Yes, Paul emphasizes not knowing Christ after the flesh because, after His death, burial, and resurrection, believers are to focus on the work of the cross, not His earthly ministry.
Paul teaches that the Christ before the cross was not the object of salvation that He is after the cross, since it is the work of the cross that makes salvation possible. Therefore, from that point on, we are not to look back and know Him in His earthly ministry as the primary basis of our doctrine.
2 Corinthians 5:16 — This verse is the direct source of the question, where Paul states that we no longer know Christ after the flesh.
In 2 Corinthians 5:16, Paul writes, "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 passage explicitly states that while Paul and others had known Christ in His earthly ministry, they now no longer know Him in that way. The verse does not specify the reason, but it contrasts the past (knowing Christ after the flesh) with the present (knowing Him no more).
Les Feldick teaches that Paul's statement refers to Jesus in His earthly ministry. Paul was contemporary with Christ, and as Saul of Tarsus, he knew about Jesus' ministry, though they never crossed paths. After the death, burial, and resurrection, believers are no longer to be attached to Christ's earthly ministry but to the work of the cross. Les emphasizes that the Gospels do not contain doctrine for the church because that doctrine is based on the cross, which hadn't happened yet. He also notes that Paul's revelations from the ascended Lord, not His earthly ministry, are the primary basis for our faith and doctrine.
Les explains that Paul was referring to Jesus in His earthly ministry. Paul was contemporary with Jesus in age, and though he likely never met Him personally, he knew about His ministry and all that He did. Paul's statement 'though we have known Christ after the flesh' indicates his past knowledge of Jesus before the cross.
According to Les, focusing on Jesus' earthly ministry does not address the core need of the sinner. The miracles and teachings prove who Jesus was, but it is the work of the cross that brings salvation. Since the doctrine for the church age is based on Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, believers are to look to the cross, not the earthly ministry.
Les teaches that you will not find the doctrine of the church age in the four Gospels because those teachings are based on Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, which had not yet occurred. The Gospels record His earthly ministry, but after the cross, the focus shifts to the revelations from the ascended Lord.
Paul's Opponents
Les explains that Paul faced opposition from those who claimed allegiance to different leaders, and Paul's statement about knowing Christ no more after the flesh counters those who emphasized the earthly ministry.
Christ Before and After the Cross
Les teaches that the Christ before the cross was not the object of salvation that He is after the cross, because the work of the cross makes salvation possible.
Paul's Contemporary Knowledge
Les points out that Paul was about the same age as Christ and knew about Jesus' earthly ministry, which supports Paul's statement of having known Christ after the flesh.
Revelations from the Ascended Lord
Les emphasizes that after his Damascus road revelation, Paul's teaching focused on revelations from the ascended Lord, not Christ's earthly ministry.
No Doctrine in the Gospels
Les teaches that the Gospels cannot contain doctrine based on Christ's death, burial, and resurrection because those events hadn't happened yet.
Focus on the Cross
Les explains that believers are not to concern themselves with the earthly ministry but with the work of the cross, where everything comes to a head.
New Creation
Les connects the passage to the new creation in Christ, showing that knowing Christ after the flesh is no longer the focus after salvation.
Saul's Knowledge of Jesus
Les reconstructs that Saul, being contemporary with Christ, would have been aware of Jesus' ministry, confirming Paul's statement.
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 Paul writes to explain that after the cross, believers are no longer to relate to Christ based on His earthly ministry.
2 Corinthians 5:17: Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
This follows the statement about knowing Christ no more, showing the new creation aspect of salvation.
Les indicates that Paul, as Saul of Tarsus, was contemporary with Jesus but almost certainly never met Him face to face. However, he knew about Jesus' ministry and who He was.
Les teaches that the Gospels record Jesus' earthly ministry, but the doctrine for the church age is based on His death, burial, and resurrection, which had not yet happened during that time. Thus, the Gospels cannot contain the full gospel of grace.
Watch the Teaching: Why Paul Said "We Know Christ No More" — 2 Corinthians 5:16