3894-After the Flesh by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Oct 22, 1912

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 39, No. 41.

3894—After the Flesh

By Editor

Will you kindly explain 2 Cor. 5:16, particularly the latter part, which reads, "Yea, tho we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we Him no more"? Are we never to see Christ again in the flesh as He was at His first advent?

The term "after the flesh" means after the carnal way, after the way of the unconverted man. The phrase does not refer to the flesh of Jesus, but to our flesh. It is not of Jesus, but of man. Paul did not purpose to look upon the Lord that way any longer. He looked upon Jesus after the flesh when he was persecuting His followers. So therefore it does not mean Jesus after His flesh, or in His flesh, but after Paul's flesh. He would not look upon Jesus in a carnal way, but in a spiritual way. This is indicated in the next verse: "Wherefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new." Jesus will not be seen again in mortal, human flesh. He bore that once for all. But 2 Cor. 5:16 does not refer to this. It may be said that those who profess the name of Christ, but know nothing of His power, simply know Christ after the flesh. To know Him truly, we must have His life, the new life in Christ Jesus which transforms character.