ANSWER: That Paul is speaking of himself is established in verse six of this chapter. He begins to speak of himself in verse four as “a man in Christ” in order to avoid in this chapter what could possibly have been perceived as excessive boasting because of what he said in the preceding chapter. In chapter eleven, he stated that he was not one whit behind the very chiefest apostles (vs.5) and then speaks at length about his accomplishments and sufferings in the cause of Christ. He did not do this for personal glory, but rather to offset charges that had been brought against him by the Judaizing teachers of Corinth. It is clear from chapter eleven that Paul found this kind of argument personally distasteful, but, nonetheless, necessary. In verse one he had asked the Corinthians to bear with him a little in what might seem to be the folly of boasting. After having done so, Paul begins chapter twelve by stating that it was not well (expedient) for him to carry this type of discussion further. He would, therefore, change subjects and begin discussing “visions and revelations of the Lord.” In order to avoid in this passage what might appear to be further boasting, he does not refer directly to himself, but rather indirectly as “a man in Christ.”