Gospel Triumph (2 Corinthians 2:12–17)

by Doug Van Meter | 2 Corinthians Exposition

I recently spent two days with over fifty pastors at a retreat centre in New Hampshire, USA. These were gospel-faithful brothers, seeking to lead gospel-faithful churches. Each has a story of sorrow. Each has lost church members for seemingly silly reasons. Probably each has experienced apostasy in his church. Most are facing financial struggle and some serious health issues in their family. Nevertheless, each also can testify of gospel triumph. I sensed a fragrance of faith, an aroma of adoration, assurance, and joy. Rather than focusing on troubles, they are focusing on their triumphant Lord, which is essentially what Paul does in the text before us. We will study these six verses under three headings:

1. A Minister Troubled (vv. 12–13)
2. A Minister Triumphant (vv. 14–16a)
3. A Minister Tested (vv. 16b–17)

May the Lord help us to be encouraged, and faithful, in his gospel triumph. May we be an aroma well-pleasing to the Lord.

A Minister Troubled

Having appealed to the Corinthian church to forgive a repentant church member (vv. 5–11), Paul returns to an explanation of his changed travel plans (only to digress again after two verses!).

He explains, “When I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, even though a door was opened for me in the Lord, my spirit was not at rest because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I took leave of them and went on to Macedonia” (vv. 12–13).

Troas was in modern day Turkey. We read in Acts 16 that Paul received his Macedonian call in this city. He had now returned there for two reasons.

First, he came to evangelise the city. He had perhaps initially left Troas in a hurry to make course for Philippi (Acts 16) and now he returned to evangelise the city. We should note that, despite problems in Corinth, the Great Commission remained his priority.

Paul says that the Lord opened a door for productive gospel ministry in Troas and apparently he planted a church there (“so I took leave of them” [see Acts 20:6–7]).

But while apparently experiencing fruitful ministry, the Corinthian church was, to quote Willy Nelson, “always on his mind.” He was troubled because, though he had planned to meet up with Titus in Troas, he was nowhere to be found.

Remember that Paul had sent Titus in his place with a pastorally strong letter, and he was anxious to know the outcome. Having received no word from Titus, he was perhaps tempted to think the worst. “Did my letter make things worse?” (Have you ever been there?) “Has the church once again misunderstood my motives?” “Have the false apostles done irreversible damage?” “Have they refused to discipline the erring brother?”

Paul, with a pastor’s heart, carried great and daily congregational concern (11:28–29), but he had a particular burden for the saints in Corinth, who were being tempted away from the gospel (11:1–2). This was unbearable to him, as it should be to all Christians.

Paul was so troubled that he “took leave” from what seems to have been a thriving evangelistic ministry to hopefully find Titus in Macedonia (probably Philippi). When he arrived, he remain troubled until he finally met up with Titus (7:5).

What can we learn from this very transparent look into the life of Paul?

The Lord is the one who opens and closes gospel opportunities (see Acts 14:27; 13:38; Revelation 3:7–13). When the Lord makes a way, we should normally go in that way. But an opened door does not equate always to an easy or a “settled” time. As here. Paul was not relaxed. He not at peace. He was not feeling relief concerning how things were back in Corinth. Guthrie notes, “We should not read a lack of emotional peace as an indication that God has not led us in our ministries.”

Congregational problems must be addressed but not at the expense of the Great Commission. Keep preaching amid difficulties. Conscientious ministers live with this kind of ministerial “duality.” They are simultaneously blessed and burdened; happy and hurt; fruitful and fruitless; content and conflicted.

But neither are open doors necessarily commands to stay. Paul went to Macedonia out of concern for unfinished business in another local church. It is never a matter of merely counting heads, but rather of tending to the sheep. A careless attitude is not a virtue for the faithful minister. “Blessed are the flexible” is a necessary ministerial beatitude.

A Minister Triumphant

Suddenly (but not uncharacteristically), Paul breaks out into doxology, praising God for the gospel ministry the Lord has given to him.

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. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life.

2 Corinthians 2:14–16a

Yes, he was carrying a heavy burden. He had been tested to the point of death (1:8–9) and had been filled with anguish when he wrote that painful letter after his painful visit—and yet he thanked God for the triumph in which he had played a part.

Whatever else may be said about this doxological celebration, Paul could clearly find reasons to praise God amid his troubles. We need this joyful perspective arising from the conviction of gospel triumph. This joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10). Christians who faithfully follow Jesus Christ, who are not ashamed of the gospel, and who are faithful and yet sometimes evangelistically fruitless enter into the triumphant joy of the Lord. As Hughes observes, “The triumph of God’s grace over and through human frailty is a major theme of this letter.”

A Triumphant Procession

What is this “triumphal procession” and what part does the faithful minister play in it?

The Meaningful Metaphor

Paul’s reference to a “triumphal procession” would be familiar to his original readers. William Barclay explains,

The highest honour which could be given to a victorious Roman general was a “Triumph”. Before he could win it he must satisfy certain conditions. He must have been the actual commander-in-chief in the field. The campaign must have been completely finished, the region pacified and the victorious troops brought home. Five thousand of the enemy at least must have fallen in one engagement. A positive extension of territory must have been gained, and not merely a disaster retrieved or an attack repelled. And the victory must have been won over a foreign foe and not in a civil war.

When we consider what the Lord did through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, it is easy to see why Paul chose this metaphor to express praise to God.

Jesus was the Commander-in-Chief who secured the victory over sin, guilt, and Satan. He came as the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:21). He finished the campaign (John 19:30). He brought home every one of his victorious people (Colossians 2:13–15). He defeated an almost innumerable host when he died and rose again (Colossians 2:13–15; etc.).

The extension of territory that Jesus secured with his victory was all of heaven and earth, all the nations, all the peoples of the world (Matthew 28:18–20; 2 Corinthians 5:19). His victory was not a civil war. He conquered both Satanic foes and the sons of Adam, whose allegiance was to another world (1 John 2:15–17; etc.).

In sum, as Barclay puts it, Paul “sees the conquering Christ marching in triumph throughout the world, and himself in that conquering train. It is a triumph which, Paul is certain, nothing can stop.” The point is that God secures his victory through gospel proclamation. He will save his people. He will build his church. His kingdom will fully come. His new creation one day will fully arrive. Meanwhile, we celebrate both the already and the not yet.

The reference to a “triumphal procession” is significant because of what it portrays concerning authentic gospel ministry, which is at the heart of chapters 1–7.

Paul here begins a long, but essential, digression, explaining the authenticity, genuineness, and integrity of his gospel ministry—particularly to the Corinthian believers. He will argue that God’s assured triumphal advance of his kingdom is the reason he need not play fast and loose with the gospel. God’s promised and assured gospel victory provided him with sufficient confidence for a ministry of integrity. God saves. Paul was merely the instrument to proclaim the pure, unadulterated gospel. As he will argue in chapter 4, if that message is rejected by the spiritually lost, that was not on him. He was faithful. As Tasker summarises, “Christ’s triumphal procession moved steadily forward across the world in spite of apparent set-backs; and in that procession Paul had a proud and honourable place.”

A Powerful Fragrance

In a Roman triumphal procession, incense would attend the victorious party. Paul refers to this metaphor when he writes, “And through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.” Wherever Paul preached Christ, a pleasing aroma ascended to God.

Paul likens his proclamation of the gospel to this fragrance of victory. This word is found only twice outside of 2 Corinthians 2: in John 12:3, where Mary perfumed Jesus’ feet and hair and the “fragrance filled the house”; and Philippians 4:18, where Paul writes of the “fragrant” financial offering of the Philippians as a Christlike sacrifice.

God is the triumphant ruler and his victory is made known through preaching that “smells of Jesus.” Guthrie comments, “It is a fragrance that ultimately has its source in Christ, and rises up to God.” And Tasker says it well: “As nothing delights the heart of God more than the preaching of the gospel of Christ, those who proclaim it can truly be described as ‘a sweet savour unto God.’”

Paul is saying that his gospel proclaiming ministry, and the gospel proclaiming ministry of his fellow labourers (us), is God’s means of spreading the knowledge of his redemptive victory wherever they preach.

This is a wonderful way to look at gospel ministry. God is the victor. He is triumphant and we are privileged to accompany him as he makes his victory known through our gospel proclamation. The victory is his, but we are privileged to share in it. This puts our ministry in perspective. God gets the glory because the victory is his. We get the joy of knowing he has secured the triumph. This knowledge equips us with confident joy as we preach his victorious gospel. Our gospel-grounded ministry must carry the aroma of Jesus Christ, which is a sweet aroma to God.

A Triumphant Proclamation

Paul continues, “For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life” (vv. 15–16).

He elaborates on this “fragrant theme”: Gospel proclamation has a distinct aroma, namely, “the aroma of Christ.” Besides here, this word is used in Ephesians 5:2 and Philippians 4:18 where it refers to the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. In both places, it speaks of his sacrifice as being a sweet aroma to God.

In the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the word is used similarly when it speaks of the sacrifices as being a pleasing aroma to God—literally, “in his nostrils.”

Pleasant and Putrid

Paul says that his Christ-centred gospel ministry is an aroma to God, regardless of the response of its hearers. When he preaches the gospel to “those who are being saved,” the proclamation of Jesus Christ is sweet to the Father. Likewise when he preaches the gospel to those who are perishing.

Again, Paul was persuaded that, when people were indifferent—even indignant—to his gospel ministry, God was pleased. You see, the truth of the gospel is not dependent upon a response. The gospel glorifies God, regardless of man’s response. If the lost reject the gospel, the Father is well-pleased because Christ has been proclaimed.

This is an encouragement as we carry out the Great Commission. Remembering that God is our audience keeps us focused on who we are to please. As Paul will argue, it keeps us faithful to his message, rejecting temptations to adulterate the message.

This truth helps us to avoid the temptation to make the message palatable, including the temptation to change its “aroma” so that the spiritually dead will find it appealing and attractive.

Remember this as you share the gospel. The results are not your responsibility. This equips us with wonderful freedom to faithfully and fully proclaim the gospel as we keep our eye on things above, not things upon the earth. Though you will carry a heavy heart for the unsaved and their indifference, if not their indignance, towards the gospel, what will keep you going is the smile of God as your proclamation is a pleasing aroma to him (Leviticus 1:9; etc.). When we share in the sufferings of Christ as we proclaim him to often indifferent and indignant world, be encouraged that our God is pleased. His smile, in the end, is all that matters.

In the hymn, “What Contradictions Meet,” the writer expresses the sorrow felt by preachers of the gospel:

Who can describe the pain,
which faithful preachers feel,
constrained to preach in vain
to hearts as hard as steel?
Or who can tell the pleasures felt,
when stubborn hearts begin to melt?”

If some small hope appear,
they still are not content;
but with a jealous fear,
they watch for the event:
Too oft they find their hopes deceived;
then how their inmost souls are grieved!

It is at such times of the “inmost soul grieved” that the minister of the gospel can look above, knowing the smile of God that Christ has been preached, despite small or even no visible fruit. The aroma lingers before God’s throne above. In the end, that is the most important matter. The Lord is never disappointed with the results of faithful gospel ministry. After all, he is sovereignly working his plan. As Calvin put it, faithful gospel proclamation “is never preached in vain but is effective, leading either to life or death.”

A Deadly Aroma

As the triumphal procession moves along the streets and the aroma of incense wafts in the air, those sharing in the victory celebrate that their lives have been spared from the onslaught of the enemy. They rejoice and praise the victorious general.

However, to those taken captive, who follow behind, the aroma informs them of their impending death. “For them, the incense celebrating the triumphator’s victory stinks, reminding them of the death that awaits them at a climactic moment in the parade” (Guthrie).

Likewise, the proclamation of the gospel to those who remain perishing in their sins intensifies both their accountability and their judgement (“death to death.”). As Seifrid explains, “Faith detects the fragrance of life, unbelief can smell only the stench of death.”

Each indifferent dismissal of the gospel, each indignant refusal to bow the knee to King Jesus, intensifies the judgement. After all, to whom much is given, much is required.

On the other hand, the appreciation of eternal life to those saved by the gospel grows in intensity (“from life to life”) the more they smell the aroma of the gospel.

If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, then we might equally say that pleasant aroma is in the nostril of the smeller. So, when it comes to the gospel.

When believers hear about the crucified Son of God who laid down his life for hell-deserving sinners, we are moved to humble delight and adoration. We love to hear the old, old story of Jesus and his love. In fact, we gather regularly each Lord’s Day in hopes of smelling the aroma of God’s love manifested in the death, burial, and resurrection of his Son.

However, unbelievers might find themselves repulsed by the same truth. Throughout history, the satisfactory, substitutionary, blood-shedding, life-giving, sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ has been hated and vilified by unbelievers. The same gospel that thrills the soul of the Christian is a stench to the unbeliever. They don’t have the spiritual olfactory ability to smell the beauty of our Saviour Jesus Christ.

The solution is not to try and change the recipe of the gospel fragrance. If you do that, you are no longer preaching the true and only gospel that saves. An adulterated gospel, like cheap perfume, might smell good for a while, but eventually it proves to be worthless.

To the Christian, an adulterated gospel is in fact putrid. The believer’s spiritual nose is trained to discern true from false. This brings us to the last point, in which Paul reveals the necessary ingredients of a ministry that is a well-pleasing aroma to God.

A Minister Tested

Paul asks a serious question, which is not rhetorical: “Who is sufficient for these things?” He follows up: “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” (vv. 16–17).

Paul’s question is a logical one. Since the victory is the Lord’s, how could we possibly be sufficient to be a part of such a triumphal gospel procession in which we are proclaiming both eternal life and eternal death? Who can possibly raise their hand and say, “I can do this!” Well, Paul’s response might surprise us for, in essence, he answers, “I am.”

Paul is saying to the Corinthian church, “Put my ministry to the test. I can claim to walk triumphantly with God in Christ in my ministry because I carry out his gospel ministry with integrity.” This is at the heart of v. 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.”

The word “for” connects with the previous statement. Paul is contrasting his ministry with “peddlers of God’s word.” It is because he is not a “peddling preacher” that he is competent, able, and worthy to preach. That is, he is “sufficient” to carry on such a triumph ministry in the face of God. Because he is not a peddler, he is pleasing.

The word “peddler” speaks of those who make money by selling anything, but particularly those who get sordid gain in their dealing in anything. Sometimes, crooks would adulterate a product thus making an unjustified profit. As Paul uses the term, he is referring to those who try to get base gain by teaching divine truth (Thayer). Unlike the false apostles, Paul and his ministerial associates preach from pure, holy motives. There are three tests of his gospel ministry. We might say that there are three necessary ingredients for a ministry that is a pleasing aroma to God.

Sincerity

A pleasing ministry is not mercenary but is rather marked by “sincerity.” The word speaks of purity and thus holiness of motive. Paul’s ministry is unrebukable and his message unadulterated.

Stewardship

Paul ministers the gospel under the conviction that he is “commissioned by God.” The word “commissioned” is supplied by the translators. The literal translation is “of God.” Paul would not peddle God’s word because it is God’s word and because he saw himself as a God-appointed steward of it.

This principle of stewardship is key to integrity in ministry. The gospel is God’s gospel (e.g. Romans 1:1)—Christ’s gospel (Romans 15:19)—and therefore we dare not tamper with it. We must handle it with holy hands, holy lives, and holy lips. We dare not adulterate it by seeking to make it more acceptable and more palatable. It is not ours to tamper with.

Sonship

Paul ministers the gospel under the awareness of Coram Deo: “In the sight of God we speak in Christ.”

Paul ministered consciously before the face of God “in Christ.” Like God’s Son, he wanted to please his Father. With such devotion, he would not play fast and loose with God’s message. Again—and this cannot be overemphasised—God is the ultimate and only audience that truly matters when we proclaim his gospel. Keeping this before us equips us to minister with integrity.

The Christian’s union in Christ is a major theme in Paul’s writings and was a precious truth to him. Being “in Christ” secures our justification, our sanctification, and our final glorification. Therefore, the last thing Paul would want to do is play fast and loose with the gospel message of Christ, which brings all these things to into his life. He wanted to bear fruit for Jesus Christ and therefore he did all he could to abide in him, including faithfully handling his ministry.

Conclusion

Simply, Paul is saying that he is qualified to march in this triumphal procession with King Jesus—he is qualified to be an aroma of both spiritual life and spiritual death—because his gospel ministry is one of integrity. It is the integrity of his ministry through which Christ equips him to join in God’s triumphant march. He will make it clear in a few verses that his sufficiency is because of Christ’s sufficiency (3:4–6). Nevertheless, he was not shy to confidently proclaim that he had God’s approval. He was the real deal and his ministry was commended by God.

The Lord Jesus Christ makes the difference between unscrupulous peddlers of God’s word and unreproachable preachers of God’s word. These are the kind of spiritual leaders the church needs and that God, of course, requires. And they should be affirmed and appropriately respected—an argument that Paul will continue to make through chapter 7.

May each of us strive to be this kind of Christian. Let us pray and work towards filling leadership roles with such individuals. Keep your leaders accountable to this standard. Support them as they keep this standard.

AMEN