Paul had gone to Troas where God had opened a door for him to preach the Gospel. There he planned to meet up with Titus. It seems that he had sent Titus from Ephesus to Corinth with his “sorrowful letter” (2 Cor 2:3) and agreed to meet in Troas so Titus could give him a report on the condition of the church. When Titus didn’t appear in Troas, Paul didn’t have peace of mind. He was concerned about the condition of the church and perhaps about Titus’s safety because he could have been carrying a portion of the Corinthian collection (2 Cor 8:6). So Paul left the ministry opportunity to head to Macedonia in search of Titus. The fact that Paul walked away from a God-given ministry opportunity reveals how deep his concern was for Titus and the church. He did later return to minister in Troas (Acts 20:5).

Paul digresses from this point and only returns to talk of his travels in 2 Cor 7:5. He switches focus from his own despair to the triumphant procession of Christ in which he finds himself. Paul uses the imagery of a Roman victory procession, a parade where a conquering general would lead his enemy prisoners who were forced to march behind him as a public spectacle. Through Christ, God has conquered His enemies and Paul views himself as marching in that parade. Paul saw himself as Christ’s captive (Phile 23, “fellow captive”). Incense was burned during these Roman processions and Paul saw his ministry as a fragrance to God. As they lived and preached in the world, they were an aroma of Christ. This aroma is diffused everywhere. To those who refuse to believe the gospel message, it is like the stench of death, reminding them of their future which they don’t want to think about. But to those who believe, the gospel is the fragrance of life. Paul humbly asked, “who is sufficient for these things?” He is amazed at what God did in and through him. He will answer his question later in (2 Cor 3:5-6). But now he contrasts his ministry with the false apostles who were so prevalent (2 Pet 2:1). The false teachers were peddlers of God’s word for profit. They were driven by self-interest and greed for money. But Paul and his team were sincere and had pure motives (2 Cor 1:12).

Does your life diffuse the aroma of Christ to those around you? When people see how you live and talk and act, do they see a light in the darkness (Matt 5:14-16)? Are you an encouragement to your fellow believers (1 Thes 5:11)?