Scripture Reading: 2 Cor. 2:14-16
Ⅰ
Second Corinthians 2:14-16 reveals that we may express Christ by triumphing in Him in our ministry:
A
Verse 14 refers to the conquered captives in the train of Christ's triumph, celebrating and participating in His triumph:
１
Paul likened his and his co-workers' ministry to a celebration of Christ's victory; their move in their ministry for Christ was like a triumphal procession going from one place to another under God's leading.
２
Paul and his co-workers were Christ's captives; they had been conquered by Christ and had become His captives—Eph. 4:8.
３
The apostles' move as captives of Christ in their ministry for Him was God's celebration of Christ's victory over His enemies—Col. 2:14-15; Heb. 2:14.
４
In 2 Corinthians 2:14 Paul indicates that he was a captive of Christ:
ａ
As one of the captives in a train of defeated foes, Paul was being led in Christ's triumphal procession; God led him from city to city as a captive to celebrate the victory of Christ—Acts 13:4-5, 13-14; 15:40-41; 17:1, 6.
ｂ
Paul was a rebel against Christ, but he became an apostle by being captured by Christ, and then he went from city to city to preach Christ as one in the train of vanquished foes—Eph. 4:8; Acts 22:21; 28:14b.
B
The ministers of the new covenant are captives in a triumphal procession for the celebration of Christ's victory—2 Cor. 2:12-14:
１
The proper ministry of the New Testament is a triumphal procession celebrating Christ's victory and testifying of Christ as the Victor—3:6.
２
As captives of Christ, we have been defeated by Him, captured by Him, and subdued by Him, and we say Amen to His victory and praise Him.
３
On the one hand, through His death and resurrection Christ has vanquished us and captured us; on the other hand, in our experience Christ must conquer us, subdue us, and capture us—S. S. 4:1b, 4; 7:4a.
Ⅱ
As captives in Christ's triumphal procession, we manifest the savor of the knowledge of Him in every place—2 Cor. 2:14b:
A
In verse 14 Paul also likens himself and his co-workers to incense-bearers scattering the savor of the knowledge of Christ in His triumphant ministry as in a triumphal procession:
１
On the one hand, the apostles were captives; on the other hand, they were those bearing incense, the fragrance of Christ.
２
The apostles, being permeated with Christ, became a fragrance of Christ to God; they were not merely a sweet savor produced by Christ, but Christ Himself was the savor being exhaled in their life and work to God—v. 15.
B
The transcendent power of Christ's resurrection in us enables us to endure the sufferings that others cannot bear and to live a life that others cannot live, thereby manifesting the fragrance of Christ—1:9; 2:14-15; Phil. 3:10:
１
Through the power of His resurrection, Christ leads us in joyful triumph and manifests the savor of the knowledge of Him through us.
２
If in our daily living we enjoy Christ, depend on Christ, fellowship with Christ, and are filled with Christ, others will sense the fragrance of Christ in us; this fragrance is Christ living Himself out from us—1:21a.
C
The excellent knowledge of Christ is a fragrance, an aroma—3:8; 2 Cor. 2:14:
１
We who have been brought into Christ's triumphal procession speak to others the excellent knowledge of Christ—v. 14.
２
As the Lord leads us in triumph, we speak to others about Christ, and what we say concerning Him is a sweet-smelling savor—4:5; 2:14-15:
ａ
Whenever we speak Christ, this speaking is the spreading of the fragrance of Christ—Acts 8:4-5; 17:18.
ｂ
As we speak Christ to others, in our speaking, the fragrance of Christ ascends to God for His enjoyment—2 Cor. 2:15.
D
The apostles were a fragrance of Christ to God because they were saturated and permeated by Christ and with Christ—Eph. 3:17a; S. S. 3:6:
１
When they spoke of Christ to others, the Christ with whom they were constituted spread Himself out from their being and became a sweet fragrance to God for His enjoyment—2 Cor. 4:5; 2:15.
２
Wherever they went, God could manifest through them the fragrance of Christ—vv. 14-15.
３
This should be our experience today; while we are speaking of Christ, He should come forth as a sweet fragrance—4:5.
４
Bearing incense involves the divine dispensing—2:14b-16; 13:14:
ａ
Through the divine dispensing of the Divine Trinity, we can mature in life and triumph in our ministry—Eph. 4:13, 15-16; 2 Cor. 2:14.
ｂ
We should allow Christ to spread through us His sweet fragrance to God for His enjoyment—v. 15.
ｃ
The spreading of incense takes place through the divine dispensing of the Divine Trinity into our being—Eph. 3:16-19.
E
The manifestation of the savor of the knowledge of Christ has a twofold effect, a twofold result: it either results in life unto life or in death unto death—Phil. 3:8; 2 Cor. 2:15-16.
F
As we are led by Christ in His triumphal procession, God manifests the savor of the knowledge of Christ as a fragrance to God—in those who are being saved, a savor of life unto life, and in those who are perishing, a savor of death unto death; this is a matter of our expressing Christ as a sweet fragrance in our ministry—vv. 14-16.