Commentary on 2 Corinthians 5:15-17: The New Creation Has Dawned!

EXEGETICAL IDEA: The death of Christ has brought about a reality in which those who receive new life gain a spiritual knowledge of Christ and others which demonstrates that they are part of the new creation.

HOMILETICAL IDEA: As those who are in Christ, we have a new way of thinking that evidences our new creational status.

In v. 15, we see that “Christ died for all so that those who live might no longer live for themselves.” Now, at the beginning of v. 15b, the words “so that” indicate purpose—the purpose for which Christ died. What follows the words “so that” in v. 15 is a purpose for which Christ died.

Next note that the purpose for which Christ died in v. 15b relates to “those who live.” It was for the purpose that “those who live” might no longer live for themselves. Now, in Paul, and elsewhere in the New Testament, the concept of life often has more to do with spiritual life than mere physical life. And so the phrase “those who live” should be understood as a reference to “those who have come to have new spiritual life in Christ.” So, v. 15 indicates that Christ died for the purpose those who have come to have new spiritual life in Christ “might no longer live for themselves.” This is what they’re not going to do. Rather, Paul says in v. 15c, they are going to live “for him who died for them and was raised again.” Christ died for the purpose that those who have come to have new spiritual life in Him might no longer live for themselves, but for their Savior, Jesus Christ, who died for them and was raised again.

Now as I dive into v. 16, let’s look at the phrase “according to the flesh.” See in v. 16a where it says that “from now on we know no one according to the flesh” and in v. 16b where is says that “we had known Christ according to the flesh”? A prima facie reading of this might lead one to think that this refers to the fact that Christ’s earthly followers at one time experienced Christ’s physical presence with them on earth. Christ lived and dwelt among his disciples during his earthly ministry. But now, Christ is seated at God’s right hand. And so both Paul and those to whom he is writing no longer experience Jesus’ fleshly presence with them on earth. However, this is not what is in view. Notice that in other instances when Paul uses the phrase “according to the flesh,” that it has negative connotations. In Romans 8:4-5, Paul indicates that "we do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit." Here the phrase clearly has negative overtones. Also notice 1 Corinthians 1:26-27, "For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise." Here the phrase has a similar nuance. Not many who are called to Christian leadership were wise “according to the flesh,” that is, not many of them were wise according to the worldly standards of the old fallen order.

Now, keeping this in mind, let’s look at v. 16. The word “therefore,” indicates that what preceeds in v. 15 (see above) is the cause of that which follows in v. 16. The fact that “from now on we know no one according to the flesh” (v. 16) that we know no one according to the world’s standards, is what has resulted from Christ’s dying so that his followers might live for him (v. 15). Since Christ died for the purpose that those who have come to have new spiritual life might live for him, it has therefore produced the result that Christians no longer evaluate things according to the world’s standards, even though, moving on to v. 16b, we had known Christ "according to the flesh," which is to say, even though we had known Christ according to the standards of the fallen world. Before those who make up Paul's audience were Christians, they did not esteem Christ. They thought about Christ using the corrupt patterns of thinking prevalent in the world. But, Paul says in v. 16c, “we no longer know him in this way.” We have a new way of thinking that is unlike the way of thinking that characterized the old fallen order.

Therefore, Paul concludes in v. 17, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation! The old has passed away, the new has come. This is an allusion to Isaiah 65:17. Isaiah and other Old Testament prophets developed this concept of new creation. The Scriptures teach that we live in a fallen world in which sorrow, sin, suffering, sickness, and death are a reality. Ultimately, the entire created order is under the curse that God brought upon the earth because of the sin of Adam in Eden. But Isaiah and other Old Testament prophets foretold of a new era in which the curse would be brought to an end. Isaiah indicates that the wolf and the lamb will dwell together in peace (Isaiah 11:6). There will be no more death and God’s people would experience a resurrection to eternal life (Dan 12:2). God’s people would be made righteous and a new Davidic King was to rule over them upon a new earth in this new creational order (Isaiah 11, 60:21). God would make his covenant with his people and write his law on their hearts (Ezek 36:26-27).

In the New Testament, you can read about this in Revelation, chapter 21. This will be a time when there is no more death, no more sorrow, no more sickness, no more sin, and no more suffering (Revelation 21:4). God will be our God and we will be his people and we will never cease to praise his name (Revelation 21:3). But here in 2 Corinthians 5:17, Paul says, “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone, the new has come.” In light of this Old Testament eschatological perspective and Paul's direct allusion to Isaiah 65:17, Paul is saying that the promises made by Isaiah and the rest of the prophets have already begun to be fulfilled. Through his life, death, and resurrection, the cosmic event which is the culmination of all of redemptive history has come upon us. The new creation has broken into the present age and we experience it in the fact that God is writing his laws upon our hearts and we have come to acknowledge the Lordship of the coming Davidic King. Ultimately, although we were dead in trespasses and sins, we have now been raised from the dead and given new spiritual life so that we no longer evaluate things according to the standards of the old fallen world order.