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.
Now - Greek, 'But.' Though we left Troas, disappointed in not meeting Titus there, and in having to leave so soon so wide a door, "thanks be unto God," we were triumphantly blessed in both the good news of you from Titus and in the victories of the Gospel everywhere in our progress. The cause of triumph cannot be restricted (as Alford) to the former; for "always," and "in every place," show that the latter also is intended.
Causeth us to triumph. So Winer. The Greek may be, as in Colossians 2:15, 'maketh us a triumph.' Paul regarded himself as a trophy of God's victorious power in Christ. His Almighty conqueror was leading him about, through all the world, a sample of His triumphant power at once to subdue and to save. The foe of Christ was now the servant of Christ. As to be led in triumph by man is the most miserable, so to be led in triumph by God is the most glorious lot (Trench). Our only true triumphs are God's triumphs over us. His defeats of us are our only true victories (Alford). The image is from the triumphal procession of a victorious general. The additional idea is included, which distinguishes God's triumph from that of human generals, that the captive is brought into willing obedience (2 Corinthians 10:5) to Christ, and so joins in the triumph: God 'leads him in triumph' as one not merely triumphed over, but also as one triumphing over God's foes with God (which last will apply to the apostle's triumphant missionary, progress under the leading of God). So Bengel, 'who shows us in triumph,' not as conquered, but as the ministers of His victory. Not only the victory, but the open "showing" of it is marked; for there follows, 'who maketh manifest.'
Savour - retaining the image. As the approach of the triumphal procession was known by the odour scattered far and wide by the incense-bearers, so God 'makes manifest by us' (his now at once triumphed over and triumphing captives: cf. Greek, Luke 5:10, "catch," so as to save alive), the sweet savour of the knowledge of Christ everywhere. As the triumph strikes the eyes, so the savour the nostrils; thus every sense feels the power of Christ's Gospel. This manifestation (a word frequent in his letters to the Corinthians, cf. 1 Corinthians 4:5) refutes the Corinthian suspicions of his dishonestly hiding anything from them (2 Corinthians 2:17; 2 Corinthians 4:2).