This paragraph in the Corinthian letter is the most private and personal spiritual experience revealed by Paul the Apostle. The context of the event was entirely private, reluctantly recorded here by the Apostle, and unrelated to any natural proofs. Much of what may be said here is not direct but strongly implied in the remarks of the Apostle, in the ten verses encapsulating the experience, and his private desire to keep the information between himself and God. He knew it would be difficult to believe by others. His conversion was a public event replicated in various less dramatic ways in the lives of many millions of persons. At the time, his conversion became a major matter turning the most passionate enemy of Christians into the most effective Christian Apostle. The common definition of an Apostle includes a physical encounter with Jesus Christ. (This assertion may be challenged.) For Paul that apparently happened on this occasion. It happened, as other unearthly events occurred to bridge spiritual to natural so to accomplish purpose – a miracle must occur for one to touch the other. Fully formed miracles have been provided in biblical history to achieve God’s purpose in communication of an authoritative and complete gospel story of spiritual redemption. Part of this is told in sublime experience as in Jacob’s ladder of angels, in Elijah’s fiery chariot, in the revelation to Mary of the incarnation, of events like the Red Sea parting, or the open Tomb of Jesus, or The Revelation of John on Patmos. The experience of Paul was seen as common event of redemptive miracle, even if unique in form. Each miracle is its own unique story. The Apostle told his story for the purpose of persuasion and authority related to the Christian message.
The Apostle wanted to be clear that the experience was not to be used to judge his life. Readers of the passage are instructed to evaluate him as other persons might be judged by their peers. That opinion was to be made on evidence that made sense to earthbound persons. This event is not a part of their evidence. In short, the Apostle appears to want to debate God about revealing the event. He seems to have had other bouts with personal reticence when called upon to use special experience to make a point. Only a few have experienced the sublimity of miracle. The Apostle did not want to face an ethos above that of others, with God who dispenses equity to all. If he, an apostle, were to require a miracle what must others expect for themselves? Likely, and even more important, the inability to prove the claim might make the doubter less likely to respond to his message, perhaps attribute a kind of insanity, or delusion, to him. Periodic and odd attempts of some Christians, genuine or fake, to gain attention, lead to religious follies and embarrassment.
I have no doubt that there are many human events unexplained, without evidence. There have been recorded stigmata (wounds of Jesus’ crucifixion in bodies), or that some diseases have been miraculously healed, some explained as remissions, and the like. That there have been swoons, dreams, and other human experiences that have sublime accompaniments to them may be accounted for variously. One can find natural sublimity in a scene, in the exercise of emotions, in a musical/poetic piece, or some other event encouraged to the point of a form of ecstasy. Our present recital is including more and more experiences of moments we would define as sublime for us. We can be so taken with an experience or idea that releases us from some shackle, or opens a new vista. It is presumed to be glorious. There are many who may claim to have never been touched by the sublime, the momentary awareness that there is something more beyond self. There is a subliminal sublimity that occurs for many persons in their grasp of immortality. They live in the constancy of attitude: of love, peace, beauty, prayer – without ceasing. Mankind can live higher than we are observing in the thought and conduct common in society. But, we need to believe that there is a massive congregation in the world moving toward heights of spiritual experience, toward a life that is not earthbound, but respecting the life of nature as God would have it respected – lived and morally woven. To accomplish that ideal takes more than ordinary effort. The call to Christians is to so live that others may go out of their way to ask about the hope that is within them. We need to find the seeking spirit that leads us to new heights in what we can become. One of the greatest of all guidelines is: Learn to give up some good things for even better things. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020