Second Epistle to the Corinthians
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the word of God. His testimony had been straightforward, uniform,
and harmonious, and exemplified by his own life.
He and his fellow-laborers had been, in their teachings and doc-
trine, unchangeable. Their course had been consistent and unwavering.
They had ever assured their hearers that salvation was to be found
alone in Christ. In matters of customs and ceremonies, the apostle
declared that he had wisely met the people where they were, that none
might be turned from the truth by pressing upon them that which was
of no vital importance. He had carefully instructed them in the truly
essential matters of the faith.
The apostle declares that their belief in the truths of the gospel
was not the result of wisdom of words in their teachers. No human
power had worked the great change. They had not been converted from
heathenism to Paul or to any other man, but to Christianity. God had
accepted them and made them his children, stamping his divine image
upon their hearts through the transforming power of his Spirit and
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grace. But it was necessary that those among them who had perverted
the gospel of Christ, and corrupted the pure doctrines taught by him,
should be rebuked, to prevent them from corrupting others, and that
all might be warned by seeing that the frown of God was upon those
enemies of the faith.
After informing his brethren of his great anxiety in their behalf, and
the relief that he experienced at the coming of Titus, the apostle breaks
forth with a voice of praise and triumph: “Now thanks be unto God,
which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the
savor of his knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a
sweet savor of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish.”
The figure in the apostle’s mind was that of a general returning from a
victorious warfare, followed by a train of captives, according to the
custom of the day. On such occasions there were persons appointed as
incense-bearers. As the army marched triumphantly home, the fragrant
odors, the signal of victory, were to the captives appointed to die a
savor of death, in that it showed them they were nearing the time of
their execution. But to those of the prisoners who had found favor with
their captors, and whose lives were to be spared, it was a savor of life,
in that it showed them that their freedom was near.
Paul had been an ardent opposer of the gospel, but he had been
conquered by light from Heaven, and had yielded himself a captive