Fathers

2 Corinthians 2

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But I determined this for myself, that I would not come to you again in sorrow. For if I make you grieve, then who will make me glad but he who is made to grieve by me? And I wrote this very thing to you, so that, when I came, I wouldn’t have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy would be shared by all of you. For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears, not that you should be made to grieve, but that you might know the love that I have so abundantly for you. But if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow, not to me, but in part (that I not press too heavily) to you all. This punishment which was inflicted by the many is sufficient for such a one; so that on the contrary you should rather forgive him and comfort him, lest by any means such a one should be swallowed up with his excessive sorrow. Therefore I beg you to confirm your love toward him. For to this end I also wrote, that I might know the proof of you, whether you are obedient in all things. Now I also forgive whomever you forgive anything. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, that no advantage may be gained over us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes. Now when I came to Troas for the Good News of Christ, and when a door was opened to me in the Lord, I had no relief for my spirit, because I didn’t find Titus, my brother, but taking my leave of them, I went out into Macedonia. Now thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and reveals through us the sweet aroma of his knowledge in every place. For we are a sweet aroma of Christ to God, in those who are saved and in those who perish: to the one a stench from death to death, to the other a sweet aroma from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? For we are not as so many, peddling the word of God. But as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, we speak in Christ.

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What the Fathers say

2 Corinthians 2:15

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. …

Homily 5 on 2 Corinthians ↗

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. …

Commentary on 2 Corinthians ↗

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. …

Against Heresies Book 4 ↗

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?

Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 33 ↗

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. …

Commentary on 2 Corinthians ↗