'Henceforth' means 'from this point on' — the point being Christ's death, burial, and resurrection — not a backward-looking reference.
Les Feldick teaches that Paul uses 'wherefore' to make readers reflect on what he has just said: Christ died for all and rose again. Then 'henceforth' marks the new direction that flows from that event. It is not about John the Baptist, Bethlehem, or earlier times, but about the time from Christ's death, burial, and resurrection onward.
2 Corinthians 5:16 — This is the key verse where Paul writes 'Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh,' and it is the verse Les directly explains.
2 Corinthians 5:15 — This verse shows the practical meaning of 'henceforth' — those who live should no longer live unto themselves but unto Christ who died and rose again.
The word 'henceforth' appears in Paul's argument in 2 Corinthians 5:15-16. In verse 15, after declaring that Christ 'died for all,' Paul writes that those who live 'should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.' In verse 16 he continues, 'Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.' The passage places 'henceforth' at the turning point of Christ's death and resurrection and the new way believers are to live and regard Christ.
Les Feldick explains that Paul's 'wherefore' or 'therefore' in 2 Corinthians 5:16 is a signal to look back at what has just been said — that Christ died for all and rose from the dead. 'Henceforth' therefore means 'from this point on.' It points forward from the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, and it does not go back to earlier events such as John the Baptist's ministry or the birth at Bethlehem. Practically, Les applies this to believers: those who have believed the Gospel should no longer live unto themselves but unto the One who died for them and rose again.
Les says whenever Paul uses 'wherefore' or 'therefore,' he is telling you to reflect back to what he has just said. In this case, Paul had just stressed that Christ died for all and rose from the dead, and because that was accomplished, 'henceforth' marks the new time period that follows.
Les is explicit: 'he's talking about his death, burial and resurrection. He's not talking about John the Baptist, he's not talking about Bethlehem, or any of these other things.' So 'henceforth' in this context means from the time of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection onward, not from an earlier starting point.
Paul writes that those who live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Christ who died for them and rose again. Les applies this to believers today: since Christ died for all, those who believe should live for Him, while also recognizing that God does not expect every believer to suffer as Paul did. Believers still face trials and tribulations, but they have the assurance that the Lord is with them.
Living Henceforth for Christ
Les explains the practical meaning of 'henceforth' in verse 15: those who have believed are to live for Christ who died for them and rose again, although this does not guarantee a trouble-free life.
Paul's Meaning of Henceforth
Les teaches that Paul's 'henceforth' refers specifically to Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, not to earlier events, and that 'wherefore' tells readers to look back to what Paul has just said.
Wherefore Points Back
Les repeats that 'wherefore' causes us to reflect on Christ dying for all and rising again; 'henceforth' therefore means from this point on, not going back years earlier.
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We are going to have all kinds of room, and we're going to serve Him with joy unspeakable. Now how is it going to begin? Verse 51. I Corinthians 15. I Corinthians 15. that we shall not all die, but we have to all be changed. If we're not going to die and have a resurrection body by virtue of our having died and resurrected, then what do we have to have? A new body. Now he explains it. Verse 52.
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But, see, the flip side is, "...yield yourselves unto God," in other words, be what God wants us to be, "...as those who are alive from the dead, "...and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God." Alright, now this is exactly what Paul is talking about here in this verse in I Corinthians. Now come back to I Corinthians 15 again. So he says, I die daily.
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1 Corinthians, chapter 5, 1 Corinthians, chapter 5, drop all the way down to verse 7. 1 Corinthians, chapter 5, verse 7, where Paul now writes, "...courage out therefore the old leaven," and again, it's a reference to evil, to sin, "...that you may be a new lump, as you believers now are unleavened." Our sin problem has been removed by virtue of our forgiveness, by virtue of our salvation.
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Moving on in chapter 6 of 2 Corinthians, and now we're going to come to an area that, again, I wish I had more time, that we could just chase it all the way up from Genesis. We're going to try, and we'll come as far as we can. But now in verse 11, he says, 2 Corinthians 6 Now don't lose sight of the spiritual level of the Corinthian church. Where was it? Babes in Christ. They were carnal.
2 Corinthians 5:15: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
This verse gives the practical meaning of 'henceforth' — believers are to live for Christ rather than for themselves.
2 Corinthians 5:16: Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
This is the verse where Paul explicitly uses 'henceforth' and which Les directly explains in the clips.
Les Feldick explains that 'henceforth' means 'from this point on' — specifically from Christ's death, burial, and resurrection onward. It does not look back to earlier time periods but begins at the cross and resurrection.
Paul writes in the first person plural, but Les applies the principle to every believer: since Christ died for all, those who believe should henceforth live for Him, not for themselves.
Les says a 'wherefore' or 'therefore' signals a reflection back to what has just been said. Here it points back to the truth that Christ died for all and rose again, which then leads to the 'henceforth.'
Watch the Teaching: Why Christ Died for All — 2 Corinthians 5:14-16 Explained