The limits of speech and the nature of visions

Regarding the heavenly ones, thus someone being surrounded by the body is still able to be guided by the vision of the mind in heaven and the paradise to become such.

Another will say that whether in a body or outside of a body, he writes not about his own body in which the soul is surrounded, but about the whole state, so that the thing said might be such: snatched up even to the third heaven and into the paradise (2 Cor 12:4). Whether these things are a body or incorporeal, I do not know; for the knowledge of these things rests with the Father of Wisdom, God.

And the 'even to the third heaven' also contains ambiguity; for from the ambiguity it is signified whether, it being the case of the greater number of heavens, he reached up to the third to understand the things there—and let this be numbered from the firmament; for this is the first heaven for those being taken up entirely—or whether, it being the case of one heaven, he reached up to the third part of it. However it may be, God would know and whom He would himself make manifest; nevertheless, two snatchings are made evident: even to the third heaven and even into the paradise.

But it must be said regarding the things said, that he did not say anything about the third heaven as one who has heard or seen something; for concerning the one who announced how he heard in it unutterable words (2 Cor 12:4), which it is not possible for man to speak—unless indeed one takes commonly 'I heard unutterable words even in the third heaven or heaven and into the paradise.' However it may be, it is made evident that the paradise is a school of divine lessons.

And what does he intend by the unutterable words? Let it be known how much the one speaking them uses not syllables and sounds, being unutterable, compared to how much they have the truth, having the essence in divine intellect; and these things are heard not by the reception of sense but by the contemplation of divine intellect. For the God-Word Himself being Christ, does not neglect, speaking not to Paul but in Paul; and thus He also taught, becoming toward each of the prophets. If therefore the Savior speaks in the saints, the things said are unutterable; for if they were spoken words, He would have struck their hearing, and not...

He spoke in them, but to them. And it is even the case that it is not within a man's power to speak. For indeed it is possible for a man to hear, having an enlightened understanding, but it is impossible to speak those things with voices and syllables; for these are the speaking elements. 'Not within power' is said instead of 'possible'. This is not said only here, but also in other letters of the one writing these things; for everything is permitted, but not everything is profitable, which is equal to being able to do all things.

Having said this, he necessarily brought forward the divine revelations and visions: 'I will boast about a man such as this being in Christ, but about myself I speak boldly only concerning the aforementioned weaknesses' (2 Cor 12:7-9). And he who says these things is not another from the one who has seen the visions; except if he is indeed the same, he differs in thought—how indeed he is understood as a weak man because of the intention of the condescension, but how he is understood as having ascended super-eminently and being in Christ because of the vision.

Others, not wishing to give an occasion, and claiming that no way is strong enough to let the evil one inflict any diseases, and not enduring that perfect men should undergo much regarding the health of the body—for they will say they have learned to endure those who oppress them—will say: 'Someone having received many and great visions, if he were not overcome by human weakness, would think greatly of himself.' In order that he might not have room, the power guarding the ruling principle of God often manages for the one being guarded to be outside the protection of it, so that they might slip in and take a human thought.

And since perfect men shut out even the contamination in the intellect, they think they have a great disaster, even if a memory is cast upon them by a satanic angel. Therefore, they indeed entreat to be cleansed also from secret things and to not have any awareness of something trivial. And that this is so, he knew, being afflicted, to flee to God, as he shows having written: 'Concerning this distressing satanic angel, three times I entreated the Lord, so that he might be removed from me. And the Lord said to me, whom I entreated: My grace is sufficient for you; for you shall know through...'