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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadCambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges - 2 Corinthians 2:15 - 2:15
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15. ὅτι Χριστοῦ εὐωδία ἐσμὲν τῷ θεῷ. The ὅτι explains διʼ ἡμῶν. Those who diffuse the fragrant knowledge are now themselves spoken of as being to God (dat. comm.) a sweet odour (Dan 2:46 Theodot.) of Christ. The emphasis is on Χριστοῦ: For it is of Christ that we are a sweet odour to God. To God they are always this; but among men there is a difference, not because the knowledge of Christ varies in sweetness and salubrity, but because some men are ready to welcome it and some not. These two classes are distinguished as τοῖς σωζομένοις, those that are being saved, or are in the way of salvation (Luk 13:23; Act 2:47; 1Co 1:18), and τοῖς ἀπολλυμένοις, those that are perishing, or are in the way of perdition (2Co 4:3; 1Co 1:18; 2Th 2:10). The use of εὐωδία does not prove that the idea of sacrifice is here introduced: the burning of spices in triumphal processions sufficiently explains the metaphor. The sacrificial expression is ὁσμὴ εὐωδίας (Gen 8:21; Exo 29:18; Exo 29:25; Exo 29:41; about 40 times in the Pentateuch). Contrast Eph 5:2 and Php 4:18, where S. Paul not only says ὀσμὴν εὐωδίας, but adds θυσίαν, thus placing the sacrificial meaning beyond a doubt. See Hatch, Biblical Greek, p. 13.