We do not see Jesus. How do we know He is present?
Smell and hearing are the senses of presence-in-absence, the senses that enable us to know the presence of what we do not see.
Protestants know all about hearing Jesus. The fragrance of Christ is an undeveloped area of Christology.
Smell is a presence in absence. I smell the roast in the oven, and know dinner is close. A woman’s perfume precedes her and lingers after her, whether I see her or not. I smell something decaying in the wall, but I have to pull away the wall board to see it. I can smell my daughter’s shampoo when she tries to sneak up behind me.
Christ has poured the oil of the Spirit upon us, anointing us with the fragrant oil of priesthood. In Christ, we are living sacrifices, spreading the aroma of Christ, a savor of life and death. Because we are enveloped with the aroma of the Spirit, we are a sweet savor to the Father. We are quickened not only by hearing the Name of Jesus, but by its aroma, since His “name is like oil poured out.”
And so on.
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