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THE MATTER OF CIRCUMCISION

Romans 2:24-29

24 No wonder the Scriptures say, “The Gentiles blaspheme the name of God because of you.” 25 The Jewish ceremony of circumcision has value only if you obey God’s law. But if you don’t obey God’s law, you are no better off than an uncircumcised Gentile. 26 And if the Gentiles obey God’s law, won’t God declare them to be his own people? 27 In fact, uncircumcised Gentiles who keep God’s law will condemn you Jews who are circumcised and possess God’s law but don’t obey it. 28 For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision. 29 No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people. (Romans 2:24-29 – NLT)

In this passage, Paul is dealing with the attitude of legalist Jews in comparison to non-Jews whose heart was right. Because of their legalistic interpretation of the law, the Jews practised an attitude of exclusion and contempt for all others, as seen in Jesus conversation with the woman at the well. Their narrow, bigoted attitude would even deny a weary traveller a drink of cool water from a well if they were not a circumcised Jew. Such an attitude must inevitably be a catalyst for contempt and disgust from others. By their attitude, the Jews turned people away from the God who sought to embrace the whole world. Bad attitudes must inevitably invite bad reactions. When we allow the Holy Spirit to change our hearts our attitudes begin to change and people are drawn to us. Real religion is a thing of the open heart and the open door. (William Barclay)

Although circumcision was widely practised in the ancient world the Jewish race has strongly identified it, along with Sabbath observance, as crucially significant to their religion and customs. It was to become a dilemma for New Testament Christians from the non-Jewish backgrounds to the point where it threatened to destroy the fledgeling church.

In Acts 15 an assembly is called, later to be known as the Jerusalem Council, and its main task is to deal with this very problem. Peter had become the champion of the non-Jewish Christians going so far as to journey to Jerusalem in defence of their right to faith. When criticism was levelled at the non-Jewish Christian for not observing the rite of circumcision it is Peter whose stirring defence of the non-Jews that wins the day. The outcome is that the decision is made that circumcision was not necessary to their faith.

6 So the apostles and elders met together to resolve this issue. 7 At the meeting, after a long discussion, Peter stood and addressed them as follows: “Brothers, you all know that God chose me from among you some time ago to preach to the Gentiles so that they could hear the Good News and believe. 8 God knows people’s hearts, and he confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us. 9 He made no distinction between us and them, for he cleansed their hearts through faith. 10 So why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear? 11 We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.” (Acts 15:6-11)

Consequently in Romans 2:24-29 Paul has to deal with Jewish Christians whose emphasis was on the rite of circumcision rather than obedience to God’s way. It is a strange quirk of humanity to look for physical actions or deeds to validate their relationship with God. The reality is that God is spirit (John 4:24) and no physical action or deed can unify humanity and God, it is solely and purely a matter of the heart and spirit.

The Jews placed great emphasis on the rite of circumcision. To them, it was the mark of that nation’s separation to God. Paul declares that a man is not a Jew who is merely one who bases his relationship with God on the outward rite of physical circumcision. The reality is that if that is all a person has then it has no spiritual significance. Paul was convinced that no physical rite or action could put a person right with God but rather obedience to God’s way. In closing this chapter he says: true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit. For the Christian trying to live the kingdom lifestyle, there is no substitute for the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.




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