John Calvin Commentary 2 Corinthians 5:16

"Wherefore we henceforth know no man after the flesh: even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know [him so] no more." — 2 Corinthians 5:16 (ASV)

Therefore we henceforth know no man. To know, here, is understood as meaning to reckon. “We do not judge according to external appearance, so as to reckon that man to be the most illustrious who seems so in appearance.” Under the term flesh, he includes all external endowments which mankind is accustomed to esteem; and, in short, everything which, apart from regeneration, is reckoned worthy of praise.

At the same time, he speaks more particularly of outward disguise, or appearance, as it is termed. He also alludes, without doubt, to the death which he had mentioned. “Since we ought, all of us, to be dead to the present life, furthermore, to be nothing in ourselves, no one must be reckoned a servant of Christ on the basis of carnal excellence.”

Nay, though we have known Christ. The meaning is: “Though Christ lived for a time in this world, and was known by mankind in those things that relate to the condition of the present life, he must now be known in another way—spiritually, so that we may have no worldly thoughts concerning him.” This passage is perverted by some fanatics, such as Servetus, to prove that Christ’s human nature is now absorbed by the Divinity. But it is not difficult to perceive how very far removed such a frenzy is from the Apostle’s intention, for he speaks here not of the substance of his body, but of external appearance. Nor does he affirm that the flesh is no longer perceived by us in Christ, but says that Christ is not judged by that.

Scripture proclaims throughout that Christ now as certainly leads a glorious life in our flesh as he once suffered in it. Furthermore, take away this foundation, and our whole faith falls to the ground. For from where does the hope of immortality come, except from this: that we already have a pattern of it in the person of Christ?

For just as righteousness is restored to us on the ground that Christ, by fulfilling the law in our nature, has abolished Adam’s disobedience, so also life has been restored to us by this means: that he has opened up for our nature the kingdom of God (from which it had been banished) and has given it a place in the heavenly dwelling. Therefore, if we do not now recognize Christ’s flesh, we lose the whole of that confidence and consolation that we ought to have in him. But we acknowledge Christ as man, and as our brother in his flesh—not in a fleshly manner, because we rest solely in the consideration of his spiritual gifts. Thus, he is spiritual to us, not as if he laid aside the body and became a spirit, but because he regenerates and governs his own people by the influence of his Spirit.