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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
John Chrysostom
"For we are a sweet savor of Christ unto God, in them that are saved and in them that perish." Whether, saith he, one be saved or be lost, the Gospel continues to have its proper virtue: and as the light, although it blindeth the weakly, is still light, though causing blindness; and as honey, though it be bitter to those who are diseased, is in its nature sweet; so also is the Gospel of sweet savor, even though some should be lost who believe it not. For not It, but their own perverseness, worketh the perdition. …
Theophylact of Ohrid
He says this both because we offer ourselves as a sacrifice, dying for Christ, and because at the slaying of Christ we too send up a certain fragrance. The meaning of his words is as follows: whether someone is saved or perishes, the Gospel preserves its dignity and we continue to be what we are. …
Irenaeus
For as they were saved by means of the blindness of the Egyptians, so are we, too, by that of the Jews; if, indeed, the death of the Lord is the condemnation of those who fastened Him to the cross, and who did not believe His advent, but the salvation of those who believe in Him. …
Western Saints
Gregory the Dialogist
In a mystical sense, that woman represented us, us, if we return to the Lord with our whole heart after our sins, if we imitate her mourning of penitence. For what is expressed by the ointment except the fragrance of good reputation? Hence Paul also says: "We are the good fragrance of Christ to God in every place." If therefore we do right works by which we spread the fragrance of good reputation upon the Church, what do we pour upon the Lord's body but ointment?
Thomas Aquinas
But because some might say, What is the fragrance of God in every place? For there are many places in which our preaching is not accepted. The Apostle explains this, saying: I do not care, because whether they accept our preaching or not, the knowledge of God is manifest everywhere through us, because we are the aroma of Christ to God, namely, to the honor of God. He says this in a likeness to the Law, where it is said that a sacrifice becomes the sweetest fragrance of sweetness to God. …
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