"... Paul refers in 2 Corinthians 12:1-4 to an ecstatic experience, which he pleads as evidence of his authority over his opponents in Corinth. These opponents were ecstatically inclined Judeo-Christians difficult to place more precisely (either from the description of the ecstatic experience or from the few direct observations). In particular, there is no hint in Paul's experience of 'Gnostics' (of whatever kind) being his opponents. The event itself bears the features rather of an auditory experience than a vision. Its content is unknown and cannot be discovered ... This story has been handed down in various versions, in classical rabbinic as well as in Hekhalot literature ... The story appears here in three different documents: Tosefta, the Jerusalem Talmud, and the Babylonian Talmud (b. Chagigah 14b) ..."

"... The Talmudic story makes use of the first meaning of pardes (orchard) by saying that Elisha Aher, who became a heretic, or min, cut down the saplings—whatever this metaphor may signify. On the other hand, it is clear from the context that this orchard is a heavenly abode. Rashi, who certainly followed in the tradition of the Merkabah mystics, explains the words 'entered pardes' (וסנכנ סדרפל) as 'ascended to heaven by means of a sacred name.' Even R. Akiba, upon entering this pardes, encountered ministering angels who wanted to eject him or bar him from continuing on his way. This proves, in my opinion, that the Baraitha uses the same terminology as Paul ... It is obvious that Paul, who wrote these lines about the year 58 C.E., was speaking of an idea with which his readers were familiar, a Jewish conception that he, as well as his readers in Corinth, had brought over into the new Christian community ..."