Knowing No Man After the Flesh 2 Corinthians 5:16

Paul the apostle told the Corinthian church members that Jesus, “died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves”, and he added, “but unto him which died for them, and rose again.” In chapter five and verse sixteen of Second Corinthians, Paul had the church members how he and his companions, “know no man after the flesh” where we read:

Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh:

yes, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.

The verse begins, “Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh:” Paul began with the word, “wherefore” which means “insomuch that, then and therefore” “henceforth” or “from this origin of cause” “know we no man” which refers to “Paul and his companions did not perceive, notice, discern or discover any person whether male or female”, “after the flesh” or “down from, through out, toward and along the carnal, human and earthly nature of man apart from the divine influence and therefore prone to sin and opposed to God”. Paul and his companions did not “take notice of or perceive” anyone after their “carnal” nature.

The verse goes on to say, “yes, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.”. Paul continued with the word, “yes” which means “moreover and”, “though we have known” or “although Paul and his companions perceived, noticed, discerned and discovered” “Christ” which refers to “the anointed One, the Messiah and the Son of God”, “after the flesh” which means “down from, through out, toward and along the carnal, human and earthly nature of man apart from the divine influence and therefore prone to sin and opposed to God”, “yet now” or “nevertheless and notwithstanding at this present time” “henceforth” which means “from this origin of cause” “we know him” or “Paul and his companions perceived, noticed, discerned and discovered Jesus” “no more” which refers to “not any longer or further”. Though Paul and His companions knew Jesus in His body of “flesh”, they not longer did.

When we think through these words of Paul, we see how he and his companions did not put confidence in “knowing” people in their “carnal” state. Even though they knew Jesus while He was in the flesh, when Jesus died and rose again, they knew in in a “spiritual” way. Jesus Christ desires to do a “spiritual” work within everyone who will believe and trust in Him, and when they do, they shall not settle for knowing people in their “carnal” state, but shall seek to have them know Christ in a spiritual one.

Next time Paul tells the church members about being, “a new creature in Christ, so read ahead, and we shall join together then,

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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