识的这样的一个人—或在身内，或在身外，我都不知道，只有　神知道—4他被提到乐园里，听见隐秘的言语，是人不可说的。5为这人，我要夸口；但是为我自己，除了我的软弱以外，我并不夸口。6就是我愿意夸口也不算狂，因为我会说实话；只是我绝口不谈，恐怕有人把我看得太高了，过于他在我身上所看见所听见的；

保罗在这里用第三人称谈论自己，就好像他在自己之外看自己，好像在看着别人的经历。上帝给他的经历是几乎无人经历过的。他被提到“第三层天”，希腊文原文就是这么说的。大多数人给出的解释是：第一层天指的是飞鸟经过的地方；第二层天指的是星星所在的地方；第三层天耶稣称之为乐园，他在十字架上对那个强盗提到过。在那里保罗听到的言语是不可说的，不允许他讲的。

想象一下。如果你有过在天堂度过一天的经历，你会完全不告诉任何人吗？你肯定会不停地讲述这一经历！保罗却没有！为什么？因为他不想分散人们对于福音信息的注意力。福音讲的不是关于保罗所经历的，而是关于耶稣所做的和神在他的话语中所启示的。保罗并没有夸耀那些奇妙的异象和经历，因为保罗希望，在他的讲道和教导中占据中心位置的是耶稣。保罗以这种方式为我们树立了一个谦卑的福音事工的榜样，而不是像那些诋毁保罗的超级使徒，只会夸耀自己。

记住保罗在第10章末尾说：“但夸口的，当指着主夸口。”我们的福音事工，永远都不是关于我们自己的，而是关于耶稣的。

祷告：主耶稣，请赐给我一颗谦卑的心，使我能传讲福音，永远以你为中心，而不以自己为中心。我将永远单单指着你夸口。阿们。

2 Corinthians 12: I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. 3 And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— 4 was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. 5 I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. 6 Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, 7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations. (NIV)

Paul talks about himself here in the third person, as if he were outside of himself and looking at what someone else had experienced. God gave him an experience that few if any have experienced. He was caught up to the “third heaven,” it says in the Greek.  Most explain this as past the first heaven, where the birds fly, past the second heaven, where the stars are, to the third heaven, which Jesus called Paradise when he spoke to the thief on the cross. There Paul heard things that he was not permitted to talk about.

        Think for a moment. If you had this experience of spending a day in heaven, wouldn’t you absolutely tell everyone about it? You could never stop speaking about this experience! Paul didn’t. Why? Because he didn’t want to distract from the simple message of the gospel. It was not about what Paul experienced, but about what Jesus did and God revealed in his Word. He didn’t boast about these things because Paul wanted Jesus to have the center stage in his preaching and teaching. In this way Paul modeled the humble gospel ministry to the Corinthians in comparison with the boastful ministries of the “super-apostles” who were trying to undermine Paul.

        Remember what Paul said at the end of chapter 10. “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.” It’s not about me. It is always about Jesus.

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, give me a humble heart so that I am able to proclaim the gospel without making it about myself. My boast will always and ever be in you alone!  Amen.