[UntoHim]

Originally Posted by zeek

As the gravity of a star warps the space-time continuum around it, so does an encounter with the Divine Inexplicable seem to warp the categories of reason. Paul fell into the well of eternity where distinctions between an instant and three years fall apart. But, Paul didn't claim to be God himself. So, I assume that he had an ordinary human cognitive apparatus like the rest of us.

Boy, this might be the first time "the space-time continuum" was mentioned on the forum...guess there's a first time for everything. I think Paul describes his experience in about as much detail as he could muster in 2 Corinthians 12:

...I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter.

Pretty heady stuff from a conservative Jewish rabbi. I don't believe that "visions and revelations of the Lord" were part of the curriculum in 1st century Judaism. This was clearly a special and unique "experience" that Paul went through. I'm not altogether sure that this experience was through "an ordinary human cognitive apparatus like the rest of us", and since this experience was unique to Paul, I don't think it really matters one way or another.