* See, further, on Col. ii. 15. G.C. Finlay, in an article on ‘‘St. Paul’s Use of SpiauBedw” (‘‘ Expositor,” first series, x., 403), tries to show that the expres-
Cu. IL.J THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. 299
Render, as Rev., which always leadeth us in triumph in Christ. Compare ch. x. 5.
The savour of His knowledge. According to the Greek usage, savowr and knowledge are in apposition, so that the knowledge of Christ is symbolized as an odor communicating its nature and efficacy through the apostle’s work, “ permeating the world as a cloud of frankincense ” (Stanley). For a similar usage see on ch. i. 22. The idea of the Roman triumph is still preserved in this figure. On these occasions the temples were all thrown open, garlands of flowers decorated every shrine and image, and incense smoked on every altar, so that the victor was greeted with a cloud of perfume. Compare Aeschylus on the festivities at the return of Agamemnon from Troy :
“* The altars blaze with gifts ; And here and there, heaven-high the torch uplifts Flame,—medicated with persuasions mild, With foul admixture unbeguiled— Of holy unguent, from the clotted chrism Brought from the palace, safe in its abysm.” “‘ Agamemnon,” 91-96, Browning’s Translation.
15. A sweet savour of Christ (Xpictod edwSia). Compare Eph. v. 2; Philip. iv. 18. Asso often in Paul’s writings, the figure shifts; the apostolic teachers themselves being repre- sented as an odor, their Christian personality redolent of Christ. It is not merely a sweet odor produced by Christ, but Christ Himself is the savour which exhales in their character and work.
16. To the one a savour, etc. (dcp). Returning to the word used in ver. 14, which is more general than ebwdda sweet savour, denoting an odor of any kind, salutary or deadly, and therefore more appropriate here, where it is used in both senses. The two words are combined, Eph. v. 2; Philip. iv. 18.
sion is cast in the figure of the Bacchic festival, and not of the Roman tri- umph. He thinks that the military reference is not borne out by the use of the verb in Plutarch, Appian, and Herodian, and seems to imply that Paul was ignorant of the Roman triumph. At least he says: ‘‘When Paul wrote to the Corinthians he had not yet seen Rome.”’
3800 WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. [Cx. IT.
Of death (é« Javdrov). Rev., better, giving the force of the preposition, proceeding from, wasted from death. The figure is carried out with reference to the different effects of the Gos- pel, as preached by the apostles, upon different persons. The divine fragrance itself may have, to Christ’s enemies, the effect of a deadly odor. The figure was common in rabbinical writ- ings. Thus: ‘“ Whoever bestows labor on the law for the sake of the law itself, it becomes to him a savour of life; and who- ever does not bestow labor on the law for the law’s sake, it be- comes a savour of death.” ‘Even as the bee brings sweetness to its own master, but stings others, so also are the words of the law; a saving odor to the Israelites, but a deadly odor to the Gentiles.” These are specimens of a great many.
Some find here an allusion to a revolting feature of the Ro- man triumph. Just asthe procession was ascending the Capitol- ine Hill, some of the captive chiefs were taken into the adjoin- ing prison and put to death. ‘ Thus the sweet odors which to the victor—a Marius or a Julius Caesar—and to the spectators were a symbol of glory and success and happiness, were to the
wretched victims—a Jugurtha or a Vercingetorix—an odor of death” (Farrar).*
Sufficient (‘cavds). See on Rom. xv. 23.
17. Which corrupt («azndevortes). Only here in the New Testament. From x«dandos a huckster or pedler ; also a tavern- keeper. The xdmndoet formed a distinct class among the Greek dealers, distinguished from the éuzrépot merchants or wholesale dealers. So Plato: “Is not retadler (xamndovs) the term which is applied to those who sit in the market-place buying and sell- ing, while those who wander from one city to another are called merchants ?” (“ Republic,” 371; compare ‘“ Statesman,” 260). The term included dealers in victuals and all sorts of wares, but was especially applied to retailers of wine, with whom adult- eration and short measure were matters of course. Galen speaks of wine-dealers xammAevovres tovs olvovs playing tricks