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Post by sarah on Feb 7, 2007 21:59:28 GMT -8
11/05:
I don't know why but I have always found the aroma of Christ part of this chapter intriguing. Which one do we smell like death to? Is it the saved because we have become living sacrifices, or is it the unsaved because it runs counter to what they have known? I suspect that we smell like death to those who are saved, but the imagery is odd to me. "it is by faith you stand firm" I like that. Working on that.........
I also like Paul's instructions to forgive and reafirm their love for the man caught in sin so that he is not overwhelmed by "excessive sorrow". It provides a good counterbalance to the instructions given in 1 Corinthians
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Post by Josh on Feb 7, 2007 22:10:10 GMT -8
11/05:
Interesting how an 'open door' wasn't enough for Paul to stay at Troas... hmmm.... I think we are the fragrance of life to those who are being saved. It does indeed have to do with us being living sacrifices. In the Pentateuch (see Lev. 3:16, for example) the phrase "as a pleasing aroma before God" is used over and over again to describe sacrifices. And Isaiah later says that in the New Covenant, it will be the Gentiles themselves who will be God's true sacrifices (this is an AWESOME passage):
Isaiah 66: 19 “I will set a sign among them, and I will send some of those who survive to the nations—to Tarshish, to the Libyans and Lydians (famous as archers), to Tubal and Greece, and to the distant islands that have not heard of my fame or seen my glory. They will proclaim my glory among the nations. 20 And they will bring all your brothers, from all the nations, to my holy mountain in Jerusalem as an offering to the LORD—on horses, in chariots and wagons, and on mules and camels,” says the LORD. “They will bring them, as the Israelites bring their grain offerings, to the temple of the LORD in ceremonially clean vessels. 21 And I will select some of them also to be priests and Levites,” says the LORD.
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Post by michelle on Feb 7, 2007 22:12:10 GMT -8
11/05:
"For I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you." It seems that Paul got the idea that the Corinthians felt more deconstructive criticism than constructive criticism in the first letter they received. I don't think it's hard to see why. The first letter had a much more "parental" tone to it. I like that Paul recognizes how his letter was received and clarifies it's intent.
I too was intrigued by the aroma part of this chapter. I would also guess by the order given (those who are being saved and those who are perishing; smell of death and fragrance of life) that we smell like death to those who are being saved. I think this is because those who are being saved are dying in their old life to be reborn in Christ. I'm sure there are several parallels that can be drawn to the "smell" metaphor.
I love that love (especially for others) is a constantly resurfacing theme in the Bible. Other than Christ, it is the most important part of my faith and something I so long to be better at.
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Post by Josh on Feb 7, 2007 22:12:44 GMT -8
11/05:
Verses 15-16 are a Chiasmus- a literary device where two things are contrasted twice, with their order being flipped the second time.
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Post by Josh on Feb 7, 2007 22:13:12 GMT -8
11/05:
Remember that the brother caught in sin here is most likely the guy sleeping with his mother in law (from 1 Cor) I guess you knew that, but for the benefit of anyone else just reading.
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