HOW DO WE KNOW WHO WE KNOW?

Relationships are forever changed when we become Christians. We do not regard each other the same way in Christ as we did before Christ. Paul wrote: "For this reason, we, from now on, know no one according to the flesh. Although we have known Christ according to the flesh, but now we no longer know Him in this way" (2 Corinthians 5:16). The old order of life has passed. Earthly distinctions no longer matter. A new way of life began in Christ. We can no longer evaluate each other according to the worldly criteria of social status, achievements or success. We must not bring those standards into the church because we have been changed.

DID PAUL KNOW JESUS DURING HIS EARTHLY MINISTRY? The word translated "although" literally means "even if" (εἰ καὶ). The condition is assumed to be true (Rienecker and Rogers, Linguistic Key, p.469). It is very possible that Paul did see Jesus during His earthly ministry since he came to Jerusalem to study under the Rabbi Gamaliel during his teen years when Jesus was alive (Witherington, The Paul Quest, p.307; F.F. Bruce, Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free, p.43). Some have gone so far as to suggest that Paul might have been the rich young ruler who interviewed Jesus (Hughes, 2 Corinthians, p.198). Whatever Paul's knowledge of the historical Jesus, he is drawing a sharp contrast between his former attitude toward Jesus and his current attitude toward Jesus (Bruce, Paul, p.99). The line separating the two attitudes cuts through the heart when anyone comes to Christ. We are forever changed by Christ to see Christ differently after regeneration.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO NO LONGER KNOW CHRIST ACCORDING TO THE FLESH? The prepositional phrase "according to the flesh" (κατὰ σάρκα) is adverbial, modifying the verb "have known" (ἐγνώκαμεν) not the noun "Christ" (Χριστόν). The way we know is according to the flesh or not according to the flesh (Witherington, Conflict and Community, p.394). The standard for measuring our knowledge is fleshly or not fleshly. If we know Christ by the superficial standards of this world - who He is, what He did, what He said - we are no different than many. Crowds followed Jesus but they did not know Jesus in a spiritually regenerate way. Many today claim to know Jesus because they know about Jesus, but to know about Jesus is not to know Jesus at all (Hughes, 2 Corinthians, p.201). Our conversion changes how we know Christ. True Christians no longer know Christ by the superficial standards of the world. True Christians no longer know Christ "according to the flesh" (κατὰ σάρκα). We know Christ by "the Spirit of the Living God" (πνεύματι Θεοῦ ζῶντος, 2 Corinthians 3:3).

HOW DO WE KNOW NO ONE ACCORDING TO THE FLESH? Paul starts with this assertion. We evaluate others and are evaluated by others according to an entirely new standard of knowing. We no longer judge others or are judged by others according to the world's standards of success. Being in Christ changes how we relate to others in Christ. External, superficial, outward measurements should not determine how we relate to one another. Wealth, status, position and achievement are not the yardsticks for our relationships in Christ. We know no one by these standards. We judge ministry by different standards as well. We died in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:14), so we live by the standards of the cross. The crucified life marks our relationships forever. We know who we know at the foot of the cross.