2 Corinthians 2:12–17

 2 Corinthians 2:12–17

This passage is one of the hidden gems in this book or even in the New Testament. For many of us, discouragement is a struggle. When we feel discouraged, we often feel guilty and/or isolated. When we look at the circumstances of our world and feel like we are going to lose hope, this passage speaks to us. Paul is so distressed, and his concerns for the Corinthians are so great that he has no rest in spirit. He is disappointed to the point of distraction. So much so that even with the open door for ministry at Troas, Paul didn’t stay and minister but set off to find Titus. This great saint has been bombarded with bad news and was so worried over the state of the church in Corinth that he seems to be unable to think of little else.

The good news from Titus caused Paul to explode with joy (verses 14–16). We have nothing in our culture or society that compares with a triumph. In terms of military honor, it was beyond a Congressional Medal of Honor. In terms of pomp and grandeur, it makes the Super Bowl look pale. In terms of spectacular events, it makes the Fourth of July appear as a flash in the pan. William Barclay describes it this way:

In his mind is the picture of a Roman triumph and of Christ as a universal conqueror. The highest honor that could be given to a victorious Roman general was a triumph. To attain it, he must satisfy certain conditions. He must have been the actual commander-in-chief in the field. The campaign must have been completely finished, the region pacified, and the victorious troops brought home. Five thousand of the enemy at least must have fallen in one engagement. A positive extension of territory must have been gained, and not merely a disaster retrieved or an attack repelled. And the victory must have been won over a foreign foe and not in a civil war.

Let’s focus on a few key points. In a triumph, the Romans expressed their conviction that they were undefeatable. They crushed any who opposed them and rolled over resistance to ultimate victory. So with the church, while appearing weak, the body of Christ on earth is moving toward victory. At the triumph, the general was universally praised. So also Christ will receive the adoration of all when every knee bows and every tongue confesses that He is Lord. In the triumph, the treasures of the defeated armies will be paraded before the victor. It was a way of saying the best the enemy had could not defeat us. Behind the victor was his army, sharing and basking in his glory. So too for us. The powers of evil can’t defeat us, and we delight in the glory of our King. In the middle of the triumph were the incense bearers. The sweet smell of incense meant two things. For the defeated, it meant that  soon they would be executed or placed in the arena. For the victorious troops, it meant celebration, being home, and sharing in the spoils of glory.

It is easy to feel like we are defeated but that is because we have not focused on the triumph of Christ.  This triumph is both now and not yet finalized.

“Lord, thank you for sharing Your victory with me. AMEN”