Only the Third Heaven? 2 Corinthians 12.1-10 and Heavenly Ascent

In Chapter 1 Paula Gooder discusses the problems of interpreting this text and looks at the major debates of its past interpreters. The most popular modern approach is to compare it with other texts of ascent in the Judaeo-Christian tradition, yet even a brief examination of these texts indicate that differences are present. In the remainder of the book Gooder evaluates the extent and significance of these differences. Part One consists of a detailed consideration of a range of texts which superficially seem closest to 2 Corinthians 12. Chapter 2 presents a history of scholarship on heavenly ascent. Chapters 3 to 8 each examine a text of ascent from a different period and background in the Judaeo-Christian tradition. Chapter 9 draws out the points of similarity between these texts. Part Two considers the text of 2 Corinthians 12:1-10 in the light of the findings of Part One. In the detailed examination of the Pauline ascent in Chapter 10, the extent of the differences between this text and the texts examined in Part One becomes clear. Chapter 11 proposes a new interpretation of the account of ascent, arguing that it reports a failed ascent into heaven. The Chapter shows that this interpretation makes sense not only of 2 Corinthians 12:1-10 itself but also of Chapters 10-13 which surround it. The account is one more example of weakness from the apostle in which he proves that weakness, not strength, is the sign of a true apostle.

• Table of Contents
• List of Tables
• Acknowledgments
• Abbreviations
• Chapter 1
  • General Introduction
  • Preliminary Considerations
  • Pauline visions and revelations elsewhere in the New Testament
  • Past Interpreters
  • The Task of this Study
• Part 1: Texts of Heavenly Ascent
  • Chapter 2
    • Introduction: Heavenly Ascent Texts
    • A History of Scholarship
    • Heavenly Ascent: Methods of Approach
    • The Choice of Texts for Consideration
    • The Treatment of the Texts
  • Chapter 3
    • Jewish Apocalyptic Texts Pre-70 AD
    • Examples of Heavenly Ascent in Jewish Apocalyptic Texts Pre-70 AD
    • The Book of the Watchers
    • Major Scholarly Trends in the study of 1 Enoch
    • The Major Motifs of the Ascent
    • Conclusions
    • Excursus: The Testament of Levi The Major Motifs of the Ascent
    • Conclusions
    • Excursus: The Dead Sea Scrolls
    • Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice
    • 4QBerakhot
    • Major Scholarly Trends in the Study of the Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice and 4QBerakoth
    • The Major Motifs of the Texts
    • Conclusions
  • Chapter 4
    • Jewish Apocalyptic Texts Post-70 AD
    • Examples of Heavenly Ascent in Jewish Apocalyptic Texts Post-70 AD
    • Slavonic Enoch
    • Major Scholarly Trends in the study of Slavonic Enoch
    • The Major Motifs of the Ascent
    • Conclusions
    • Excursus: 3 Baruch
    • The Major Motifs of the Ascent
    • Conclusions
  • Chapter 5
    • The New Testament
    • Examples of Heavenly Ascent in the New Testament
    • The Revelation to John
    • Major Scholarly Trends in the study of Revelation
    • The Major Motifs of the Ascent
    • Conclusions
  • Chapter 6
    • Post-Biblical Early Christian Apocalypses
    • Examples of Heavenly Ascent in Post-Biblical Early Christian Apocalypses
    • The Ascension of Isaiah
    • Major Scholarly Trends in the study of the Ascension of Isaiah
    • The Major Motifs of the Ascent
    • Conclusions
  • Chapter 7
    • The Nag Hammadi Codices
    • Examples of Heavenly Ascent in the Nag Hammadi Codices
    • The Coptic Apocalypse of Paul from Nag Hammadi
    • Major Scholarly Trends in the study of the Coptic Apocalypse of Paul
    • The Major Motifs of the Ascent
    • Conclusions
  • Chapter 8
    • The Hekhalot Literature
    • Examples of heavenly ascent in the Hekhalot Literature
    • Sepher Hekhalot
    • Major Scholarly Trends in the study of Sepher Hekhalot
    • The Major Motifs of the Ascent
    • Conclusions
    • Excursus: Hekhalot Rabbati
    • The Major Motifs of the Ascent
    • Conclusions
  • Chapter 9
    • Conclusions to Part One
    • A Summary of the Major Characteristics of Heavenly Ascent Texts
    • Overall Conclusions
    • Excursus: The question of the dating of the texts of ascent
• Part 2: 2 Corinthians 12:1-10 and Heavenly Ascent
  • Chapter 10
    • 2 Corinthians 12: 1-10 as a Heavenly Ascent
    • Major Scholarly Trends in the study of 2 Corinthians 10-13
    • The Major Motifs of the Ascent
    • Conclusions
  • Chapter 11
    • 2 Corinthians 12.1-10 as a Failed Ascent
    • 2 Corinthians 12 as a Heavenly Ascent?
    • A New Proposal for Understanding 2 Corinthians 12:1ff
    • Excursus: 2 Corinthians 12:1ff as a Parody of heavenly ascent
    • The narrative of ascent in 2 Corinthians 12:2-4 and 7b-10
    • The context for the ascent: 2 Corinthians 10-13
    • Conclusions
• Chapter 12
  • General Conclusions
• Bibliography
• Index of References
• Index of Authors