Paul gloried in his infirmities so that the power of Christ might rest upon him.
Paul had been caught up into paradise and heard unspeakable words, but God told him not to repeat them. Rather than glorying in that experience or his own credentials, Paul chose to boast only in his weaknesses. He knew that when he was weak, God's strength was made perfect in him.
2 Corinthians 12:9 — This verse records the Lord's own explanation and Paul's immediate response: he would glory in infirmities so Christ's power would rest upon him.
2 Corinthians 12:10 — This verse lists the infirmities Paul took pleasure in and states the paradox that when he is weak, then he is strong.
Paul declares, "Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities" (2 Corinthians 12:5). He did not want anyone to think of him above what they saw or heard, so he wrote, "But now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me" (2 Corinthians 12:6). Then he records the Lord's promise: "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9). Because of that, Paul said, "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me" (2 Corinthians 12:9). In verse 10 he adds, "Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."
Les Feldick teaches that God had to bring Paul to the same place He brought Moses — down to a nobody — before He could use him. Paul was highly educated under Gamaliel and came from a wealthy Jewish family, but God chose the foolish and weak things of the world to confound the wise and mighty (Clip 0). Paul, says Les, was human. He had seen and heard unspeakable glories in paradise, and it was all he could do to suppress the desire to brag about them. But God did not permit it, and Les says God even did something physically to Paul so that he would never forget that he was not to share the experience (Clips 2 and 3). Paul would not glory in the flesh, because his speech was contemptible and his appearance almost repulsive — he had nothing to boast about in himself (Clip 1). Instead, he gloried only in his infirmities, and Les points out that Paul's life was a constant battle of afflictions, stripes, imprisonments, tumults, labours, watchings, and fastings (Clips 4 and 5). Yet in all of it, Paul was "sorrowful, yet always rejoicing," pressed down but always triumphant — because the power of Christ rested on him in weakness (Clips 6 and 7).
Paul's infirmities were not a single mysterious problem but a pattern of suffering. In 2 Corinthians 12:10 he says he takes pleasure "in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake." Earlier, in 2 Corinthians 6:5, he lists stripes, imprisonments, tumults, labours, watchings, and fastings. These were the daily pressures and attacks he faced as an apostle.
Les Feldick explains that Paul was caught up into paradise and heard unspeakable words that he was not permitted to repeat. He would have liked to brag to people about what he saw and heard, but God did not permit it. Paul said, "Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities." He also forbore "lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me." Les adds that God even did something physically to Paul so he would never forget that he was not to share it.
Les Feldick points to 1 Corinthians 1:27: "God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty." Just as God had to make Moses a nobody through 40 years with the sheep, He had to bring Paul down to a nobody before He could use him. That is why Paul could say, "When I am weak, then am I strong."
God's Strength in Paul's Weakness
Les teaches that God had to bring Moses and Paul down to nobodies before He could use them; God chooses the foolish and weak things of the world to confound the wise and mighty.
Paul Would Not Glory in Himself
Les points out that Paul's speech was contemptible and his appearance repulsive, so he had nothing to brag about in the flesh; he would only glory in his infirmities.
Paradise Was Not to Be Repeated
Paul saw and heard unspeakable things in paradise, but God told him not to repeat them; of himself, Paul would glory only in his infirmities.
Suppressing the Urge to Brag
Les says Paul was human and wanted to share his experience, but God forbade it and even did something physically to Paul so he would never forget he could not tell others.
Reluctant Glorying in Credentials
Paul felt like a fool for having to bring up his own suffering and apostolic credentials, but the Corinthians forced him to defend his authority.
A Constant Battle of Afflictions
Les notes that Paul's ministry was marked by afflictions, necessities, distresses, stripes, imprisonments, tumults, labours, watchings, and fastings.
Pressed Down, Yet Triumphant
Paul was just as human as we are; he could be distressed and suffering, yet he was always triumphant — the same man could get down and then rejoice.
Sorrowful, Yet Always Rejoicing
Paul lived as poor yet making many rich, having nothing yet possessing all things; he counted his former Jewish advantages as dung for the sake of the Gospel.
2 Corinthians 12:5: Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.
Paul contrasts the man caught up to paradise with his own self-glorying only in weakness.
2 Corinthians 12:6: For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.
Shows why Paul refused to brag about his visions.
2 Corinthians 12:9: And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
This is Paul's own answer to why he glories in infirmities.
2 Corinthians 12:10: Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
Lists the specific infirmities and explains the paradox of strength through weakness.
1 Corinthians 1:27: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.
Supports Les's teaching that God deliberately uses the weak.
2 Corinthians 6:5: In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;
Names many of Paul's physical infirmities and sufferings.
2 Corinthians 6:10: As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
Illustrates the paradoxical life Paul lived while serving Christ.
Because God told him, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore Paul gloried in his infirmities so that the power of Christ might rest upon him (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Yes. Les Feldick says Paul was human and wanted to share what he saw and heard in paradise, but God did not permit it. Paul forbore, lest anyone think of him above what they saw or heard of him.
Paul's infirmities included reproaches, necessities, persecutions, and distresses for Christ's sake (2 Corinthians 12:10). He also listed stripes, imprisonments, tumults, labours, watchings, and fastings (2 Corinthians 6:5).
Watch the Teaching: Why God's Strength Is Made Perfect in Weakness — 2 Corinthians 12:9