In the OT, circumcision is seen as an outward sign of membership of Israel, the people of God.
The significance of circumcision in God's covenant with Abraham
Genesis 17:10–14 See also Acts 7:8
This is My covenant with you and your descendants after you, which you are to keep: Every male among you must be circumcised. You are to circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and this will be a sign of the covenant between Me and you. Generation after generation, every male must be circumcised when he is eight days old, including those born in your household and those purchased from a foreigner — even those who are not your offspring. Whether they are born in your household or purchased, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh will be an everlasting covenant. But if any male is not circumcised, he will be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.”
Circumcision is also for Abraham's descendants
Circumcision as a sign of national identity
Dinah's brothers and the Shechemites: Genesis 34:8–9, Genesis 34:14–17; Exodus 4:24–26; Joshua 5:4–8
Circumcision is integrated into the Mosaic law
Leviticus 12:3; John 7:22 It was later sometimes forgotten that circumcision predated the Mosaic law.
Circumcision as an important Passover restriction
Exodus 12:44, Exodus 12:48–49; Judges 14:3 Some of Israel's neighbours practised circumcision, but not the Philistines.
Circumcision was not necessarily a sign of consecration to God
NT accounts of circumcision practised in obedience to the law
Luke 1:59 John; Luke 2:21 Jesus Christ; John 7:23 Circumcision was permitted on the Sabbath; Philippians 3:5 Paul refers to his own circumcision; Acts 16:3 Timothy
The subject of circumcision debated by the first Christians
Acts 10:45, Acts 11:2, Acts 15:5; Galatians 2:3 That Titus, a Greek, was not required to be circumcised illustrates the change in the attitude of the church concerning the relevance of the law to Gentile believers; Ephesians 2:11; Colossians 3:11; Titus 1:10
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.