Roman Triumphs & Psalm 68
The mention of aroma and fragrances and incense in 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 would naturally connect with the image of a Roman triumphal procession, but it would also connect with Israel's experience in the wilderness under Moses. Psalm 68 (67 in the Septuagint), with all its difficulties, does speak of God's leading Israel from Egypt to Sinai through the wilderness in triumph and on to Zion where God is enthroned.
Psalm 68:6 speaks of God leading forth prisoners and then (68:7), "O God when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou wentest through the wilderness..." The earth shakes and trembles as he leads. 68:17 speaks of his chariots and of leading captivity captive while he rides on in glory to further exaltation. While it's true that Moses was the one God chose to lead Israel from captivity through the wilderness to home, it was really God who did the leading (Numbers 9:17, 23). Isaiah 63:11-14 makes this very clear. That text also makes it clear that the procession through the wilderness is a manifestation of God's glorious power (63:12) by which God got himself glory (63:14). But Psalm 68:7-18 is even more martial in tone.
These texts should perhaps make us think of the use of thriambeuo by Paul in 2 Corinthians 2:14. The words of Psalm 68:24 are vivid. "Your procession has come into view, O God, the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary." From slavery in Egypt through the wilderness wandering into the Zion itself--in all of this God was leading Israel in triumph. See too Psalm 105:37-45. No Roman general demonstrated his power and glory in such a splendid fashion and in such redemptive ways. (Paul's use of the Greek Psalms and Isaiah is extensive in 2 Corinthians.)
In 2 Corinthians 1:23 Paul explained that one of the reasons he had not returned to Corinth was because he did not want to hand out punishment. But he is sensitive to the fact that this might be construed as bullying speech so he hastens to assure them that he isn't their Lord and has no wish to be even though he is God's appointed apostle. This was one of the things Moses was accused of in the Korah, Dathan and Abiram affair of Numbers 16:13-14 when they accused him of acting like a prince over them and claiming complete rule. With that in mind, with the triumph and aroma and then with Moses explicity mentioned in chapter 3 perhaps this gives us grounds for seeing a pattern and drift to Paul's "apology".
©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.
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