The Literal Meaning of Genesis (continued)
there is in the whole tenor of the passage that gives no cause for doubt, and then perhaps from an examination of Paul's unqualified assertions the nature of his doubt will be clarified.
8. I know, he says, a man in Christ, who fourteen years ago— whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. He knows, therefore, that fourteen years ago a man was caught up in Christ to the third heaven. Of this he entertains no doubt; and we, accordingly, should entertain none. But he does doubt whether it was in the body or out of the body. Hence, when he is in doubt, who of us can dare be certain? But surely we cannot, as a consequence of this, doubt the existence of the third heaven to which he says a man was carried. If objective reality was shown him, it is the third heaven that was shown. On the other hand, if an image like corporeal substances was produced, it was not the third heaven that he saw; but the vision? was produced in such a way that he seemed to rise above the first heaven, and then to see another one above it, and then to see still another higher up, so that, when he had come to this last one, he could say that he had been caught up to the third heaven. But that it was the third heaven to which he was caught up he did not doubt, nor did he wish us to doubt. He prefaces his account with the statement, "I know," and continues in such a manner that only the man who does not believe the Apostle himself can refuse to accept as true what the Apostle says he knows.
CHAPTER 4
Difficulties about the vision St. Paul saw and the way in which he saw tt.
9. He knows, then, that a man was caught up to the third heaven. Therefore it was actually the third heaven to which he was carried, and not some material symbol. Such a symbol was shown to Moses,!° but he was well aware of the difference between the essence of God Himself and a visible creaturé in which God was wont to manifest Himself to man. Hence he