2 Cor. 5:16 "Though we have known Christ after the flesh, now henceforth know we him so no more.”
Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. (Tyndale)
Paul here places emphasis upon the resurrected Christ, as verse 15 ends with 'and rose again' to which the 'therefore' in this verse refers.
We regard no one according to the flesh: Why? Because we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen (2 Cor. 4:18). Because our earthly tent will be destroyed, but we will have a new body, eternal in the heavens (2 Cor. 5:1). Because we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7). Because we do not glory in appearance, but we glory in heart (2 Cor. 5:12). For all these reasons, we don't look to the image and appearance of the flesh, but to the substance of the heart.
Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet we know Him thus no longer: Even those who knew Jesus in the flesh found their new relationship with Him through the Holy Spirit far more rewarding.
When he knew Christ after the flesh he considered Him as the leader of a new sect, the leader of a new party, a menace to holy religion. He says we do not see Him like that any more. We know Him now in the Spirit, by the Spirit." (Morgan)
Even the disciples were poor followers of Jesus until they knew Him by the Spirit on the day of Pentecost.
We know Him thus no longer: Some think that it would be better if Jesus were present with us according to the flesh. But it would not be, and Jesus knew this. This is why Jesus told His disciples It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you (John 16:7). (David Guzik)
Our search is not for the earthly Christ or the Jesus of the flesh. Our search is for the risen Savior. (Read John 20)
Most professing christians are still living only in that which at best is a shadow and not reality. All traditions, ceremonies, rituals, symbols, etc., are merely shadows of reality!
Though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more(2 Cor 5:16).
We understand Paul to mean that we are to know Christ spiritually and not according to the letter, or after the flesh, or as an infant, for this is of no value to our spiritual life.
We are commanded to remember Him in his death, and no special day of the year is specified for this. He said: Take eat, this is my body which is broken for you, this DO in remembrance of me (Luke 22:19; 1 Cor. 11:24).
This ought to be considered in light of Christ's command in Mat 28:20, "...teaching them to observe all, whatever I did command you, and lo, I am with you all the days--till the full end of the age.'"
And His rebuke in Mark 7:7-9, "Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition."
To commemorate His death is scriptural,to commemorate his birth is non-scriptural whether you choose any day or the day December 25th.
In 1 Kings 12:6-33 we find King Rehoboam at the beginning of his reign involved in will-worship and going the way of Cain.
The biblical record shows that many of the Kings who reigned afterward were punished for reverting back to the sins of Rehoboam.
Some of the more notable verses which jump out at me in this chapter are:
And King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had been standing before the face of his father Solomon while he was alive, saying, How do you advise in order to answer this people?
And they spoke to him, saying, If you are servant to this people today, and will serve them, and answer them and speak to them good words, then they will be servants to you forever.
But he forsook the counsel of the elders which they advised him, and consulted with the young men who had grown up with him, who were standing before him.
And he said to them, What do you advise, and we shall answer the people who have spoken to me, saying, Lighten some of the yoke that your father put upon us?
And they spoke to him, the young men who had grown up with him, saying, So you shall say to this people who have spoken to you, saying, Your father made our yoke heavy, and you make it light on us; so you shall speak to them, My little finger is thicker than the loins of my father,
and now my father laid a heavy yoke on you, and I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, and I will surely chastise you with scorpions.
And they came, Jeroboam and all the people, to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king had spoken, saying, Come back to me on the third day.
And the king replied to the people harshly, and forsook the counsel of the elders which they advised him, and spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men... And the king did not listen to the people, for the turn of events was from Jehovah, in order to lift up His Word that Jehovah spoke by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat...And Israel rebelled against the house of David to this day.
And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now the kingdom shall turn back to the house of David; if this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of Jehovah at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people shall turn again to their lord, to Rehoboam the king of Judah, and they will kill me and go again to Rehoboam the king of Judah.
And the king took counsel and made two calves of gold. And he said to them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Behold your gods, O Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt! And he set the one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan. And this thing became a sin, for the people went before the one, to Dan.
And he made a house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of people, who were not of the sons of Levi. And Jeroboam made a feast in the eighth month, in the fifteenth day of the month, like the feast that is in Judah; and he offered on the altar, so he did in Bethel, to sacrifice to the calves which he made; and he made stand in Bethel the priests of the high places that he made. And he offered up on the altar that he made in Bethel, on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in the month that he devised out of his own heart; and he made a feast for the sons of Israel, and offered on the altar, to burn incense.
First, "he forsook the counsel of the elders which they advised him, and consulted with the young men who had grown up with him..."
Second, "he devised out of his own heart" and took liberty where none had been given "And he made a house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of people, who were not of the sons of Levi. And Jeroboam made a feast in the eighth month, in the fifteenth day of the month, like the feast that is in Judah...for the sons of Israel..."
I pray the Word of God alone,by His Spirit, would accomplish that which He pleases and prosper it thereto in His people.
In Rom 1:25 we read of those 'who changed the truth of God into the lie'.
With christmas the attempt is to change 'the lie' into 'the truth of God'.
