The Aroma Of Christ: What Did Paul Really Mean?

Today when we think of fragrance, we tend to think of luxury, self-expression or maybe a favourite perfume sitting on our dressing table.

However, in the ancient world, fragrance was woven into everyday life in ways that can feel quite unfamiliar to us.

Throughout the Old Testament, carefully blended incense was burned before the Lord as part of Israel's worship! Exodus gives wonderfully detailed instructions for creating the sacred incense.. so detailed, in fact, that God forbade His people from recreating it for ordinary use. It was set apart for Him alone. Time and time again, Scripture describes these offerings as 'a pleasing aroma to the Lord.'

Then there were anointing oils, prepared with precious spices and fragrant resins, used to consecrate priests, kings and the furnishings of the tabernacle. Fragrance became closely associated with holiness, worship and God's presence among His people, but that wasn't the only picture Paul's readers would have recognised.

Fragrance Was Never Just About Smelling Nice

'For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.'
2 Corinthians 2:15

Have you ever read a verse so many times that you almost stop noticing how unusual it really is? I think this is one of those verses... See, Paul doesn't tell us that we should be simply speaking about Christ, or even that we should reflect Christ, although both of those things are definitely true through other places in Scripture. Instead, he chooses a rather unexpected picture.. He says that we are the aroma of Christ. Not that we carry an aroma, or that we should smell good...but that we ourselves have become a fragrance.

It's beautiful language, but if I'm honest, it's also slightly confusing. What does that actually mean? Like, why fragrance? Out of all the metaphors Paul could have chosen, why does he speak about scent?

As I began looking into this passage, I realised something fascinating. To the people hearing Paul's letter for the very first time, fragrance wasn't simply associated with perfume. It carried deep spiritual, cultural and even political significance! In fact, the more we understand the world Paul was writing into, the more this verse begins to come alive.

A Roman Triumph

When Paul wrote to the Corinthians, the Roman Empire was at the height of its power, and many of his readers would have been familiar with something known as a Roman triumph. A triumph was a grand public procession celebrating a military victory. The victorious general would enter the city surrounded by soldiers, musicians and crowds of people celebrating the conquest. Incense was burned throughout the streets, filling the air with fragrance as the procession passed by.

What's so fascinating is that everyone smelt the same incense, yet that same fragrance meant two completely different things depending on who you were. For the victorious soldiers and citizens, it was the smell of celebration, freedom and triumph but for the defeated captives walking behind the procession, it signified judgement and death. The fragrance itself hadn't changed, only the response to it had.

When Paul says, 'we are the aroma of Christ', many scholars believe this triumphal procession is part of the picture he has in mind. He even begins the passage by saying, 'Thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ...' before immediately speaking about fragrance, I don't think that's a coincidence, do you?

The Fragrance Doesn't Come From Us

One of the things I love most about this passage is that Paul never suggests we make up this fragrance ourselves.

Think about perfume for a moment..if I were to spray a fragrance onto a piece of fabric, that fabric would begin carrying the scent wherever it went. The fragrance wouldn't originate from the fabric itself; it would simply bear the aroma of something that had been placed upon it.I wonder if that's something of what Paul wants us to see.

As Christians, we don't strive to produce holiness through our own strength or somehow manufacture the character of Christ ourselves. Rather, as we remain close to Jesus, His life begins to shape ours. His love becomes more visible. His patience becomes more evident. His kindness, humility and compassion begin overflowing into the lives of those around us. Much like fragrance, these things cannot always be seen, but they can most definitely be noticed.

Fragrance Always Changes the Atmosphere

One of the most wonderful things about scent is that it refuses to stay contained. The moment a perfume is sprayed, it begins moving beyond the bottle. It fills the space around it, often reaching people long before they know where it's come from and Paul's picture seems to work in the same way.
Our lives were never meant to keep the knowledge of Christ hidden away. As we walk with Him, His character naturally begins influencing the places we live, work and serve. Sometimes we won't even realise it's happening. A kind word spoken at the right moment, quiet faithfulness when no one is watching, choosing forgiveness over bitterness..even showing generosity when it would be easier to keep for ourselves.These things have a way of travelling further than we often realise.

Not because we're remarkable, but because Christ is.

Why Do Some People Reject the Fragrance?

This is probably the most sobering part of Paul's words. He says that the aroma of Christ is 'the fragrance of life' to some and 'the fragrance of death' to others.

At first, that sounds a little unsettling...but remember the Roman triumph. The incense itself wasn't different, the response to it depended entirely on whether someone stood among the victors or the captives. In much the same way, the gospel always invites a response to which some receive Christ with joy, whilst others reject Him.. however, the response doesn't change who Jesus is..nor does it change our calling.

Our responsibility is not to control how people respond to the gospel, it is simply to faithfully carry His fragrance wherever He leads us. The work of changing hearts has always belonged to the Holy Spirit.

Let's Reflect Together...

As I sat with this passage, I found myself asking a few questions that maybe are worth considering too.

• When people spend time with me, what do they leave remembering?

• Am I spending enough time with Christ that His character is naturally shaping mine?

• Are there areas of my life where I've been trying to manufacture spiritual fruit rather than remaining close to Jesus?

• If fragrance naturally fills every room it enters, what atmosphere does my life create for those around me?

T&C's

Experience God's Word Through Scent