2 Corinthians 12:2 3rd heaven ?

what is the third heaven?



what tradition holds a third heaven?


and what is first and second like?

Can it mean the third time. Same heaven three times?

http://biblos.com/matthew/26-44.htm
So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. Matthew 26:44

Mormons believe in degrees of glory. The celestial kingdom being the third heaven.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Degrees_of_glory

Humans never understand the context. When revelation uses the word heaven it can mean a number of different things. It can mean any immaterial level of existence.

Heaven, as in the central focus of God, has three levels. All who reach heaven get access to the outer level, those who's souls are God fused or Christ fused get access to the second level, and only those who are God fused get access to the innermost level.

thankyou for your reply's

well a little wiki work and its solved.

starts out it in judaism with the 7th heaven

Seven Heavens - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

According to the Talmud, the universe is made of seven heavens (Shamayim):[2][3]

1. Vilon (וילו&#1503, Also see (Isa 40:22) also called "arafel" see Even-Shushan dictionary
2. Raki'a (רקי&#1506, Also see (Gen 1:17)
3. Shehaqim (שחקי&#1501, See (Ps 78:23, Midr. Teh. to Ps. xix. 7)
4. Zebul (זבו&#1500, See (Isa 63:15, I Kings 8:13)
5. Ma'on (מעו&#1503, See (Deut 26:15, Ps 42:9)
6. Machon (מכו&#1503, See (1 Kings 7:30, Deut 28:12)
7. Araboth (ערבו&#1514, The seventh Heaven where ofanim, the seraphim, and the hayyoth and the throne of the Lord are located.

The Jewish Merkavah and Heichalot literature was devoted to discussing the details of these heavens, sometimes in connection with traditions relating to Enoch, such as the Third Book of Enoch.

And then finishes up with third heaven and paul


Third Heaven - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In the Greek pseudepigraphical Apocalypse of Moses Third Heaven is the paradise where Michael buries Adam to await the resurrection of the dead

Aside from the redeemed, the transgressors and various angels mentioned in the Bible and other Hebrew literature, a number of specific figures and spirits are mentioned as residing in the Third Heaven. These include, by source,The Legends of The Jews by Louis Ginzberg:[2]

• Abraham
• Isaac
• Jacob
• Moses
• Aaron
• the Israelites of the Exodus
• the kings of Judah (notably David, but "with the exception of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, who presides in the second division, over the penitents")

An epistle of the Apostle Paul, included in the New Testament, contains an explicit reference to the Third Heaven. In a letter to the Corinthian church he writes, "I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell." (2 Corinthians 12:2-4) The Greek says "caught away", not "caught up" possibly reflecting Jewish beliefs that Paradise was somewhere other than the uppermost heaven.
The apparent parallelism of the passage equates the Third Heaven with "Paradise"[1] the traditional destination of redeemed humans and the general connotation of the term "Heaven" in mainstream Christianity

outhouse said:

what is the third heaven?



what tradition holds a third heaven?


and what is first and second like?

Click to expand...

Mormonism, as idav correctly pointed out, believes in three different "degrees of glory" within Heaven.

1 Corinthians 15:40-42 states, "...There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead."

We believe that those who attain the Telestial Glory (not mentioned in these verses) will live forever in the lowest of the three degrees of glory in Heaven -- the one whose glory is compared to that of the stars. Those who attain the Terrestrial Glory will reside in a glory comparable to that of the moon. Those who attain the Celestial Glory will live forever in "the third heaven," the one whose glory is like that of the sun. We believe that we will receive whatever portion of God's glory our lives warrant and that Christ will "reward evry man according to his deeds."

outhouse said:

what is the third heaven?



what tradition holds a third heaven?


and what is first and second like?

Click to expand...

I am not sure what the "Third Heaven" is, but I can tell you a bit about the "Third Circle of Heaven". The Third Heaven holds Hell within Its boundaries, The First and Second have a few different attributes in which help explain the Zodiac and such. One of the Greatest (IMO) Companions to the Bible or even if you like poetical insight, The Secrets of Enoch is awesome to read. If you are curious about a good explanation of Heaven this is the only place that I know of that gives such an elaborate detailing (another of my favorite writings is Dante's Inferno which is comparable in descriptive details).