2 Corinthians 2:1 But I determined this within myself, that I would not come again to you in sorrow. 2 For if I make you sorrowful, then who is he who makes me glad but the one who is made sorrowful by me? 3 And I wrote this very thing to you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow over those from whom I ought to have joy, having confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all. 4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you.
5 But if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me, but all of you to some extent—not to be too severe. 6 This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, 7 so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. 8 Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. 9 For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things. 10 Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, 11 lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.
12 Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord, 13 I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I departed for Macedonia.14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not, as the rest, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.
The church had chastised offenders against Paul, but Paul desired to move on with the Gospel procession. Paul had forgiven them and urged the church to do likewise. Paul wanted to return to the subject of Christ crucified... and for the church members to get back to the business of telling the world about Jesus' work upon the cross and His soon return.
Because of the situation, Paul had left the mission field! "I had no rest in my spirit,.... Though there was such a door opened to preach the Gospel, and such an opportunity of doing good, yet he was greatly distressed in his mind; very restless and uneasy in his spirit, and could not be satisfied to stay; which shows, that though he was so great a man, he was but a man, and of like passions with others: and the occasion of this dissatisfaction and uneasiness was BECAUSE, says he, 'I found not Titus my brother;' whom he so styles, not merely because he was a fellow Christian, but because he was a fellow labourer in the Gospel; and by calling him so, puts an honour upon him, and expresses his affliction for him: now not finding him as he expected, he grew uneasy..." (Gill's Exposition) Lord Jesus, allow me to be a Titus for my pastor!
Let's ready for battle again; sound the trumpet! "Thanks be to God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ. Of the triumph of Sesostris, we have spoken on the nineteenth of Isaiah. His triumph was imitated by Roman conquerors. Sometimes on entering the city of Rome, the chariot of the hero was drawn by white horses; sometimes by lions, by tigers, or by deer. All the trophies of war followed, and all the splendour that art could devise. But their triumphs were after Bellona had blown the trumpet of carnage. Paul’s was after the joyful sound, the gospel of peace. They had left the countries behind bleeding, weeping, burning. Paul left the sunbeams of righteousness and joy on all the churches. They had left their enemies slumbering in the dust. Paul left the idols broken, like Dagon before the ark. Their victories were partial, and at the expense of much Roman blood. Paul’s triumphs were in every city, and the dead in trespasses and sins were quickened to a life of faith and love. Thanks be to God, who made bare his holy arm of salvation… The gospel was not without most instructive effects on the minds of the wicked. When men saw this light, and still wandered in darkness; and when they even hated and persecuted the preachers, the gospel was to them a pestilential odour. Their proud hearts, revolting at its fragrance, gave new energy to sin, which wrought death in them, while the gospel left them without excuse.” (Sutcliffe's Commentary)
The fragrance of Christ—"In ancient triumphs, abundance of perfumes and sweet odours were used; so the name and salvation of Jesus, as ointment poured out, was a sweet savour diffused in every place. Unto some, the gospel is a savour of death unto death. They reject it to their ruin. Unto others, the gospel is a savour of life unto life: as it quickened them at first when they were dead in trespasses and sins, so it makes them more lively, and will end in eternal life.” (Matthew Henry)
aroma of death leading to death...the aroma of life leading to life...."There are several sayings among the ancient Jewish writers similar to this. In Debarim Rabba, sec. i. fol. 248, it is said: 'As the bee brings home honey to its owner, but stings others; so it is with the words of the law;’...'They are a savour of lives to the Israelites:’..., 'And a savour of death to the people of this world.’… The apostle's meaning is plain: those who believe and receive the Gospel are saved; those who reject it, perish. The meaning of the rabbins is not less plain: the Israelites received the law and the prophets as from God, and thus possessed the means of salvation; the Gentiles ridiculed and despised them, and thus continued in the path of death. The same happens to the present day to those who receive and to those who reject the Gospel: it is the means of salvation to the former, it is the means of destruction to the latter; for they are not only not saved because they do not believe the Gospel, but they are condemned because they reject it. For how can they escape who neglect so great a salvation? The sun which nourishes the tree that is planted in a good soil, decomposes and destroys it if plucked up and laid on the surface.” (Adam Clarke Commentary)