Why Circumcision?

[JadeTigress]

I know that circumcision is a sign of the covenant made between God and Abraham. But why did God pick circumcision over something else? What is the significance of circumcision?

 

[tapero]

I know that circumcision is a sign of the covenant made between God and Abraham. But why did God pick circumcision over something else? What is the significance of circumcision?

For now; will just post the passage about it and prayerfully someone will come along and explain more as I would need study more; but why it was done:

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."

.

It was a sign between God and Abraham of the covenant.

Now there's much more to this, again, which I hope someone can fill in.

And above was to the Israelites only and those who would join themselves to the nation.

Circumcision of the heart is the deeper message, and it's been a long time since I've read on that..

so again, just a starting post..

 

[followandlead]

Most Christians don't circumcise, as in the surgical form. If you're Catholic, then you're actually committing a sin. Hardly anyone in Brazil, Spain, Italy, and Poland is circumcised, and they're some of the most Christian countries on earth.

Most Jews on the other hand do circumcise, though there are some that believe it is unnecessary or wrong. They have their own version of the Bris, which doesn't involve cutting.

 

[ebia]

Interesting question. I Don't know. Perhaps its chosen as the badge of God's family because (a) it's permanent and irreversable and (b) it's highly symbolic of the family (seen as descending through the male line).

 

[Stinker]

I know that circumcision is a sign of the covenant made between God and Abraham. But why did God pick circumcision over something else? What is the significance of circumcision?

Circumcision in the Ancient world

Ancient Egyptian caved scene of circumcision, from the inner northern wall of the Temple of Khonspekhrod at the Precinct of Mut, Luxor, Egypt. Eighteenth dynasty, Amenhotep III, c. 1360 BC.


The oldest documentary evidence for circumcision comes from Egypt. Tomb artwork from the Sixth Dynasty (2345 - 2181 BC) shows men with circumcised penises, and one relief from this period shows the rite being performed on a standing adult male. The Egyptian hieroglyph for "penis" depicts either a circumcised or an erect organ. The examination of Egyptian mummies has found some with foreskins and others who were circumcised.
Circumcision was common, although not universal, among ancient Semitic peoples. The Book of Jeremiah, written in the sixth century BC, lists the Egyptians, Jews, Edomites, Ammonites, and Moabites as circumcising cultures. Herodotus, writing in the fifth century BC, would add the Colchians, Ethiopians, Phoenicians, and Syrians to that list.
Except in the portrayal of satyrs, lechers, and barbarians, ancient Greece artwork portrayed penises covered by foreskins. In the aftermath of Alexander the Great's conquests, Greek dislike of circumcision led to a decline in its incidence among many peoples that had previously practiced it. The writer of 1 Maccabees wrote that under the Seleucids, many Jewish men attempted to hide or reverse their circumcision so they could exercise in Greek gymnasia, where nudity was the norm. First Maccabees also relates that the Seleucids forbade the practice of brit milah (Jewish circumcision), and punished those who performed it–as well as the infants who underwent it–with death.
Cultural pressures to circumcise operated throughout the Hellenistic world: when the Judean king John Hyrcanus conquered the Idumeans, he forced them to become circumcised and convert to Judaism, but their ancestors the Edomites had practiced circumcision in pre-Hellenistic times. [Wikipedia-History of Male Circumcision]

Apparently this practice was a form of initiation. I used to think that the Israelites were the first ones to practice this. Maybe they were the first ones to use it for a National identity.

 

[Gukkor]

My guess? It's a part of the male anatomy that doesn't serve any purpose of much importance, yet who's absence can be clearly seen.

As for circumcision among Christians, the majority of American Christians (and indeed, American citizens in general), until very recently, circumcised their children. It is thought among many citizens to be more hygenic, as it renders the penis easier to clean and lowers the risk of infection (though the difference is actually negligable in the latter case). Even among religious non-Jews, it is rarely done for religious reasons in this country.

 

[pistolhip2]

I don't believe this.

 

[Canuckmom]

I know that circumcision is a sign of the covenant made between God and Abraham. But why did God pick circumcision over something else? What is the significance of circumcision?

Circumcision for Abraham
Rom. 4:11 And he (Abraham) received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also.

Spiritual significance
Col. 2:11 In Whom (that is Christ) also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh ...

Why did God pick circumcision? I don't think the Bible tells us, but it does seam to signify the cutting off of something in a secret place corresponding to the cutting off of sin in the hidden place of our hearts.

 

[prgallo]

I know that circumcision is a sign of the covenant made between God and Abraham. But why did God pick circumcision over something else? What is the significance of circumcision?

There are 2 reasons that come to mind. The first is that many of the laws such as diet were meant to make the Hebrew people different in an obviouse way.

The second is the that is is a cutting off of the flesh, which is symbolic of self-will and human-nature. Otherwise called the old-sinner-self. The New Testament, which takes many of these OT teachings from the physical to the spiritual. So now it's mentioned as the circumsion of the heart. But it's still putting off the old-sinful-fleshly-self, which happens when someone is saved.

 

[dvd_holc]

I know that circumcision is a sign of the covenant made between God and Abraham. But why did God pick circumcision over something else? What is the significance of circumcision?

In covenants, there is a sign of the covenant which is cut on the body in rememberance of the oath. In the case of God's covenant with Abraham, God was to produce a seed and the place of remembrance was on the object which produced the seed as a testiment of the covenant. The strongest form of covenant was taking by God with Abraham. Now, the covenant of Abraham has been fulfilled. Jesus is the seed of which the covenants promised and He has paid the price for the penalty of breaking the covenants which was death.

 

[childofGod31]

I believe that all of Israel's physical rituals were symbolic of spiritual truths.

Col 2:16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you ..with regard to ..a Sabbath day. 17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.


Circumcision is the removal of the unclean part of...
it is symbolic of removal of our sinful life, or cutting off our unclean self...

Here is what apostle Paul said about being spiritually circumcised:

COL 2:11 In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ,

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

In covenants, there is a sign of the covenant which is cut on the body in rememberance of the oath. In the case of God's covenant with Abraham, God was to produce a seed and the place of remembrance was on the object which produced the seed as a testiment of the covenant. The strongest form of covenant was taking by God with Abraham. Now, the covenant of Abraham has been fulfilled. Jesus is the seed of which the covenants promised and He has paid the price for the penalty of breaking the covenants which was death.

I believe that God picked it, because God does what God does. There are many other things we could ask "why did God do that?" and "why does God allow this?".

Knowing why is is not important to salvation. Scripture tells us everything that we need to know, not what we want to know.

Circumcision, I believe is about obedience to God. It certainly would have been difficult to "cut" or to allow someone to cut your 8 day old son, but by doing it you are showing that you accept God's will, and in turn God promises promises that he will not forsake his people.

Mark

 

[LittleNipper]

I know that circumcision is a sign of the covenant made between God and Abraham. But why did God pick circumcision over something else? What is the significance of circumcision?

Guys tend to look at their ding dongs more than anything else, besides it helps prevent infection under the foreskin.

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

LittleNipper

Did ya pick your name just for this post?

Mark

 

[dvd_holc]

I believe that God picked it, because God does what God does. There are many other things we could ask "why did God do that?" and "why does God allow this?".

Knowing why is is not important to salvation. Scripture tells us everything that we need to know, not what we want to know.

Circumcision, I believe is about obedience to God. It certainly would have been difficult to "cut" or to allow someone to cut your 8 day old son, but by doing it you are showing that you accept God's will, and in turn God promises promises that he will not forsake his people.

Mark

I am not sure why you singled me out...but it is extremely important to put the culture (ie. history) of the people found in the bible or else we make their culture our culture. We have to understand the bible both of the context of the Spirit and the best historical records.

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

I am not sure why you singled me out...but it is extremely important to put the culture (ie. history) of the people found in the bible or else we make their culture our culture. We have to understand the bible both of the context of the Spirit and the best historical records.

Sorry, I did not mean to offend, rather I liked the context and background you answer gave. I felt it also gave relevance and depth to mine.

Respectfully,

Mark

 

[dvd_holc]

Sorry, I did not mean to offend, rather I liked the context and background you answer gave. I felt it also gave relevance and depth to mine.

Respectfully,

Mark

Ok,