2 Corinthians 2:14-16
14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
16 To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
2 Cor. 2:14-16. - "Maketh manifest the favour of his knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved, and in them that perish. To the one we are the savour of death unto death, and to the other we are the savour of life unto life." This last verse might more literally, and more properly, have been translated thus: "To those indeed we are a savor of death unto death, but to these a savor of life unto life," which makes the sense much less perplexed. Ministers are, as it were, the vessels that carry the sweet ointment of the name of Christ, whose name is said to be as ointment poured forth. Christ is the fragrant rose. That knowledge of Christ that is diffused by his ministers is the savor of this rose, and this is the savor that the apostle speaks of, which in the 14th verse he calls the savor of his knowledge. This is always a sweet savor to God. The name of Christ is ever delightful to God, and the preaching of Christ in the world, whether to elect or reprobates, is acceptable to God, as he delights in having the name of his Son glorified; for Christ's being made known to those that perish, shall be greatly to the glory of Christ. God loves to have the name of his Son made known to all men for his Son's glory, so that the knowledge that reprobates receive of Christ, by the preaching of the gospel, is a sweet savor to God; for wherever the name of Christ is found, it is acceptable to God. But yet it is not always a sweet savor to them to whom the gospel is preached, though it be to God. Indeed to the elect, to those that are saved, it is a sweet savor as well as to God; it is a savor of life; we are to them a savor of a living Redeemer; they believe him to be a risen and glorified Redeemer. He is a savor of life unto life, i.e. not only a sweet savor as of a living Redeemer, but a refreshing, renewing, life-giving savor.
But to them that perish he is a savor of death unto death; the preaching of Christ crucified is not a sweet savor unto them, but an odious savor, as of a slain dead carcass; they do not believe his resurrection; they look upon him dead still; and the doctrine of Christ crucified is nauseous to them; it is a savor of death unto death.
2 Cor. 3:16