Thomas Aquinas Commentary 2 Corinthians 5:16-17

"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. Wherefore if any man is in Christ, [he is] a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new." — 2 Corinthians 5:16-17 (ASV)

After showing how the saints prepare for receiving heavenly glory by pleasing God and helping their neighbor, the Apostle then shows how they also prepare by giving up worldly affection. In this regard, he does three things:

1. He mentions the putting off of worldly affection.
2. He addresses a potential objection (2 Corinthians 5:16).
3. He arrives at his intended conclusion (2 Corinthians 5:17).

The Apostle says that because he is so certain of eternal glory, From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh (2 Corinthians 5:16). It should be noted here that the phrase “according to the flesh” is a qualification that can be explained in two main ways, depending on its connection to the other words in the sentence.

First, “according to the flesh” can be connected to the words “no one.” In this case, a gloss explains it as, “we regard (that is, approve of) no one who is ‘according to the flesh’ (that is, living in a worldly manner).” This interpretation offers three possibilities for the meaning of “flesh”:

1. It can mean living in a worldly or sinful way, as it is used in Romans 8:9: You are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit.
2. It can mean living according to the worldly observances of the Law, as in Philippians 3:4, which speaks of those who have confidence in the flesh (that is, in the worldly observances of the Law).
3. It can mean the corruption of the flesh. In this sense, we do not consider anyone according to their corruptible flesh. For although the faithful still have corruptible flesh, in hope they already possess an incorruptible body. They do not see themselves from the perspective of having corruptible flesh now, but of one day having an incorruptible body. This is how “flesh” is used in 1 Corinthians 15:50: Flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Alternatively, “according to the flesh” can be connected with the verb “we regard.” In that case, the meaning is this: because we should not live for ourselves but for Him who died for us, we no longer regard anyone “according to the flesh”—that is, we do not evaluate anyone based on worldly affection or see them in that light. This is how Deuteronomy 33:9 should be understood: Who said of his father and mother, ‘I regard them not’; he disowned his brothers, and ignored his children. In this second main explanation, “according to the flesh” describes the one who is knowing, whereas in the first explanation, it describes the object being known.

Because someone might object that Paul at least knew Christ according to the flesh, he preempts this by saying, even though we once regarded Christ from a human point of view, we regard him thus no longer. On this point, it should be noted that Manichaeus used these words to support his error, for he claimed that Christ did not have a true body and was not born from the seed of David.

As Augustine explains in his book Against Faustus, if anyone challenged Manichaeus with the Apostle’s words in Romans 1:3, who was descended from David according to the flesh, or 1 Timothy 3:16, Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of our religion, which was manifested in the flesh, or 2 Timothy 2:8, Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descended from David, as preached in my gospel, he would answer that the Apostle initially believed Christ was of David’s seed and had a true body, but later corrected this opinion. This, he claimed, is why Paul said, even though we once regarded Christ from a human point of view, we regard him thus no longer—meaning, “we have changed our opinion and no longer believe that.”

But Augustine refutes this in two ways:

1. First, no one says “we regarded” when speaking of something they falsely believed; instead, they would say “we were of the opinion.” Therefore, when the Apostle uses the words “we regarded,” it does not seem that he is admitting to a past falsehood.
2. Second, the Apostle says, we regard no one from a human point of view. If what Manichaeus claimed were true, it would imply the Apostle believed no one had a true body, which is obviously false. Therefore, the argument of Manichaeus is false.

Consequently, the passage must be explained differently, in accordance with the truth. This can be done in two ways. First, “flesh” can be taken to mean the corruption of the flesh, as in 1 Corinthians 15:50: Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. The meaning, then, would be: if we once regarded Christ from a human point of view (that is, as having corruptible flesh before His passion), we no longer regard Him as such, because He no longer has corruptible flesh. As it says in Romans 6:9, Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.

Another way, following a gloss by Lombard, is to refer the clause even though we once regarded Christ from a human point of view to Paul’s condition before his conversion, and what follows, we regard him thus no longer, to his state after conversion. The meaning would then be: “Both I and other Jews once (that is, before my conversion) knew Christ according to the flesh (that is, according to our legalistic understanding of the Messiah). But now (that is, after I was converted), we no longer regard Him this way, for that opinion has ceased.” Indeed, I now believe that He is true God and should not be worshiped with worldly observances. Hence, Paul said to the Galatians, If you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you (Galatians 5:2).

There is yet another explanation, in which the Apostle makes the statement even though we once regarded Christ from a human point of view on behalf of all of Christ’s apostles. This interpretation corresponds to the earlier explanation of we regard no one from a human point of view, where the focus was on the knower’s affection. In this regard, it should be noted that when Augustine explains John 16:7, It is to your advantage that I go away, he says the Lord’s reason, For if I do not go away, the Counselor will not come to you, was given because the disciples were attached to Him as one is attached to a friend in the flesh. As a result, they could not be elevated to a spiritual love, which enables one to endure many things even for a person who is absent.

Therefore, to plant in them a spiritual affection from the Holy Spirit and to root out the worldly one, the Lord said to them, Peace be with you (John 20:21). The Apostle, speaking for all the disciples, recalled this when he said, even though we once regarded Christ from a human point of view... we regard him thus no longer. This means: if we once clung to Christ with a worldly love when He was physically present with us, that affection has now ceased in us through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Then, when the Apostle says, Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, he concludes from the previous points that a certain effect follows: newness. He says that if anyone is “in Christ” (that is, in the faith of Christ, or through Christ), he is a new creation, for as it says in Galatians 5:6, For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any avail, but faith working through love.

It should be noted here that renewal by grace is called a “creation.” Creation is a change from non-existence to existence, and there are two kinds of existence: natural and of grace. The first creation occurred when creatures were brought by God from nothing into natural existence. Then, the creation was new, but it grew old through sin, as Lamentations 3:4 says, He has made my flesh and my skin waste away. Therefore, a new creation was required, by which we would be brought into an existence of grace.

This, too, is a creation from nothing, because those who lack grace are nothing. As Paul says, And if I understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing (1 Corinthians 13:2). Of the sinner it is said, In his tent (that is, of sin) dwells that which is none of his (Job 18:15). Augustine says, “For sin is nothing, and men become nothing when they sin.” Thus, it is clear that the infusion of grace is a creation.

The Apostle continues, The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. This is taken from Leviticus 26:10, where it says, And you shall clear out the old to make way for the new. From this, he argues as follows: if all things have been made new, and according to the Law the old must be cast away when the new arrives, then for any new creation, the old things have passed away (that is, they should pass away from it).

The “old things” that should pass away are legalistic observances (so that we serve not under the old written code but in the new life of the Spirit,Romans 7:6), the errors of the Gentiles (The old error is gone,Isaiah 26:3, Vulgate), and likewise the corruption of sin (We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the sinful body might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin,Romans 6:6). When such things pass away from us, the virtues contrary to these vices should be renewed, for as it is written, And he who sat upon the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new’ (Revelation 21:5).