2 Corinthians 2:12-17 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is 2 Corinthians 2:12-17. Let’s go!
2 Corinthians 2:12-13 (NIV)
12 Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door for me,
13 I still had no peace of mind, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said good-by to them and went on to Macedonia.
On verses 12-13: Have you ever anxiously awaited a response from someone – maybe a text, an e-mail, a phone call – and found yourself unable to focus much on anything else until you get their response? That was Paul’s situation. Paul had gone to the city of Troas to preach the gospel and found that people were responding positively to his message (“the Lord had opened a door for me” – v12). But Paul was distracted because at the same time he was waiting for Titus to give him an update on how the Corinthian church was doing, especially after Paul had written a strong letter rebuking them. When he did not Titus in Troas, Paul decided to leave Troas despite the good work that was going on there, and go to Macedonia.
What can we learn from this? Because Paul was distracted by the state of his relationship with the Corinthian church, Paul couldn’t really focus on the mission to share the gospel with people in Troas. The state of our relationships can have a real impact on our ability to focus on our work and do our work well. It can also affect our ability to bless and lead others. It’s no wonder that Jesus tells us to seek reconciliation and peace in our relationships before offering our gift at the altar. It’s also no wonder that Paul says that an overseer of a church needs to have a good and healthy life at home, for if my private life is out of order, I will not last or be as effective as I could be in helping others.
2 Corinthians 2:14 (NIV)
14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.
On verse 14: Paul saw that despite Paul being distracted by relationship tensions between him and the church in Corinth, God was still in control and would use him to lead others to God in spite of his weakness and limitations. Here Paul is alluding to one of the major themes in 2 Corinthians, which is that God loves to reveal His power in and through weak, broken people. Despite our weaknesses and limitations, God can and does still use us to spread to others the fragrance of the knowledge of him.
2 Corinthians 2:15-16a (NIV)
15 For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.
16 To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life…
On verses 15-16a: God considers us (“we are to God” – v15) to be the aroma of Christ, whether we are among Christians and those who are on their way to faith in Christ (“those who are being saved”) or among those who are rejecting Christ (“those who are perishing”). To some we might smell great, like the fragrance of life, whereas to others we might smell like death. But what counts is that to God, we are the aroma of Christ. In other words, it’s God’s opinion of you that counts far more than people’s opinions of you. Who you are “to God” is much more important than who you are to people.
2 Corinthians 2:16b (NIV)
16 …And who is equal to such a task?
On verse 16b: No one deserves to be used by God. As Paul says, “who is equal to such a task?” – v16). Rather, it is out of God’s undeserved mercy and grace that He uses us for this purpose. So whenever God uses you to bless others, don’t let it get to your head. Remember that no one is equal to such a task and that it is ultimately because of God’s mercy and grace that God uses us.
2 Corinthians 2:17 (NIV)
17 Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God.
On verse 17: Here Paul reveals his motives for wanting to share God’s Word and spread the gospel of Jesus to others. Paul’s motive was not to make a profit but to fulfill a calling, “like men sent from God” (v17). Notice that while Paul is actively trying to reach people and serve them, he is always conscious of whom he is doing all this for. Even though Paul is dealing with people, Paul sees himself as speaking “before God”, like “men sent from “from God”. May we have the same attitude when we serve, that even though we are serving and dealing with people, it is the Lord whom we are serving and it is His calling we are fulfilling.
Heavenly Father, thank You that what matters most is what You think and say about me over what people think and say about me. May I live each day knowing that it is for You that I live. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
