the Week of Proper 21 / Ordinary 26
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Myles Coverdale Bible
2 Corinthians 2:15
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Our very lives are a pleasing scent to God. You know how a feedlot smells great to a cowboy, but it stinks to everyone else. This is how the Christ-like fragrance of God is to others.
For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;
For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;
For we are a sweet perfume of Christ to God in those who are getting salvation and in those who are going to destruction;
For we are a sweet odour of Christ to God, in the saved and in those that perish:
For to God we are the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.
For we are a sweet aroma of Christ to God, in those who are saved, and in those who perish;
For we are to God a sweet odour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
For we are a fragrance of Christ grateful to God in those whom He is saving and in those who are perishing;
For wee are vnto God, a sweet sauour of Christ, in them that are saued, and in them that perish.
For we are a sweet smell to God because of Christ in those being saved, and in those being lost;
for God is pleased to accept my christian labours, in favour both of those who are in a saving, and of those who are in a ruinous state:
That's why I decided not to make another visit that could only be painful to both of us. If by merely showing up I would put you in an embarrassingly painful position, how would you then be free to cheer and refresh me? That was my reason for writing a letter instead of coming—so I wouldn't have to spend a miserable time disappointing the very friends I had looked forward to cheering me up. I was convinced at the time I wrote it that what was best for me was also best for you. As it turned out, there was pain enough just in writing that letter, more tears than ink on the parchment. But I didn't write it to cause pain; I wrote it so you would know how much I care—oh, more than care—love you! Now, regarding the one who started all this—the person in question who caused all this pain—I want you to know that I am not the one injured in this as much as, with a few exceptions, all of you. So I don't want to come down too hard. What the majority of you agreed to as punishment is punishment enough. Now is the time to forgive this man and help him back on his feet. If all you do is pour on the guilt, you could very well drown him in it. My counsel now is to pour on the love. The focus of my letter wasn't on punishing the offender but on getting you to take responsibility for the health of the church. So if you forgive him, I forgive him. Don't think I'm carrying around a list of personal grudges. The fact is that I'm joining in with your forgiveness, as Christ is with us, guiding us. After all, we don't want to unwittingly give Satan an opening for yet more mischief—we're not oblivious to his sly ways! When I arrived in Troas to proclaim the Message of the Messiah, I found the place wide open: God had opened the door; all I had to do was walk through it. But when I didn't find Titus waiting for me with news of your condition, I couldn't relax. Worried about you, I left and came on to Macedonia province looking for Titus and a reassuring word on you. And I got it, thank God! In the Messiah, in Christ, God leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade. Through us, he brings knowledge of Christ. Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognized by those on the way of salvation—an aroma redolent with life. But those on the way to destruction treat us more like the stench from a rotting corpse.
For we are the sweet fragrance of Christ [which ascends] to God, [discernible both] among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;
For we are a sweet savor of Christ unto God, in them that are saved, and in them that perish;
For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing,
For we are vnto God the swete savoure of Christ both amoge them that are saved and also amoge them which perisshe.
For we are a sweet savor of Christ to God, in those that are saved, and in those that perish;
For we are to God a sweet savor of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
because of Christ a sweet fragrance we are to God, in those being saved, and in those being lost;
Our offering to God is this: We are the sweet smell of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are being lost.
For we are a sweet aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing—
For we are to God the sweet aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.
In fact, God thinks of us as a perfume that brings Christ to everyone. For people who are being saved, this perfume has a sweet smell and leads them to a better life. But for people who are lost, it has a bad smell and leads them to a horrible death. No one really has what it takes to do this work.
For to God we are the aroma of the Messiah, both among those being saved and among those being lost;
For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing,
For wee are vnto God the sweete sauour of Christ, in them that are saued, and in them which perish.
For we are a sweet savour to God through Christ, in those who are saved and in those who perish:
For we are a sweet aroma of Messiah to God, in those who are saved, and in those who perish;
To God we are the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are being lost.1 Corinthians 1:18; 2 Corinthians 4:3;">[xr]
For we are a fragrant perfume in the Meshiha unto Aloha in those who are saved, and in those who perish.
For, through the Messiah, we are unto God a sweet odor, in them that live and in them that perish:
For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.
Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing.
We are a sweet smell of Christ that reaches up to God. It reaches out to those who are being saved from the punishment of sin and to those who are still lost in sin.
For we are a sweet savour of Christ unto God, in them that are being saved, and in them that are perishing;
For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;
That, of Christ, a grateful odour, are we, unto God, - in them who are being saved, and in them who are being lost:
For we are the good odour of Christ unto God, in them that are saved and in them that perish.
For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing,
For we are vnto God the sweete sauour of Christe in them that are saued, and in them which perisshe.
Our offering to God is to be the perfume of Christ that goes out to those who are being saved and to those who are being lost.
For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing:
For we are like a sweet-smelling incense offered by Christ to God, which spreads among those who are being saved and those who are being lost.
for we ben the good odour of Crist to God, among these that ben maad saaf, and among these that perischen.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
a sweet: Genesis 8:21, Exodus 29:18, Exodus 29:25, Ezekiel 20:41, Ephesians 5:2, Philippians 4:18
in them: 2 Corinthians 4:3, 2 Corinthians 4:4, Isaiah 49:5, Isaiah 49:6, 1 Corinthians 1:18, 2 Thessalonians 2:10
Reciprocal: Exodus 5:21 - our savour Exodus 14:20 - General Leviticus 1:9 - a sweet Numbers 28:2 - for a sweet savour unto me Proverbs 27:9 - Ointment Isaiah 49:4 - yet Ezekiel 2:5 - whether Ezekiel 3:19 - but thou Ezekiel 33:9 - thou hast Hosea 11:2 - they called Hosea 14:6 - his smell Hosea 14:9 - but Micah 5:8 - as a lion Luke 2:34 - set Luke 10:6 - it shall Luke 12:47 - knew John 3:19 - this John 12:48 - the word 1 Corinthians 15:2 - ye are 2 Corinthians 2:14 - the savour 1 Timothy 5:8 - and is 1 Peter 3:20 - by
Cross-References
and thus in the seuenth daye God ended his worke, which he had made, & rested in the seuenth daye from all his workes which he had made:
The LORDE God also planted a garde of pleasure in Eden, towarde ye east, and set man therin whom he had made.
Haue I euer done eny wicked dede where thorow I shamed my self before men: Or eny abhominacion, yt I was fayne to hyde it?
For thou shalt eate the laboures of thine owne hondes: o well is the, happie art thou.
He that hath stollen, let him steale nomore: but let him laboure rather, and do some good with his hondes, that he maye haue to geue vnto him that nedeth.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
For we are unto God a sweet savour,.... Here a reason is given, why the savour of the knowledge of God in Christ is made manifest by the ministers of the Gospel, because they themselves are a sweet savour; not that they are so in themselves, for they have the same corrupt hearts and natures, and complain of them as other men; but as having the gifts and graces of the Spirit of God, comparable to fragrant and sweet smelling ointments, Song of Solomon 1:3, by which they are enabled to preach the savoury doctrines of the Gospel, and to adorn and recommend them by their exemplary lives and conversations: the allusion is to Aaron and the priests under the law, who were anointed with the anointing oil, which was poured upon their heads, ran down upon their beards, and descended to the skirts of their garments, so that they were all over a perfume, a sweet smell and savour; and so are the ministers of the word, being anointed with that, which the other was typical of. They are said to be a sweet savour
of Christ, because they have their gifts, grace, and Gospel from him, and he is the subject of their ministry; so that this sweet savour of theirs, is not properly theirs, but his, whose person, blood, righteousness, sacrifice, grace, and the fulness of it, as held forth in the Gospel ministry, are sweet and savoury to believers. Moreover, it is "unto God" they are such a savour, not unto men, mere carnal men, for with them they are the filth of the world, and the offscouring of all things; but they are grateful and well pleasing to the Lord, as their ministrations make for, and show forth his honour and glory: and this they are
in them that are saved, who are chosen by God unto salvation, for whom Christ has wrought it out, to whom it is applied by the Spirit of God, who are heirs of it, and are kept unto it, and for it, by the power of God, and shall certainly enjoy it: yea, they are a sweet savour
in them that perish, all mankind are, through sin, in a perishing condition: some of them shall never perish; but are, and shall be saved with an everlasting salvation: others will perish in their sins, to which they are abandoned; and what sense the ministers of the Gospel are a savour in these is shown in the following verse.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
For we are unto God - We who are his ministers, and who thus triumph. It is implied here that Paul felt that ministers were laboring for God, and felt assured that their labors would be acceptable to him. The object of Paul in the statement, in this and in the following verses, is undoubtedly to meet the charges of his detractors and enemies. He says, therefore, that whatever was the result of his labors in regard to the future salvation of people; yet, that his well-meant endeavors, and labors, and self-denials in preaching the gospel, were acceptable to God. The measure of God’s approbation in the case was not his success, but his fidelity, his zeal, his self-denial, whatever might be the reception of the gospel among those who heard it.
A sweet savor - Like the smell of pleasant incense, or of grateful aromatics, such as were burned in the triumphal processions of returning conquerors. The meaning is, that their labors were acceptable to God; he was pleased with them, and would bestow on them the smiles and proofs of his approbation. The word rendered here as “sweet savor” (εὐωδία euōdia) occurs only in this place, and in Ephesians 5:2; Philippians 4:18; and is applied to persons or things well-pleasing to God. It properly means good odor, or fragrance, and in the Septuagint it is frequently applied to the incense that was burnt in the public worship of God and to sacrifices in general; Genesis 8:21; Exodus 29:18, Exodus 29:25, Exodus 29:41; Leviticus 1:9, Leviticus 1:13, Leviticus 1:17; Leviticus 2:2, Leviticus 2:9,Leviticus 2:12; Leviticus 3:5, Leviticus 3:16; Leviticus 4:31, etc. Here it means that the services of Paul and the other ministers of religion were as grateful to God as sweet incense, or acceptable sacrifices.
Of Christ - That is, we are Christ’s sweet savor to God: we are that which he has appointed, and which he has devoted and consecrated to God; we are the offering, so to speak, which he is continually making to God.
In them that are saved - In regard to them who believe the gospel through our ministry and who are saved. Our labor in carrying the gospel to them, and in bringing them to the knowledge of the truth, is acceptable to God. Their salvation is an object of his highest desire, and he is gratified with our fidelity, and with our success. This reason why their work was acceptable to God is more fully stated in the following verse, where it is said that in reference to them they were the “savor of life unto life.” The word “saved” here refers to all who become Christians, and who enter heaven; and as the salvation of people is an object of such desire to God, it cannot but be that all who bear the gospel to people are engaged in an acceptable service, and that all their efforts will be pleasing to him, and approved in his sight In regard to this part of Paul’s statement, there can be no difficulty.
And in them that perish - In reference to them who reject the gospel, and who are finally lost. It is implied here:
(1) That some would reject the gospel and perish, with whatever fidelity and self-denial the ministers of religion might labor.
(2) That though this would be the result, yet the labors of the ministers of religion would be acceptable to God. This is a fearful and awful declaration, and has been thought by many to be attended with difficulty. A few remarks may present the true sense of the passage, and remove the difficulty from it:
- It is not affirmed or implied here that the destruction of those who would reject the gospel, and who would perish, was desired by God or would be pleasing to him. This is nowhere affirmed or implied in the Bible.
- It is affirmed only that the labors of the ministers of religion in endeavoring to save them would be acceptable and pleasing to God. Their labors would be in order to save them, not to destroy them.
Their desire was to bring all to heaven - and this was acceptable to God. Whatever might be the result, whether successful or not, yet God would be pleased with self-denial, and toil, and prayer that was honestly and zealously put forth to save others from death. They would be approved by God in proportion to the amount of labor, zeal, and fidelity which they evinced.
(3) It would be by no fault of faithful ministers that people would perish. Their efforts would be to save them, and those efforts would be pleasing to God.
(4) It would be by no fault of the gospel that people would perish. The regular and proper tendency of the gospel is to save, not to destroy men; as the tendency of medicine is to heal them, of food to support the body, of air to give vitality, of light to give pleasure to the eye, etc. It is provided for all, and is adapted to all. There is a sufficiency in the gospel. for all people, and in its nature it is as really suited to save one as another. Whatever may be the manner in which it is received, it is always in itself the same pure and glorious system; full of benevolence and mercy. The bitterest enemy of the gospel cannot point to one of its provisions that is adapted or designed to make people miserable, and to destroy them. All its provisions are adapted to salvation; all its arrangements are those of benevolence; all the powers and influences which it originates, are those which are suited to save, not to destroy people. The gospel is what it is in itself - a pure, holy, and benevolent system, and is answerable only for effects which a pure, holy, and benevolent system is suited to produce. To use the beautiful language of Theodoret, as quoted by Bloomfield: “We indeed bear the sweet odor of Christ’s gospel to all; but all who participate in it do not experience its salutiferous effects. Thus, to diseased eyes even the light of heaven is noxious; yet the sun does not bring the injury. And to those in a fever, honey is bitter; yet it is sweet nevertheless. Vultures too, it is said, fly away from sweet odors of myrrh; yet myrrh is myrrh though the vultures avoid it, Thus, if some be saved, though others perish, the gospel retains its own virtue, and we the preachers of it remain just as we are; and the gospel retains its odorous and salutiferous properties, though some may disbelieve and abuse it, and perish.” Yet:
(5) It is implied that the gospel would be the occasion of heavier condemnation to some, and that they would sink into deeper ruin in consequence of its being preached to them. This is implied in the expression in 2 Corinthians 2:16, “to the one we are a savor of death unto death.” In the explanation of this, we may observe:
(a) That those who perish would have perished at any rate. All were under condemnation whether the gospel had come to them or not. None will perish in consequence of the gospel’s having been sent to them who would not have perished had it been unknown. People do not perish because the gospel is sent to them, but for their own sins.
(b) It is in fact by their own fault that people reject the gospel, and that they are lost. They are voluntary in this; and, whatever is their final destiny, they are not under compulsion. The gospel compels no one against his will either to go to heaven, or to hell.
(c) People under the gospel sin against greater light than they do without it. They have more to answer for. It increases their responsibility. If, therefore, they reject it, and go down to eternal death, they go from higher privileges; and they go, of course, to meet a more aggravated condemnation. For condemnation will always be in exact proportion to guilt; and guilt is in proportion to abused light and privileges.
(d) The preaching of the gospel, and the offers of life, are often the occasion of the deeper guilt of the sinner. Often he becomes enraged. He gives vent to the deep malignity of his soul. He opposes the gospel with malice and infuriated anger, His eye kindles with indignation, and his lip curls with pride and scorn. He is profane and blasphemous; and the offering of the gospel to him is the occasion of exciting deep and malignant passions against God, against the Saviour, against the ministers of religion. Against the gospel, people often manifest the same malignity and scorn which they did against the Saviour himself. Yet this is not the fault of the gospel, nor of the ministers of religion. It is the fault of sinners themselves; and while there can be no doubt that such a rejection of the gospel will produce their deeper condemnation, and that it is a savor of death unto death unto them; still the gospel is good and benevolent, and still God will be pleased with those who faithfully offer its provisions, and who urge it on the attention of people.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse 15. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ — The apostle still alludes to the case of a triumph; the conqueror always represented the person of Jupiter; as even the heathens supposed that God alone could give the victory: and as the punishment of death was inflicted on some of the captives, who had often rebelled and broken leagues and covenants; so others were spared, made tributaries, and often became allies. Alluding to this, the apostle says: We are a sweet savour to God-we have fulfilled his will in faithfully proclaiming the Gospel, and fighting against sin. And as he has determined that those who believe shall be saved, and those who believe not shall perish, we are equally acceptable to him though we unsuccessfully preach the Gospel to some who obstinately reject it, and so perish, as we are in preaching to others who believe, and are saved.
