In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. (Col 2:11–15).
One of the things that the apostle Paul is well-known for, especially by today's standards, is his tendency to use long, run-on sentences. For instance, in verses 11 and 12, he composes a single sentence. As we examine the following few verses, many ideas are being conveyed, making it necessary to break down these verses into multiple parts. As part of this series, I aim to present the content in a manner that is easily comprehensible to those new to Bible study or Christian theology. As a result, I will take the time to explain any unfamiliar concepts to the best of my ability for the modern reader.
What is Circumcision?
According to Mosaic Law, circumcision is the surgical removal of the foreskin of the penis, usually performed on male infants when they are eight days old. The practice of circumcision is considered an important ritual for Jewish males and is a sign of the covenant between God and the Jewish people.
The origins of circumcision in Judaism can be traced back to the story of Abraham in the Book of Genesis, where God commands him to circumcise himself and all male members of his household as a sign of the covenant between them. The procedure of circumcision is performed by a mohel, a trained ritual circumciser, which removes the foreskin using a surgical knife or scissors. The infant is then given a Hebrew name and blessed by family and friends, with the ceremony typically followed by a festive meal.
In addition to its religious significance, circumcision is believed to have health benefits, including reduced risk of urinary tract infections, sexually transmitted infections, and cancer.
Circumcision is a type or shadow of true circumcision in the heart.
Circumcision served as a physical sign of the covenant between Yahweh and the descendants of Abraham, marking the children of Israel as people in a covenant relationship with God. However, this physical circumcision was a sign that the people were set apart or holy for God’s plans and purposes. It also pointed to a deeper reality - the need to cut away the evil produced in one’s heart. As Jesus says in Matthew 15:19, "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders." This implies that the root of sin is not just external circumstances but the condition of the human heart. Jesus stresses the importance of inner righteousness and teaches that it is not enough to obey external rules; one must also have a pure heart.
The idea that physical circumcision was simply a sign, a type or a shadow of what was meant to occur in the heart is not limited to the New Testament. This theme is also reiterated in the Old Testament prophets' warnings, calling on the nation of Israel to repent, which is represented by having hearts that are circumcised. In Deuteronomy 10:16, Moses tells the Israelites, "Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn." Moses emphasizes the need for the Israelites to change their hearts and turn away from their stubborn ways, which prevented them from fully obeying God's commands.
Another passage, Jeremiah 4:4, shows that God desires outward obedience and inward transformation of the heart. It states, "Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, remove the foreskin of your hearts, O men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem."
In the book of Ezekiel, God promises to give his people a new heart and spirit. In Ezekiel 36:26, God declares, "And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." This prophecy was fulfilled in Acts 2 and continues to be fulfilled today.
How does circumcision relate to the Colossian Church?
In the New Testament, the apostle Paul uses the term "circumcision" in two distinct ways. He first uses it to describe a class of people, namely the Jews or Judaizers who believed in circumcision as a necessary practice for salvation. For example, in Philippians 3:3, Paul writes, "For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh." Here, Paul refers to himself and other Christians as "the circumcision," in contrast to those who believe in physical circumcision as a requirement for salvation.
Similarly, in Galatians 2:12, Paul writes, "For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party." In this context, "the circumcision party" refers to Jewish Christians who believed that Gentile converts needed to be circumcised to be saved.
The second way Paul uses the term "circumcision" is to indicate a spiritual reality. For instance, in Romans 2:28-29, Paul writes, "For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter." Here, Paul is saying that true circumcision is not a physical act but a spiritual one that happens in the heart by the power of the Holy Spirit.
So back to our text in Colossians 2:11 which reads, "In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ." In the Old Testament, circumcision was a physical sign of the covenant between God and the Israelites. But here, Paul says believers are "circumcised" spiritually through their identification with Christ. This spiritual circumcision is not a physical activity performed by human hands but a transformation in the heart by the Holy Spirit. In this context, Paul is using the metaphor of circumcision to illustrate the spiritual reality of the believers' union with Christ.
Paul says that through faith in Christ, believers have put off the old nature, the "body of the flesh," and have been made new. This new identity is marked by the removal of the "foreskin" of the heart, a metaphorical expression for the cutting away of sin and the self-centred nature.
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