2 Corinthians 2: Smelling Like Jesus
- Lance Lefler
- Jan 18, 2009
- Series: 2 Corinthians: Power in Weakness
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Paul needs to explain to the Corinthian church why he is writing them a letter instead of coming to visit them. The Apostle faced enemies who said he was bold in his letters but weak in person. So, Paul must counter this cowardice and assert his confidence in Christ, his boldness to preach the gospel wherever, whenever.
But he thought it would be better to write and chastise them a little, than show up and bring the heat. Then a funny thing happens on the way to making his point: he inserts a 5-chapter parenthesis about life and the afterlife.
Drawing on an familar analogy (if you're a first-century Roman, that is) of the military triumphal procession, Paul pictures himself as a defeated captive, who's heart was conquered by Jesus. He finishes the section with the most amazing word picture: Christians are the fragrance of Jesus to the world; to some we are the smell of life, and to others the smell of death.