What is that smell?

Jesus Christ Is Lord!
7 September 2010

Do you understand what Paul is saying when he talks about the savour?

2 Corinthians 2
14Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
15For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
16To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
17For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.

The way to understand it is that it is the manifestation that is undeniable even to those who cannot see or hear.

Verse 17 the word kapeleuontes, from kapelos, is translated corrupt. The literal meaning is huckster or retail. If you don’t get it turn your television to the religious channels. You will see the money addicts huckstering and retailing their devices.

The word eilikrineias, from eilikrines, meaning judged by sunlight and is translated sincerity.
The story behind the word is that statues, and idols, were placed in the sunlight to expose the imperfection that the retailers would hide by filling them with wax.

Now, even if they can’t see the light they feel the heat, and even if they can’t hear the call to the feast they can smell the meat cooking.

They know their time is short, and they are going to have to give it all up. They will fight until the end but the outcome is inevitable.

The word savour in verse 15 is a word that always means good scent and in the other three places here it is a scent that can be either good or bad.

My interlinear Bible translates verse 14 – 17 literally as:
“But to God thanks, He always leading in triumph us in Christ, and the odor of the knowledge of Him revealing through us in every place; because of Christ a sweet smell we are to God in those being saved and in those being lost; to the one, an odor of death unto death; the other an odor of life unto life. And for these things who is enough? not For we are as the many, hawking the word of God, but as sincerity, but as of God in the sight of God, in Christ, we speak.”

And for these thing who is hikonos? (literally meaning – to arrive, competent, as coming in season, ample in amount or in character) The answer is in verse 6 and should be understood as the price has been paid already and there should be no need to pay any further.

In verse 6 it says that epitimia is sufficient. The word is only used here; epi meaning the superimposition of timia the price of the penalty. The verb is used in the Matthew 8:26 and is translated rebuked, and rebuke in 2 Timothy 4:2.

Matthew 8
25And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
26And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
27But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!

2 Timothy 4
1I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.
3For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
5But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

Full wisdom is condescension and interposition. The rebuke is sufficient.

But, the word translated savour in Matthew 5:13 and Luke 14:34 is a different word. The word there is moraine, meaning to become insipid or to act as a simpleton. It is the same word used in Romans 1:22 and translated fools.

Matthew 5
13Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

Romans 1
16For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
17For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

Psalms 75

In the Name of
Jesus Christ My Lord
Thank You My Father