Baby, Brown

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THEOLOGICAL ESSAY

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Circumcision

Introduction

Circumcision as a subject is not new as it has been in existence since ancient times. The removal of the male foreskin is known as circumcision. Paul argues in Romans that no Jew has the right to take pride in his observance of Jewish law or the excision of his foreskin because he does not do so fully and is therefore considered uncircumcised(Romans 2:25-27). As Paul summarizes it all, authentic Judaism and circumcision are not based on the physical removal of the foreskin, but rather on knowledge of one's inner nature (Romans 2:28-29). And he doesn't stop there; he ends up eliminating the conventional definition of Jews and everything that distinguished them from everyone else. "Circumcise therefore your heart's foreskin and cease from stubbornness," says Deuteronomy in favor of Paul's circumcision theology(Deuteronomy 10:16). Because of this, circumcision is not based on the removal of a person's foreskin, but rather on the purity of their heart. In this paper, I will be discussing how circumcision transpired in the old and new testament as well as every factor that is affected by circumcision and its relevance and how it is perceived in the current society.

In the ancient Near East, men were circumcised in two ways: some Egyptians, particularly priests, slit their foreskins to let them hang loose; many men from western Semitic groups in Syria and Palestine removed their foreskins entirely. Both methods were common. The practice's beginnings are lost forever. Circumcision, according to Herodotus (5th century [B.C.]), originated in Egypt before making its way eastward over the Mediterranean to Phoenicia. However, archaeological discoveries have forced a reevaluation of the data, which had previously been accepted by current researchers. Archaeological evidence from Syria and Egypt shows that Syrian warriors shown in the W Semitic style were active as early as the 3rd millennium BC [B.C] (Sasson 1966: 473-76). For this reason, Sasson claims that the practice originated among NW Semites and spread to Egypt. His conclusion is based on the current data. ” In other words, the Hebrews didn't invent this practice when they first began employing it in Palestine, as I had assumed, but rather received it from the Semites after they conquered Egypt. Three Hebrew sources demonstrate how seriously it was taken, says the author (Cendana, K., 2021).

Throughout the Bible, the word "circumcision" refers to religious or ceremonial circumcision. Medical or routine circumcision, as it is carried out in the United States, is not mentioned in the Bible. Many Gentile circumcisions are motivated by the assumption that Jewish religious circumcision was adopted for health purposes in the United States. As far back as its inception, the belief that circumcision conferred a range of health benefits on Jews was based on an incorrect assumption. It is critical to stress that circumcision is not performed for medical reasons, as is commonly believed by both Jews and non-Jews alike. Medical professionals have a history of spreading misinformation to justify and promote medically unnecessary procedures, so it comes as no surprise that the public believes what they are being told.

Relevance of circumcision

Why is this covenant with Abraham marked by circumcision? One possible explanation is the link between the Abrahamic covenant and future generations. God was telling Abraham to ensure that him and his descendants are circumcised, and the circumcision was to be a covenant made between Abraham and God. Abraham was also instructed to ensure that his male family members are circumcised in order to be accepted as God's people. God continues to inform Abraham that also his servants most be circumcised before being accept to dwell in his family That Abraham's covenant descendants came from his own body is interesting to note, even though the scripture does not explicitly mention it. Isaac was quite literally born of the covenant(Genesis 17:10-14).

Whether or not circumcision is a sign of one's faith is an open question. Verse 25 through 29 of Romans states that It is only profitable for circumcision to be performed when a person follows the law, yet circumcision is required even if they break the law(Romans 2:25-27). Paul had no issues with Timothy's uncircumcision because he had him circumcised beforehand. All the guys, except Titus, who was not a Jew and had not been circumcised, had a thorough understanding of Torah had a thorough understanding of all of Moses' teachings(Acts 16:3-4). A large number of those who were won over to Christ as a result of the apostle Paul's preaching were non-Jews who disbelieved in the Jewish tradition of circumcision.

Paul now did not consider circumcision to be the most crucial factor for Gentile converts, and he attempted to persuade them not to put too much pressure on themselves to be circumcised. To avoid the Gentiles losing focus on what was important, Jesus did not want them to focus on what the Jews had started to focus on, the requirement of circumcision. If you breach the law once, you'll be deemed a lawbreaker in every sector, according to Paul ( Romans 2:25-27).

Circumcision was not required for Christians, but only for Jews, according to God's covenant with Abraham. For Christians, however, God emphasizes the importance of keeping the law rather than getting circumcised, as evidenced by the fact that God commanded Abraham to ensure that all of his generations were circumcised on the eighth day after birth (Leviticus (12:3-5). Paul taught people that what was important is to be circumcised of heart. He told the people that circumcision by flesh is not important of you are not circumcised of heart and gotten rid of all the filthiness.

Acts tells us that God does not distinguish between those who have been circumcised and those who haven't (Acts 7:8-9), while Peter is impressed with the Gentiles' knowledge of faith. He was disgusted by the level of hostility directed at youngsters, many of whom died as a result of the perpetrators' actions. It's possible that he didn't agree with this Mosaic commandment since he didn't understand why parents would give birth to a kid and then put it in danger by having it circumcised. It is clear from Peter's comparison of the Jewish ritual to an "unbearable burden" that this ritual hurt him, and he did not indicate whether or not the ritual was optional . (Acts 7:8-9) Before he was circumcised, Abraham affirmed that the Lord will not impute sin to anybody. This is according to God's covenant with Abraham. The covenant demanded that all male children were to undergo circumcision on the eighth day after being born.

Circumcision of the heart

According to Paul and Peter's interpretation of the Torah and God's covenant with Moses, circumcision, the removal of the foreskin, is not necessary. It is commonly known to the Jews that Jesus did not go against Moses' teachings, but instead provided a better explanation, and therefore He died for everyone's sins and allowed everyone to redeem themselves via faith We are reminded of the real origin of circumcision and how it came to existence. This is about God's covenant of circumcision with Abraham. Jesus as well questions the Pharisees whether healing a person's life on the Sabbath is worse than circumcision of a man on the Sabbath so as to uphold the ritual. ( John 7:22-23). Circumcision is not required to join God's Kingdom, as this new evidence shows. The Old Testament defines circumcision as a symbolic act of entering into a covenant with God. Those who signed on to this agreement had to accept and abide by harsh punishments and rigorous rules (Genesis 17:23-24).

It became a "badge of membership" in the covenant community for those who were circumcised. In time, it became the only way to identify a Jewish man as one. There is a dramatic shift in the New Testament's depiction. The Christian's covenant with God is based on their trust in Jesus Christ's sacrificial death and resurrection. Christians are obligated by this New Testament covenant not to be circumcised. Circumcision does not bind Christian households to God. Circumcision, according to Paul's definition, is incompatible with Christian beliefs and practices. Paul's remarks in Acts, which refer to religious ritual circumcision, are astounding in light of today's practice of routine circumcision of infants. Rather than a symbol of the covenant community, circumcision was seen as an act of alienation. Having faith in God was a requirement for being a Son of Abraham, not just a Christian( Acts 16:3-4).

Since the Semites were the first to use circumcision, the original meaning and purpose of the procedure may be traced back to them. First, it was for religious reasons, but the Egyptians began using it as a means of sanitation. God intended for this to be a sign of the covenant he made with Israel, where he picked them and made good on his word. As early as the first century, it had taken on a new meaning as a way to discourage masturbation. It is crucial for Christians because it demonstrates their capacity to follow God's instructions and their readiness to put their faith into action. According to the Anchor Bible Dictionary, the majority of early Christians rejected it (Deuteronomy 30:1-6). Today, this is still practiced on newborn infants when they are first born because it might be the everlasting and unwavering commitment we made to God for the promise he gave to us, and it would still matter to us (for men at least). Although this is only applicable to men in a literal sense, women in the Old Testament were able to utilize this as a metaphor for the same things that men were.

It is apparent from Acts 16 and other passages that circumcision was a controversial topic in the early church. 1558 is the times in the Bible that circumcision is mentioned.( J.D. Douglas and Merrill C. Tenney's New International Dictionary of the Bible) Many cultures around the world, including those in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Australia, have and continue to practice circumcision, which is the cutting off of the foreskin (Acts 16:3-4). Western Semites and Egyptians used it, but the Babylonians, Assyrians, Canaanites, and Philistines did not. In ancient times, As far as the origin and significance of circumcision go, there is little doubt that it began as a religious practice. "Because God commanded them to, the Hebrews carried out the command. It was something the father of the family would do to his boys. The traditional materials were flint and glass, but steel has now replaced those (Joshua 5:3-5). God ordered Joshua to carry out a second circumcision on all the male uncircumcised Israelites. This was because the male who had been born in Egypt had been circumcised but majority of them had died in the wilderness while those male born in the wilderness were still not circumcised and had to be. The Bible explains why circumcision is necessary, saying that early Christians saw Abraham do it and wanted to be blessed like he was.

Any time circumcision is mentioned in the Bible it is always used to symbolize cleanliness and being set apart for God's purposes. Physical circumcision is performed in the Bible, and newborns between the ages of 8 and 12 can be circumcised. As a sign of God's covenant with the Israelites, God wanted Israelites circumcised physically but also utilized circumcision in a spiritual sense. Spiritually, the term "circumcision of the heart" refers to removing all the dirt and sin from the center of one's being. God was not only referring to physical circumcision or circumcision by flesh but was referring to circumcision of heart. He declared punishment on all this male who were uncircumcised as well as those who were not circumcised at heart as a way to compel people to obey follow his covenant and his word. Circumcising their hearts is how God instructs the Israelites to cultivate healthy awe and respect for Him, as well as to follow His commands and serve Him with all their hearts and souls (Jeremiah 9:25-27).

If they want to be set apart for God's glory and good, as God instructs them in Deuteronomy 10:16, they must cleanse and or purify themselves from the uncleanness of their sins and idolatry first. Additionally, their prospering would allow other nations around them to see how the one true God is causing them to grow, which could either drive other nations into jealousy or, by God's grace, cause them to realize the stupidity of their gods and turn to the one true God, whichever is more beneficial. As symbols of the Israelites' covenant with God, both physical and spiritual circumcisions were performed(Deuteronomy 10:16). The fruits of these sacrifices should serve as a beacon to the rest of humanity as it strives to imitate God and become more like Him. In Deuteronomy 10, God tells the Israelites to remember who He is and what he has done for them to keep their hearts circumcised. Deuteronomy 30( Deuteronomy 30:1-6)shows us that the Israelites couldn't really "circumcise" their hearts on their own; only God can do that, and that is via trust in Jesus Christ and the cleansing and regeneration that comes with it (Deuteronomy 10:16).

According to Jeremiah’s discussion on the New Testament's concept of heart circumcision (Jeremiah 6:10-11), Christians today no longer need to be physically cut off from their flesh to demonstrate their covenant relationship with God. Instead, through faith in Jesus Christ, God grants believers a new heart through the power of the holy spirit that empowers them to follow His path. In the Gospels, Jesus refers to this as "being born from above" or "being born again." When we place our confidence in Jesus and His atoning work for us, God gives us a new heart that is receptive to His call on our lives and His presence in our lives. The promise of how He would cause us to walk in His ways also gives us a desire to fulfill that call. Christians today are indwelled by the Holy Spirit, and as a result, we are the temple where the Holy Spirit resides, whereas in the Old Testament, though they were given life by the Spirit and received guidance from Spirit-filled prophets, they received God's presence through actual temples. This contrasts with how the Old Testament was structured.

The Holy Spirit can only reside in us as Christians because we have been cleansed and forgiven of our sin through Jesus' death on the cross. Because Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of the church, we no longer have to keep making offerings to represent our atonement with God and gain access to His presence. As John 16:7 states (John 7:22-23), the Holy Spirit was sent only because of Jesus. Through Jesus, one can have their hearts circumcised, and God is both the cause and the means of this, according to the Bible. Restoration of our relationship with God can only be accomplished through being circumcised in the heart, so that we can now strive and desire to walk in the ways of the Lord with a pure heart, honoring and praising Him; and, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we can strive to love the Lord our God with all of our hearts. The fact that God has saved a people for Himself and provided the means of grace through which we can enter this grace-based relationship with Him demonstrates God's love, grace, mercy, providence, sovereignty, compassion, and everything else that God demonstrates God's identity as the Creator of the universe.

When we look at God's "heart," we see that he wants his people to benefit and benefit others, and to do so by looking back and remembering how God has blessed and supplied for them to do so, so that others may come to know and rest in him, of whom we were meant to be with. I am reminded of a phrase from Augustine of Hippo's Confessions while thinking of God's concern for His creation. According to the passage in Luke, (Luke 2:21)Like all Abraham's descendants, Jesus as well had to undergo circumcision on the eighth day. He was born of Joseph who was a descendant of Abraham. He came to save the world and was born of clean thus he had to undergo the right of passage. Through the gift of Christ, God wants us to rest in Him and enter into this covenant of grace, in which we might honor God and enjoy Him forever. In sending Christ to give us a circumcised heart through the washing and regeneration provided by the Holy Spirit, may God be praised for who He is and what He has done. This will enable us to follow the Lord's path for our good and the good of others.

Despite this, the practice has not been completely phased out. The Lord directed Joshua to restore circumcision among the descendants who had come out of Egypt after they had crossed the Jordan. In the words of Jehovah, "Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise afresh the children of Israel" (Joshua 5:3-5).

Why was this the second time the Lord called for circumcision? In the Old Testament, religious circumcision was not a new phenomenon. Unquestionably, many boys and young men had been circumcised numerous times between this occurrence and Abraham's time. Text from Joshua 5:7(Joshua 5:3-5) shows clearly that this second circumcision is not an allusion to some other cut on the already circumcised but is the first circumcision for those born in the wilderness. ' Their children were uncircumcised since they had not been circumcised by the way, so Joshua circumcised them in their stead" (Joshua 5:3-5). These are the children who were specifically excused from Egypt's reproach due to their youth, as well as the children born while the Israelites were traveling.

There is some evidence to suggest that God's chosen people were circumcised for the second time, with Abraham and his family serving as a model. This is an example of a group's recommitment to the cause. After God "rolling away from you the disgrace of Egypt," in Hebrew, 'you' is plural. When God welcomed Gilgal's people, he accepted them as a group and reinstated circumcision as a mark of their renewed devotion Keller, T. (2021). God ordered Joshua to carry out a second circumcision on all the male uncircumcised Israelites. This was because the male who had been born in Egypt had been circumcised but majority of them had died in the wilderness while those male born in the wilderness were still not circumcised and had to be. (Joshua 5:3-5)

Conclusion

In conclusion, The Old Testament rite of circumcision can teach us a lot about current covenants. It is possible that circumcision can serve as a model for how modern people can "take out" the "forbidden" from their life by using the language used to command it. Another encouraging illustration of the power of passing commitments down through the generations is the near-continuous practice of circumcision. Third, the story of Joshua's second circumcision is a demonstration of God's redeeming character for both the individual and the collective. Last, but not least, a person's inner dedication to God might be strengthened by symbolic heart circumcision teachings. When it comes to discussing circumcision in the classroom, perhaps the topic and present cultural norms make it unpleasant. Circumcision in the Old Testament can be a great teaching tool for modern people who want to better keep their commitments if it is linked to themes of deep commitment, collective redemption, and internal devotion.

References

Thiessen, M., 2014. Paul’s Argument against Gentile Circumcision in Romans 2:17-29. Novum Testamentum, 56(4), pp.373-391.

Cendana, K. (2021). Circumcision, God’s Covenant With Abraham, The Law Of – Amazing Bible Timeline with World History. Retrieved 9th February 2022, from

https://amazingbibletimeline.com/blog/gods-covenant-with-abraham-the-law-of-circumcision

Glass, M. (2021). The New Testament and Circumcision. Retrieved 9th February 2022, from http://cirp.org/pages/cultural/glass1/

Keller, T. (2021). Circumcision by Christ | Monergism. Retrieved 9th February 2022, from https://www.monergism.com/blog/circumcision-christ