Many interpretations exist on the phrase “worldly point of view”, but not too unlike each other. By it, Paul means he had taken God and what God said out of his thoughts regarding a person, people, and/or a subject before he knew Christ, but not after. Other places use the phrase “according to the flesh,” and some English translations like the KJV, ASV, and YLT, have “after the flesh” or “according to the flesh” here. Theologically, the flesh is viewed as the created and natural humanity, not automatically sinful, but weak, limited, temporal, prone to sin, and driven away from God. Jesus said of his sleeping disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane, “The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” (Matthew 26:41) The disciples’ bodies were weak due to fatigue and succumbed to sleep. (Romans 6:19, 7:5, 8:4-12) Paul, though, here uses the term to mean he has a new point of view of Christ and his disciples.
In saying this, Paul was indirectly warning the congregation to not judge those who diminish him based on what he looks like compared to what they look like from a worldly point of view. This was his indirect point in the former sections, too. Paul is saying, “See people as I see people, for I see people as Christ showed me to see people.”
Here, Paul states he does not see people according to worldly thinking, meaning:
- He was not influenced in his estimate by a regard to birth or country; he did not form an attachment to a Jew because he was a Jew, or to a Gentile because he was a Gentile. He had learned that Christ died for people of all nationalities and ethnic groups, and he felt disposed to regard all alike.
- He was not influenced in his estimate by rank, wealth, and office. Before his conversion, he had been, but now he learned to look on their moral character, and to regard that as making the only permanent and really important distinction among men. He did not esteem one man highly because he was of elevated rank, or of great wealth, and another less because he was of a different rank in life.
- He was not influenced in his preferences and presupposed concepts. Before his conversion, he would be with people like himself and people who liked what he liked, and judge them according to this. He, like all, has prejudices, meaning we prefer to hang around with people like us and keep away from those who are not. “Birds of a feather, flock together,” the old saying goes.
- He was not influenced in his estimate of what is outwardly worthy of praise by men, but rather by what is inward and praiseworthy by God.
