Paul and the “Third Heaven”

In 2 Corinthians 12:1–2, Paul describes how he was “caught up to the third heaven” (2 Cor 12:2). Two verses later, he adds that he was “caught up to paradise” (2 Cor 12:4). Paul could be indicating that there are three levels of heaven, with the “third heaven” and “paradise” being synonymous. If so, Paul’s repetition of the phrase usually translated as “in the body or apart from the body” (2 Cor 12:2) is parallelism comparable to Hebrew poetry. Alternatively, he could be indicating that “paradise” is higher than the “third heaven.” Paul could be moving through the heavens—into the third heaven in 2 Cor 12:3 and into a higher heaven in 2 Cor 12:4.

According to ancient cosmology, there are seven levels: the sky, the clouds, the sky above the clouds, the firmament, the waters above the firmament, the heavens, and the heaven of heavens, where God dwells. The three heavens view understands the first heaven to be the visible sky or the “firmament” (see Gen 1:8 and note), the second heaven to either be the “heavens” or the division between the “heavens” (the “waters above the firmament”; Psa 148:4), and the third to be the “heavens of heavens” or “highest heavens” (1 Kgs 8:27; Psa 148:4). All views agree on the places, but they label them differently.

Paul is probably drawing from a background of Jewish pseudepigraphical literature written a few hundred years prior to him. Many of these postexilic writings describe individuals having visions of or making journeys to heaven. They typically portray heaven as having several levels or different heavens.

Many of these writings portray up to seven different levels of heaven (see 2 Enoch 21:2). If Paul is drawing from these sources, he could be indicating that “paradise” is higher than the “third heaven.” Other writings portray only three levels of heaven. The Apocalypse of Moses, for example, links the two together as it portrays the archangel Michael taking Adam’s body to “paradise” or the “third heaven” where he will wait for his future resurrection (Apocalypse of Moses 37:5). Based on these texts, it is possible that Paul is using the “third heaven” and “paradise” interchangeably.

Another writing that portrays three levels of heaven in the Testament of Levi. Paul may have been drawing specifically from this resource. In it, Levi enters heaven in a dream (Testament of Levi 2:5–12). He describes three heavens, the third of which is for the “holy ones” (Testament of Levi 3:1–3). The second heaven is the location of God’s armies who are waiting to judge “Belial.” Paul may have also been drawing from the Testament of Levi in 2 Cor 6:14–15 when he contrasts Belial with Christ (as well as light with darkness). Testament of Levi 19:1 states, “Choose for yourselves light or darkness, the Law of the Lord or the works of Belial.”

Most likely, Paul is describing an experience where he was brought up to the presence of God. As Testament of Levi states, “In the uppermost heaven of all dwells the Great Glory in the Holy of Holies superior to all holiness” (Testament of Levi 3:3). Paul cites this “vision” and “revelation” (2 Cor 12:1) to show his authority and emphasize his ministry as divinely appointed. Even though this experience was “extraordinary,” Paul does not use it to boast or exalt himself (2 Cor 12:6–7).

John D. Barry and Miles Custis

Further Reading

Heaven, Heavenlies, Paradise DPL

Heavenly Ascent in Jewish and Pagan Traditions DNTB

Testament of Levi OTP1