Circumcision
The covenant of circumcision
Circumcision originated with God. Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. 10 This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11 You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. 12 For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner—those who are not your offspring. 13 Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant. 14 Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.” (Genesis 17:9-14)
Livestock owners commonly use hot branding to identify and mark their cattle. In the past, slave owners also put a mark on the neck of their slaves. In the same way, God required Abraham and his sons, and all those bought with money, to put a mark in their foreskin to signify that they belonged to him and that they had entered into a covenant with him. Why did God not required to put the mark on a visible part of the body, but on a hidden area where other people could not see? The Bible does not explain this, but it is possible that God wanted only He and the circumcised would know it. The male organ is always covered and never seen by anyone else.
Various ways of greeting friends
People from the East greet each other with their heads slightly bow; their palms pressed together; or they greet each other verbally. However, Westerners shake hands. If they are very close, they not only shake hands but also hug. If they are lovers, they not only hug but also kiss on the lips. If they are Arabs and Muslims, men also hug each other and touch each other on the cheeks twice. However, between husband and wife, they make friends using their body's most secret parts. There is nothing that can show a deeper friendship and relationship and affection than that.
Circumcision signifies ownership
Because God valued friendship between Him and Abraham and every man related to him (like relationship between husband and wife), He must have put a mark on the male organ. God chose Abraham’s grandson Jacob and changed his name to Israel. Israel is said to be God’s wife (Isaiah 54:5; Jeremiah 3:14; Jeremiah 31:32; Ezekiel 2:34). Therefore, the Israelites circumcised every male. They showed their closeness to God through circumcision.
Abraham and Ishmael circumcised
"On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household or bought with his money, every male in his household, and circumcised them, as God told him. 24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised, 25 and his son Ishmael was thirteen; 26 Abraham and his son Ishmael were both circumcised on that very day. 27 And every male in Abraham’s household, including those born in his household or bought from a foreigner, was circumcised with him." (Genesis 17:23-27)
Abraham did what God commanded without hesitation. He made a covenant with God. Abraham always did what God commanded without delay or argument. He is a good example for us. Abraham bore the mark of being a man of God in his foreskin.
Circumcision of Isaac
Abraham circumcised his son Isaac on the eighth day, as God had commanded him. (Genesis 21:4) Isaac was the son of his father Abraham after he had been circumcised. Isaac was the one who made a covenant with God before he knew anything about it.
Men of Shechem were circumcised and Killed
"All the men who went out of the city gate agreed with Hamor and his son Shechem, and every male in the city was circumcised.25 Three days later, while all of them were still in pain, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, took their swords and attacked the unsuspecting city, killing every male." (Genesis 34:24-25) The men of Shechem were not circumcised because they had made a covenant with God. They were circumcised because the prince of Shechem wanted to take Jacob's daughter Dinah. Not only did the men of Shechem not get Dinah, but they were all killed. It is like those who are baptized today, not because they believe in the Lord, but because they want to marry a Christian woman or join the Christian church. Those socalled Christians were baptized but it was no use. Are you one of them?
The sons of Moses were not circumcised
"At a lodging place on the way, the Lord met Moses and was about to kill him. 25 But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’ feet with it. “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me,” she said. 26 So the Lord let him alone. (At that time, she said “bridegroom of blood,” referring to circumcision.)" (Exodus 4:24-26)
Moses knew the Lord, but when he was in the wilderness of Midian, he did not circumcise his two sons as the Lord had commanded. So, God planned to destroy him. Zipporah, his wife, circumcised her sons and then let Moses go. Although the details of their story are not recorded, it is possible that Moses ordered his wife to circumcise their sons. Moses would have been very sick to death if recorded that the Lord was about to kill him.
Uncircumcised lips
And Moses spoke before the Lord, saying, “The children of Israel have not heeded me. How then shall Pharaoh heed me, for I am of uncircumcised lips? (NKJV)” (Exodus 6:12) But Moses said before the Lord, “Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh heed me?(NKJV)” (Exodus 6:30)
Moses spoke of himself as having uncircumcised lips. The Bible does not say what it means, so we do not know. Does it mean unclean lips, or unworthy lips, or unbelieving lips? Bible scholars have interpreted it differently.
Only the circumcised may eat the Passover
“This is the ordinance of the Passover: No foreigner shall eat it. 44 But every man’s servant who is bought for money, when you have circumcised him, then he may eat it." (Exodus 12:43-44)
And when a stranger dwells with you and wants to keep the Passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as a native of the land. For no uncircumcised person shall eat it. (NKJV) (Exodus 12:48)
The Passover was a festival celebrated by the Israelites on the night they were freed from slavery in Egypt. The Passover lamb was slaughtered and its blood was sprinkled on the doorposts and lintels to show that they were God’s people. Therefore, people not related to God were not allowed to eat it. Every male must be circumcised to eat it. So commanded God.
Uncircumcised fruit
“‘When you enter the land and plant any kind of fruit tree, regard its fruit as forbidden. For three years you are to consider it forbidden; it must not be eaten. 24 In the fourth year all its fruit will be holy, an offering of praise to the Lord. 25 But in the fifth year you may eat its fruit. In this way your harvest will be increased. I am the Lord your God. (Leviticus 19:23-25)
God commanded circumcision not only of men but also of fruit trees. When fruit trees planted , the planters enjoy eating the first fruits. However, God forbade them from eating the fruit trees bear for three years. The fruit of the fourth year is also for thanksgiving, and the fruit of the fifth year is to be eaten first. The reason why the first three years of fruit are forbidden to eat is not known as they are not mentioned. However, it is likely that the first three years represent the time of immaturity. Only when people grow up and are mature do they marry, work, and take on and lead projects. Mothers can be impatient with children they give birth during their teenage years. Similarly, God may have defined the young fruits of trees as immature fruits, uncircumcised fruits.
Uncircumcised heart
“‘But if they will confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors—their unfaithfulness and their hostility toward me, 41 which made me hostile toward them so that I sent them into the land of their enemies—then when their uncircumcised hearts are humbled and they pay for their sin, 42 I will remember my covenant with Jacob and my covenant with Isaac and my covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land. (Leviticus 26:40-42)
God said if the people of Israel commit sin against the Lord and confess their sin and the sin of their fathers; and if they humbly confess their uncircumcised hearts, they should remember the covenant their forefathers made with God. What does it mean to have an uncircumcised heart? Circumcision of the body without the heart is incomplete. The unity of a husband and a wife, even after having children, cannot be complete without love. They may be husband and wife in the eyes of men, but they cannot truly be perfect husband and wife. Likewise, it is very difficult to worship and follow God without the heart. Today, many people are Christians in name only, but they do not love and respect God with their hearts. Without wholeheartedness, it is very difficult, even impossible, to do God's will. This is like uncircumcised hearts.
Circumcise those born on the way
At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites again.” 3 So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites at Gibeath Haaraloth.4 Now this is why he did so: All those who came out of Egypt—all the men of military age—died in the wilderness on the way after leaving Egypt. 5 All the people that came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness during the journey from Egypt had not. 6 The Israelites had moved about in the wilderness forty years until all the men who were of military age when they left Egypt had died, since they had not obeyed the Lord. For the Lord had sworn to them that they would not see the land he had solemnly promised their ancestors to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. 7 So he raised up their sons in their place, and these were the ones Joshua circumcised. They were still uncircumcised because they had not been circumcised on the way. 8 And after the whole nation had been circumcised, they remained where they were in camp until they were healed. (Joshua 5:2-8)
Why did the men who came out of Egypt die on the way, even though they were circumcised? Why did they not circumcise their sons who were born on the way? The reason might have been because they did not value the covenant they made with the Lord; they were circumcised because of the custom. The Bible says that they did not believe in the Lord.
The Bible says they did not believe in God as follows: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.” 16 Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? 17 And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies perished in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? 19 So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief. (Hebrews 3:15-19)
Samson’s wife
His father and mother replied, “Isn’t there an acceptable woman among your relatives or among all our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines to get a wife?” But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me. She’s the right one for me.” (Judges 14:3) Samson was chosen by God before he was conceived, but he did not care that he was a man of God's covenant. So, he wanted to marry an uncircumcised Philistine woman. In the end, the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes, and finally, he died with them.
Jonathan and his young man went to the Philistine camp
Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised men. Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.” (1 Samuel 14:6) Why did Jonathan, the son of Saul, and his armor-bearer were not afraid go out to meet the Philistines? It must have been because they were circumcised (in covenant with God), and they knew very well that the Philistines were not God’s people. As he was convinced that he was a man of God, Jonathan and his armor-bearer’s first attack resulted in the death of about twenty men in a field large enough for an ox to plow (1 Samuel 14:14). Because Jonathan trusted in God, he was able to kill about twenty Philistine soldiers by the power of God.
David defeats Goliath
Saul and the Israelites were completely afraid of Goliath, a Philistine giant who was six cubits tall. However, why was young David not afraid of Goliath? Because he knew that he was the one who belongs to God and had covenant with the Him. He did not put trust in himself, but in the Lord, so, he dared to challenge Goliath. David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (1 Samuel 17:26)
Why were Saul and the Israelites so afraid of Goliath? They did not remember that they were God’s covenant people. David was a young man, but he understood that very well. So when Goliath approached him and challenged him, he did not flinch or turn back. David had not even made preparation to fight Goliath. He took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine. (1 Samuel 17:40)
Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David. 42 He looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him. 43 He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals!”45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.” (1 Samuel 17:41-47)
As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. 49 Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.50 So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him. 51 David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine’s sword and drew it from the sheath. After he killed him, he cut off his head with the sword. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran. (1 Samuel 17:48-51)
Why was David able to defeat Goliath with one stone? It was because of the power of God. David knew very well that he was a man of circumcision, a man who had made a covenant with God. Therefore, he had complete confidence in God.
Saul committed suicide
Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised fellows will come and run me through and abuse me.” But his armor-bearer was terrified and would not do it; so Saul took his own sword and fell on it. (1 Samuel 31:4)
No uncircumcised shall enter
Awake, awake, Zion, clothe yourself with strength! Put on your garments of splendor, Jerusalem, the holy city. The uncircumcised and defiled will not enter you again. (Isaiah 52:1)
Do the circumcision
Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, circumcise your hearts, you people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, or my wrath will flare up and burn like fire because of the evil you have done— burn with no one to quench it. (Jeremiah 4:4)
Through the prophet Jeremiah, God warned the people of Judah and Jerusalem to circumcise their hearts.
Uncircumcised ears
To whom can I speak and give warning? Who will listen to me? Their ears are closed so they cannot hear. The word of the Lord is offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it. (Jeremiah 6:10)
Again, through Jeremiah, it is written that they cannot hear the word of God because their ears are uncircumcised. Today, most Christians are also uncircumcised, so they cannot hear the truth and understand it.
The uncircumcised vs. the circumcised
“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will punish all who are circumcised only in the flesh— 26 Egypt, Judah, Edom, Ammon, Moab and all who live in the wilderness in distant places. For all these nations are really uncircumcised, and even the whole house of Israel is uncircumcised in heart.” (Jeremiah 9:25-26)
Jeremiah says that the uncircumcised Gentiles and the circumcised Israelites are the same. Why? Because they are circumcised in the flesh but uncircumcised in the heart.
Uncircumcised in heart and body
When you offer my food, the fat and the blood, you have brought into my sanctuary foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, to defile my sanctuary, and have broken my covenant by your abominations. (Ezekiel 44:7)
This is what the Sovereign Lord says: No foreigner uncircumcised in heart and flesh is to enter my sanctuary, not even the foreigners who live among the Israelites. (Ezekiel 44:9)
John circumcised
On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.” (Luke 1:59-60) John the Baptist was circumcised by his parents on the eighth day.
Circumcision of Jesus
On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived. (Luke 2:21) Although Jesus was God, he was circumcised when he became a man. This is because he was still in the Old Testament.
Circumcision on the Sabbath
“You are demon-possessed,” the crowd answered. “Who is trying to kill you?” 21 Jesus said to them, “I did one miracle, and you are all amazed. 22 Yet, because Moses gave you circumcision (though actually it did not come from Moses, but from the patriarchs), you circumcise a boy on the Sabbath. 23 Now if a boy can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing a man’s whole body on the Sabbath? 24 Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.” (John 7:20-24)
Jesus said that because the Israelites were usually circumcised on the Sabbath.
Holy Spirit given to the Gentiles
While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. (Acts 10:44-45)
So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him 3 and said, “You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.” (Acts 11:2-3)
Why were the circumcised Jews astonished when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the Gentiles in the house of Cornelius? Because they did not know the works of God. God also accepted the uncircumcised Gentiles. The circumcised did not know this and could not accept it.
Unless you are circumcised, you cannot be saved
Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.”(Acts 15:1)
The Jews still believed that faith alone was not enough to save people, and that circumcision was necessary to be saved.
The disruption of circumcision
Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, “You must be circumcised and keep the law”—to whom we gave no such commandment— (Acts 15:24)
This is what the apostles and elders of the church in Jerusalem said when they discussed the need for circumcision and the law. By this discussion they decided that Gentile believers no longer needed to be circumcised.
Timothy circumcised
Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer but whose father was a Greek. 2 The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 3 Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. (Acts 16:1-3) Why did they circumcise Timothy, a mixed race of Gentiles and Jews? It was to avoid being persecuted by the Jews.
Paul's words about the Jews not to be circumcised
When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. 21 They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs. (Acts 21:20-21)
Circumcision is of no benefit if you keep the law
Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised. 26 So then, if those who are not circumcised keep the law’s requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised? 27 The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker. 28 A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 29 No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God. (Romans 2:25-29)
Is circumcision of the Jews profitable?
What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? 2 Much in every way! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God. (Romans 3:1-2)
Justified by faith
30 For it is one God who will justify both the circumcised and the uncircumcised by faith. 31 Do we then make void the law through faith? It does not do away with it, but rather establishes it. (Romans 3:30-31)
The uncircumcised also receive the same blessing
Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness. 10 Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! 11 And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. 12 And he is then also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised. (Romans 4:9-12)
Jesus ministered to those who were circumcised
For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, so that the promises made to the patriarchs might be confirmed 9 and, moreover, that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written: “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing the praises of your name.” (Romans 15:8-9)
Circumcision profits nothing, and uncircumcision profits nothing
Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised. 19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commands is what counts. (1 Corinthians 7:18-19)
Titus uncircumcised
Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. (Galatians 2:3)
Peter feared the circumcised
For before certain men came from James, he (Peter) used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. (Galatians 2:12)
Circumcision is a debtor for the Law
Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3 Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. (Galatians 5:2-3)
Circumcision is not beneficial, nor is uncircumcision beneficial
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. (Galatians 5:6)
If circumcision is still preached
Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. (Galatians 5:11)
Circumcision is a way of boasting
Those who want to impress people by means of the flesh are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 Not even those who are circumcised keep the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your circumcision in the flesh. (Galatians 6:12-13)
They want you to be circumcised
Those who want to impress people by means of the flesh are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 Not even those who are circumcised keep the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your circumcision in the flesh. (Galatians 6:12-13)
Why did they circumcise the Gentile believers in Galatia? Paul said, “That they may boast in the flesh.” The Jewish believers believed that Gentile believers were honorable if they were circumcised.
Circumcision is not beneficial if you're in Jesus Christ
May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation.. (Galatians 6:14-15)
Paul clearly said that in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any use. Why? He explained it in Colossians 2:11-12 as follows: In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self-ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
The uncircumcised
Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)
The correct circumcision
Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. 3 For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh (Philippians 3:2-3) Paul even warned against those who make a mockery of circumcision.
Circumcision not done by Hands
In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self-ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins. (Colossians 2:11-13)
In the new creation
You have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. (Colossians 3:10-11)
