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From: harwood@cvl.uucp (David Harwood)
Newsgroups: mod.religion.christian
Subject: Re: Was Paul a Mystic?
Message-ID: <9949@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU>
Date: Mon, 9-Mar-87 01:14:51 EST
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Posted: Mon Mar  9 01:14:51 1987
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[This message is in reponse to a question about 2 Cor 12:2, which
 describes a mystical experience, refering specifically to being
 raised to the "third heaven".  The question asks whether Paul was
 a mystic, and what the third heaven is. --clh]

	Religious mysticism is not a well-defined concept. Paul
certainly did not voluntarily induce an altered state of consciousness
by regimen of any kind, as some other religious practice suggests.
	However, Paul may be called a "mystic" in two specific
senses, which are intimately related to Judaism in the first place,
and to Christianity in the second. His mysticism has been called
"Christ mysticism" by some. In ancient and later Judaism there are
various "mystical" practices as well as doctrines, but most of these
are misleading, in my opinion, and have nothing to do with Paul's
experience, or with Judaism. However, the foundation of Judaism 
may also be considered "mystical" in that it involves revelation
of God's presence and intention by divine illumination which is
experienced subjectively (or intersubjectively). This was known
before in Jewish tradition, and became known to the apostles of
Christ. 
	It is still known today among Church traditions. When
Paul speaks about the revelation of Christ to him on the road
to Damascus, calling him to be an apostle for Christ, he is
speaking about the subjective experience of the glory (divine
light) which made known to him that Jesus was Christ, also mercifully
judging Paul in that instant, calling him to be a witness for Christ
Jesus. This vision of divine light which dignifies Jesus as Christ
is what is meant by the "glorified Christ." It is called the light
of Christ, which is the ultimate foundation of the faith of the
apostles, as Jesus said to Peter - "No man, but God alone has
revealed to you (that I am He)."
	This revelation is subjective, or better, intersubjective,
since it is the same among witnesses for Christ. It is also possible
for God make known his intention about other things in the same
way, by illuminating our reflections; however this is not a matter
of regimen of any kind, but always of unexpected grace. (I am not
saying anything about this that is not found in even earliest
Church traditions. It is not commonly known among "fundementalists"
I suppose, or "liberals", on the other hand, but is well-known
in Catholic tradition, but also early Quaker tradition, for
much different examples.)
	There is a second sense of "Christ mysticism" with Paul,
as when Paul says, "I live - but not I, for it is Christ who lives
in me." Every true Christian understands that in a real sense that
Christ gave up his life so that we may live; indeed the ultimate
meaning of the Resurrection is that we die to our former selves,
so that we may share in the eternal life of Christ. So there is
a "mystical" identity of Christians with their Savior, all sharing
His life.
	(I should say that it is not necessary to "see the Light"
in order to share in the life and spirit of Christ. The first are
called to be witnesses usually. Some may disagree with me about this
- many "fundemantalists" and "liberals" may be offended. But then
I can't stand Falwell et al. (I respect Billy Graham, on the other
hand.) I recall that there was a very similar controversy in early 
Quakerism about convincement, about whether converts must "see the
Light" - they decided not, but they must repent and be faithful.)
	Returning to the other question about Paul's being raised
up to the third heaven. Tis can only be understood with respect
to contemporary Jewish religious concepts. At that time, there was
a way of describing the religious experience of divine revelation:
the self-revelation of God (in glory) made known to one that one was
immediately in the Presence of God. Now as I said before, this is
a subjective experience, not (necessarily) manifest to others nearby.
So it was on the road to Damascus, when Christ was revealed in the divine
glory (Light flashed from heaven - note that Christ was also made
known to the "shepherds" by "angels" as the glory of the Lord shone
about - traditionally an "angel of the Lord" is a traditional figure
for such an apparition of light, having some signification or message.)
The various accounts in Acts are uncertain about whether others
about Paul also witnessed the blinding flash or heard the message,
which was the divine revelation. It was real and supernatural, but
subjective perception.
	Therefore, Paul in II Cortinthians is once again referring
to divine revelation, perhaps of Christ Jesus on the road to 
Damascus, perhaps about other matters to which he sometimes refers
in his letters. When he says that he is uncertain whether he was
in or out of body he means, in ancient thinking, that he is uncertain
about whether the experience was what we call subjective or objective
(not spiritual vs material). Whe he talks about being taken up to
the third heaven, we have once again to understand contemporary Jewish
religious expression, in which the divine illumination (Light  flashed
from heaven - recall Jesus said his coming was like the divine lightning!)
indicated the immediate Presence of God (Shekinah in later tradition
-light of God's Presence). Now the immediate Presence of God was
sometimes identified with the highest heaven, not a location - but
"where" God was in holy Presence, so that witnesses of divine
revelation were said to be raised up to highest heaven; that is, to
be in God's immediate and holy Presence, at which some knowledge or
intention was communicated. It is a manner of speaking - in plain
modern language, Paul is saying that God revealed Himself (and Christ)
in a subjective experience of divine illumination.
	This Jewish "mystical" traditional language predates Christianity,
and is found among the Qumran scrolls, and especially among later
"Merkabah" mysticism, also orthodox doctrines (eg about the great Rabbi
Akiba of the 2nd century). It speaks about "ascending" to heavens to
have mysteries revealed by angels or God. (however, some of these
unorthodox sects involved ignorant practices again, as if one could
voluntarily "ascend to heaven". Ancient psychology was very much
different from our understanding - always keep this in mind.)
	Finally, some Jewish tradition said there were three
heavens, the third being the highest, "where" was the Presence of
the glory of God. However, most traditions said there were seven.
Some speak about "ascending" to highest heaven, others to "descending"
to "highest" heaven (like concentric rings of a rainbow, or wheels
within wheels, to use some traditional phrases). Both the great
Rabbi Maimonides and the Christian mystic Teresa of Avila speak about
God residing in an innermost room within others within still others,
as of a Temple (even veiled within the heart of man) I suggest that 
the "model" for Paul's three tiered heaven is that of the Temple, 
with the outer room, the Holy, and the Holy of Holies, where God
revealed Himself to the High Priest once a year, when His Name
was invoked there. [Note that Jesus is our High Priest, who invokes
His Name, the same Name of God, in our hearts, the true Holy of
Holies, the "heaven" were is God's Presence). Anyway, Christ, in
the same divine glory of God, was revealed from beyond the veil of
Paul's innermost consciousness.