2 Corinthians 2 - What Kind of Aroma Are You Giving Off?
2 1 So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you. 2 For if I grieve you, who is left to make me glad but you whom I have grieved? 3 I wrote as I did, so that when I came I would not be distressed by those who should have made me rejoice. I had confidence in all of you, that you would all share my joy. 4 For I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you.
Paul wants to soften the blow by using a letter to express his concerns and convictions versus meeting face to face. The norm is that Christians should be excited to see each other and share stories about what God is doing in their midst. But Paul's heart is anguished because he sees things happening that are a threat to integrity of the gospel. He can't just sit back and watch it happen.
Paul wisely understood that considering all the circumstances, a letter was better than a personal visit. A letter could show Paul’s heart, yet not give as much opportunity for the deterioration of their relationship. It would give them room to repent and get right with God and Paul again. - Guzik
Forgiveness for the Offender
5 If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you to some extent—not to put it too severely. 6 The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. 7 Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. 9 Another reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. 10 Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, 11 in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.
Apparently Paul pointed out someone in the church who was involved in gross misconduct, possibly the person who had sexual relationship with their stepmother. (See 1 Corinthians 5) The Corinthians seemed to have obeyed his admonition to discipline this member of the church, but Paul also warns them not to be excessive in their discipline.
There is a fine line between discipline and overwhelming a person with guilt and shame. The Holy Spirit is in control of the former, and Satan is in control of the latter. Remember Satan's ultimate goal is to destroy our faith. Also, even though the man repented, they did not accept him back into the church.
“If discipline is largely lacking in the Church of today, so also is the grace of forgiving and comforting those who, having done wrong, are truly repentant. How often, alas! souls have been indeed swallowed up with overmuch sorrow because of the harshness and suspicion of Christian people toward them in view of some wrong which they have done… Love never slights holiness; but holiness never slays love.” (Morgan)
Ministers of the New Covenant
12 Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door for me, 13 I still had no peace of mind, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia.
Paul went to Troas and even though he had an open door for the gospel, he wanted to find his brother Titus. The term "open door" is significant. It assumes that God opens some doors and leaves others shut. An "open door" meant God had given him favor with the people there. People were receptive to hearing the gospel.
"Even though there was an open door, Paul felt he could not do all that he needed to if he did not have Titus there. Paul did not regard himself as a one-man show; he knew he needed other people with him and beside him." - Guzik
14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task? 17 Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.
Paul uses an analogy of a triumphal procession, where a king who conquered a group of people paraded them before his home crowd. In showed the crowd they were now captives. As believers, we are captives to Christ. But the term is paradoxical because we were once captives to sin and now Jesus has freed us.
Where the parade of prisoners paid tribute to the king, we give glory to Christ. What does it mean that we are the aroma of Christ?
Fragrance, in the form of incense, was common at the Roman triumphal parade. In Paul’s mind, this fragrance is like the knowledge of God, which people can smell as the triumphal parade comes by. (Guzik)
No sense remains in the memory like scent. There is nothing we remember more strongly than pleasant smells, except perhaps unpleasant smells. “Thus the apostle wished that his life might be a sweet perfume, floating on the air, reminding me, and above all reminding God, of Christ.” (Meyer)
“A sweet savour of Christ! It does not consist so much in what we do, but in our manner of doing it; not so much in our words or deeds, as in an indefinable sweetness, tenderness, courtesy, unselfishness, and desire to please others to their edification. It is the breath and fragrance of a life hidden with Christ in God, and deriving its aroma from fellowship with Him. Wrap the habits of your soul in the sweet lavender of your Lord’s character.” (Meyer)
To some the aroma the Christians gave off was a good smell leading to life. To others it was terrible smell representing death. It reminds me that sometimes someone's cologne or perfume smell great, and you want to be a around them. But other times when a person wears a strong, sweet, perfume it can make nauseous. You don't want to be around that person.
A question we might ask ourselves is what kind of aroma are we giving off? Is it leading people to Christ or away from him?
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