dog-on

Thanks Andrew. I forgot about Irenaeus.

Gamera

It's clear from the context that Paul is speaking about himself, and is refering to himself in the third person for rhetorical effect.

His whole point here is the defense of his ministry against his detractors. He's using the classical rhetorical trope of "not to mention," whereby he says he won't boast and then goes on to list all the things he could boast about, but doesn't, thereby making his point. In 2 Cor 12 1 he states there's no point in boasting, and then goes on to talk about the "man" who had this vision, and concludes, "I ill boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself."

It's a rhetorical device whereby he gets to bring up the things he wants to boast about (his vision) while pretending he's not boasting.

Note that in 12:7 he makes it absolutely clear that he's talking about himself when he discusses the "thorn in his side," problem, which he claims was to prevent him from getting too "elated" (whatever that means, arrogant, perhaps?) about the abundance of revelations he was given.

2 Corinthians 12:7 - And to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated.

As to its gnostic elements, I see nothing particularly gnostic about the passage, or at least nothing that isn't consistent with orthodox Christian theology. Further this passage accords with Paul's claim at other points that he had direct revelations from the risen Christ, as well as several references in Acts to his vision.

Galatians 1:12 - For I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

Galatians 2:2 - I went up by revelation; and I laid before them (but privately before those who were of repute) the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, lest somehow I should be running or had run in vain.

Ephesians 3:3 - how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly.