Friday 23rd May
Read 2 Corinthians 2:14-16
“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.” (NIVUK)
The challenge Paul is facing concerns interlopers in Corinth calling him out as fickle and untrustworthy and by implication calling into question the message he preached. He has just turned down an opportunity to preach that very gospel in Troas in favour of seeking Titus and news of Corinth. But he is not concerned by this. He knows that merely living and speaking and trusting God whom he faithfully serves results in the gospel being spread.
The image he uses is not familiar to us today. Paul describes a typical Roman triumph. When a Roman general was victorious in battle they were granted a triumph in Rome. A procession would march through the streets with a description of the battle on banners, animal sacrifices to Jupiter, captured leaders of the enemy who would often be publicly executed at the end of the parade, incense bearers who would waft aromas through the crowd, and finally the victorious general and his troops. Many have wondered whether Paul places himself amongst the captives or the victors. But knowledge of the participants in a triumph suggests that the true place of the Christian is as the incense bearers whose offerings and acts and words reflect Jesus to the world and provide a pleasing aroma to God. Those marching to their death and those marching in victory would both smell the incense.
Some may read these words and blanch at the prospect that lives that bear witness to the good news of Jesus may presage death for some and life for others. Yet in a triumph, what each group smells depends on their ultimate fate, the incense wafts over both groups indiscriminately. The incense bearers simply offer faithful service to the triumphant king. Paul offers an incredibly encouraging image to strengthen believers to witness to Jesus wherever and whenever they are because they follow and serve the true victorious King!
