Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the
flesh.
&c.] Since the death and resurrection of Christ, which has
broken down the middle wall of partition, and has took away all
distinction of men, we know, we esteem, we value no man on
account of his carnal descent, and fleshy privileges, as being of
the Jewish nation, a descendant of Abraham, and circumcised as he
was; or on account of their outward state and condition, as being
rich and honourable among men, or on account of their natural
parts and acquirements, their learning, wisdom, and eloquence;
nor do we own any man to be a Christian, that lives after the
flesh, to himself, and not to Christ; nor do we make account of
the saints themselves as in this mortal state, but as they will
be in the resurrection, in consequence of Christ's having died
for them, and rose again.
Yea, though we have known Christ after the
flesh:
some of them had seen him in the flesh; others valued him on
account of his being of the Jewish nation, and of his relation to
them according to the flesh; and all of them had formerly
entertained carnal apprehensions of him, and his kingdom, as
though it would be a temporal one:
yet now henceforth know we him more;
no more in this mortal state, being risen from the dead; nor do
we value ourselves upon having seen him in the flesh; for though
such a sight and knowledge of him was desirable, yet a spiritual
knowledge is much more preferable; and many there were who knew
him in the flesh, who neither enjoy his spiritual presence here,
nor will they be favoured with his glorious presence hereafter.
Moreover, we do not judge of him as we did before we had a
spiritual knowledge of him, and as our countrymen did, by his
outward circumstances, by his parentage and education, his
poverty and afflictions, his company and conversation, that he
could not be the Messiah, the Son of God, and therefore was
worthy of death; we have quite other thoughts and apprehensions
of him now, believing him to be the Christ of God, a spiritual
Saviour and Redeemer, whose kingdom is not of this world; we have
relinquished all our national prejudices, and former notions,
concerning the Messiah, his kingdom, and people. Some copies add,
"after the flesh"; and the Arabic version, "yet now know we him
no more in that".