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savour unto God and possibly the figure is continued here like the incense bearers in the
conqueror's train scattering the fragrance far and wide.
The Apostle now comments upon the effect of the Gospel on its hearers. To Those
who reject it is a `savour from death unto death' (verses 15 & 16 and note the present
tenses of the verbs correctly rendered by the R.V.). These two opposite effects of the
gospel upon the human mind are always present when it is faithfully preached. Like the
sun which not only softens the wax, but hardens the clay, it sharply divides its hearers.
As Paul considers the terrible seriousness of this he says `who is sufficient for these
things?' The answer is `no-one unaided', for he was not like a shady merchant who
adulterates his goods. "We are not as many, corrupting the word of God" (17). Kapeleuo
means to `peddle', `adulterate' or water down anything. Anyone can preach a `watered
down' gospel where all unpleasantness concerning sin and perishing are left out and the
offence of the Cross omitted. This was probably referring to the work of the enemies at
Corinth, but the Apostle refused to engage in such preaching. His ministry was the very
opposite--sincere in the sight of God and his sufficiency was from Him. Alas, how often
we get a `watered down', diluted gospel today which offends no-one and is powerless!
Having explained his reasons for the postponed visit to Corinth, Paul now observes
that there really was no need to go into further detail and commend himself to them.
Their relationship had been so close that this should be quite unnecessary:
"Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? or need we, as do some, epistles of
commendation to you or from you? Ye are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and
read of all men; being made manifest that ye are an epistle of Christ . . ." (3: 1-3 R.V.).
Some were making use of testimonial letters written by other believers. The church at
Ephesus had written such a letter commending Apollos to the Corinthians (Acts.xviii.27).
Paul is not saying this was wrong, but that he himself did not need them. As their
founder and leader he was well known to them and surely they were not so forgetful of
his ministry as to want further credentials. They were themselves truly his epistle, though
not written with material substance as ink--`written not with ink, but with the Spirit of
the living God; not in tables of stone, but in tables that are hearts of flesh' (verse 3 R.V.).
This illustration brings to the Apostle's mind another divine writing which played a
momentous part in the history of Israel. Moses received from God two tables of stone
written with the finger of God containing the divine law (Exod. 31: 18). This law of
God was a covenant made between Himself and the people of Israel (Exodus 19: 5;
24: 7, 8). It was the "Old Covenant", but, in absolute contrast, Paul had been made a
minister of "the New Covenant" made by God with the same people. Jeremiah
graphically records this in chapter 31: 31-37. This contrast the Apostle now expounds
in the wonderful passage that follows. We should note that the `Old Covenant' of law
and the `New Covenant' of grace are used with precision in the Scriptures. A covenant is
a binding arrangement between two parties and applies to them alone. Those two parties
are made perfectly clear in the Scriptures. They are God on the one hand and the people
of Israel on the other (Exod. 19: 1-6; 34: 27; Deut. 5: 2-4; Jer. 31: 31-37) and we