St. Paul has a Near-Death Experience
Several years ago I began attending monthly meetings at the Boston International Association of Near Death Studies (IANDS). It’s a wonderful gathering of people, many of whom have had Spiritually Transformative Experiences (STE) and who don’t know where else to go. They share stories of rejection by their churches and other houses of worship, and fear of humiliation. It eases their mind and their sanity to know that they are not alone. Coming to meetings and being able to talk about it, helps them process what happened to them. A high percentage of people who’ve had Near-Death Experiences (NDEs) end up divorced and/or reassessing all their relationships and careers. It is emotionally and spiritually draining to be rejected or misunderstood by everyone around you regarding the single most important event of your life, an event that defines your life, perspective, and purpose. An NDE can also cause you to drop habits which, or people who, are not positive for your life. Having a mystical experience like an NDE rapidly accelerates your spiritual development, sometimes in ways for which you are not prepared. At a place like IANDS meetings, experiencers can find like-minded people.
There are many in the scientific community who claim that NDEs are the result of a lack of oxygen, or some such thing, at the moment of death. However, while there are many plausible scientific theories of what causes NDEs, there is no conclusive scientific evidence that NDEs have a physical explanation. In addition, there is a growing awareness among many others in the scientific community, that NDEs may actually be transcendent experiences. Universities and scholars are researching and writing about compelling studies in peer-reviewed journals.
NDEs, STEs, and mystical experiences, all link into the larger field of consciousness studies. If there is conscious life after the death of the body and brain, what is their connection? Remarkably, there is no conclusive scientific evidence indicating that the brain generates consciousness.
As noted a few weeks ago, the Bible tells us that consciousness exists after physical death. This indicates that our consciousness is separate from our brain, is separate from our body. Our “real” self, our fullest self, continues on after physical death.
“For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” – 2 Corinthians 5:1
Here St. Paul tells us that our physical body on the earthly plane of existence is temporary. It is like a tent. After death, when the tent, the physical body, has died, we will take on a building, a permanent structure. Our transcendent “body” after physical death is more permanent, more real, than what we are experiencing right now. This matches the stories we hear from NDEs experiencers, who say that the transcendent realm is more real than their life on earth.
Some of the many possible features of an NDE include:
· Having an Out of Body Experience (OBE) and seeing your physical body while hovering above it
· Having a sense of peace and a loss of all pain
· Going through a tunnel
· Being met by deceased relatives or friends or pets
· Being met by God or angels
· Being met by members of a “Soul Group” who love and support you. Having a sense of recognizing, knowing, and loving these beings
· Being told important information, much of which is forgotten when returned
· Being given a choice to continue with death or return to your body
· There is a sense of a border or boundary beyond which is permanent death
· Having a life review
· Having a sense throughout the experience that you are loved beyond measure
· Having an experience of God or light which radiates love 1,000,000 times greater than anything experienced on earth.
The results after returning from an NDE may include
· Experiencers find it hard to be back. They miss the love of the transcendent realm. They speak of being “homesick” for the place and Beings that they experienced during their NDE
· Experiencer’s attitudes, beliefs, and values are altered, which often then conflict with those of the people around them, resulting in high levels of divorce and career changes
· They often become more spiritual
· They are prone to having other mystical experiences
· They lose a fear of death
· They have an increased compassion and love for others, and a lessened concern for material gain, recognition, or status
Sometimes Near-Death Experiences are negative or scary. These are a minority, but no less real.
Once you’ve had an NDE, or start learning more about them, you start recognizing them in plain sight. It was shocking to me the first time I recognized that it is likely that St. Paul had an NDE. We already know he had a spiritually transformative experience on the Road to Damascus, where he heard the voice of Jesus [Acts 9:1-19]. Even those on the road with him heard the voice. It was what is known as a Shared STE, which is a type documented in the literature.
But Paul references another mystical experience in 2 Corinthians that has many of the hallmarks of a classic NDE.
“It is necessary to boast; nothing is to be gained by it, but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a person 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 such a person—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows— was caught up into Paradise and heard things that are not to be told, that no mortal is permitted to repeat. On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. But if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think better of me than what is seen in me or heard from me, even considering the exceptional character of the revelations.” – 2 Corinthians 12:1-7
In this passage, St. Paul is writing about a Spiritually Transformative Experience (STE) of his. When he says “I know a person in Christ,” he is speaking of himself.
Paul begins by saying that he wants to share “visions and revelations of the Lord” which he has received. He then goes on to explain in what manner this spiritual information was acquired.
He begins by saying he was caught up into “The Third Heaven,” which is a traditional Jewish way of speaking of the dwelling place of God. A few lines latter, he calls this place “Paradise.” He doesn’t tell us exactly how he got there, but he notes that he is unclear whether he was in or out of his body at the time. It is a classic NDE phenomena to have an Out of Body Experience, where you feel your consciousness float out of your physical body and travel to other places, both on earth, or into spiritual realms. While your consciousness travels separately from your physical body, it also has the sense that it still is itself. You are still you, whether you are corporeal or not. It can be confusing to those experiencing it whether they still have a body or not.
Paul then goes on to say that after he was transported to the presence of God, he heard profound spiritual knowledge, “heard things that are not to be told, that no mortal is permitted to repeat.” Again, this is a typical NDE experience. During their NDE, many Experiencers spend time with Jesus, or angels, or masters, or loved ones, or even God, the Source of Profound Love, discussing the truths about reality. The Experiencer may ask questions about what is happening and what this is all about, and any question they have about anything, and the spiritual guide will answer their question. There is no rush, because time does not exist, and so they have a good long chat. Before they return back to their physical body, the Experiencer is warned by the spirit guide that they will forget much or all that they have just learned, because it is not for them to know this information back in their physical life. It is unclear whether Paul was made to forget the information, or whether he was told not to share it.
We know that during his life, Paul experienced many severe physical challenges and was near death on more than one occasion. It is not a stretch to think that one of these experiences triggered an NDE.
“But Jews came there from Antioch and Iconium and won over the crowds. Then they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead.” – Acts 14:19
“I am talking like a madman—I am a better one: with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless floggings, and often near death. Five times I have received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I received a stoning. Three times I was shipwrecked; for a night and a day I was adrift at sea.” – 2 Corinthians 11:23-25
Paul then says he does not wish to boast about the fact that he has had this extraordinary experience. He will happily boast about the Lord, but not about himself. He also notes that if he did boast and describe this mystical experience, some may consider him a fool, although he knows that he is not a fool, that what happened was true and real. Again, a typical NDEr response. When Experiencers return to their bodies, most are super excited to share what has just happened to them, yet most get shut down almost immediately. No one believes them. They are thought fools. After fourteen years, I’m sure Paul has learned not to say too much on the matter.
But in addition to concerns that he will be thought a fool, Paul also has concerns that he will be seen as egotistical and boasting if he talks about his experience. He doesn’t want people to judge him by his STE, but rather by his life in his physical body. He doesn’t want people to think too highly of him, even “considering the exceptional character of the revelations.”
“To me, living is Christ and dying is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which I prefer. I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith.” – Philippians 1:21-25
Paul, after his NDE, like many NDErs, is homesick for that transcendent life after death, of which he only caught a glimpse. Many NDErs realize when they arrive, that they have always known that place, that in fact it is “home,” much more so than any place they have known on earth. Paul writes, “my desire is to depart and be with Christ, but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you.” He does not want to be in his physical body, he wants to return to that beautiful, transcendent place which he experienced during his NDE. However, he knows he has work to do in the physical plane of existence, helping others grow in their faith. This is a classic NDE struggle.
“For I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel that was proclaimed by me is not of human origin; for I did not receive it from a human source, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.” – Galatians 1:11-12
“Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. I went up in response to a revelation.” – Galatians 2:1-2
Like many NDErs, Paul has periodic STEs and other transcendent revelations throughout his life. Paul knows these revelations are genuine encounters with the Divine, with Christ, that he has a calling to fulfill, and that he continues to engage with God, pay attention to visions, and listen for guidance. The insights gained from his NDE, along with knowing how to incorporate the subsequent revelations into his calling, propelled Paul into becoming the first mystic of Christianity.
Books about Near-Death Experiences:
Journal of Near-Death Studies
https://iands.org/research/publications/journal-of-near-death-studies.html
Important Research Articles
https://iands.org/research/nde-research/important-research-articles.html
All Scripture quotes are from the New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Image is “Paul’s Elevation to the Third Heaven,” by Francesco Coghettii (1804-1875), St. Paul’s Basilica Outside the Walls, Rome