Knowing The Word in 2 Corinthians: Triumphal Procession, 2:14-17

Triumphal Procession

14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, 16 to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.

“Triumphal procession” is a curious phrase. It seems to refer to being led around in a Roman procession of triumph. Paul is not saying that he is being led around in triumph, but rather that, like captives in a triumphal process, he is being treated rudely while in the service of God. Evidence from the early first century period strongly suggests that those being led in the triumph were being led to their own execution. The aroma may come from the practice of sprinkling spices in front of the procession by the people or it may just be the smell of the prisoners! As God drags Paul around as his slave, the knowledge of Christ emanates from Paul wherever he goes. He is the sweet aroma of Christ, at least to those being saved. But for those who are perishing the smell is repulsive: it is the smell of death that leads to death. God leads his own agent (Paul) through the empire in order to reveal his own presence, precisely through the weakness of his agent. Paul asks who is equal to this task of conveying the very presence of Christ and his character and “smell” to the world. To carry this out is to be Christlike to the core, and in Paul’s mind, no one is up to the task. Yet the very course of Paul’s life reveals God, because his life reveals the message and meaning of picking up one’s cross to follow Jesus. Here we are at the heart of one of the great Pauline paradoxes: power in weakness, victory in death, and a victory procession that leads to death—eventually Paul’s own death. The Corinthians were looking for a leader powerful in speech, deeds, and personal presence, exuding confidence as an agent of God. Paul does not fit their bill, and perhaps that is the argument against him. To the Corinthians, he is no apostle.

God our Father, you sent your Son to us: grant that filled with your Spirit we may be renewed in faith, and inspired in hope and love, to spread the gospel of your kingdom to all humankind; through Christ our Lord.

Anglican Province of Central Africa