THE GOSPELS – Chapter 1: The circumcision of Yeshua the Messiah and John the Baptist

30 August 2024

We are proceeding with our study of the GOSPELS. Last week we commenced to speak about the ANNOUNCEMENT of the BIRTHS of John the Baptist and YESHUA THE MESSIAH and today we are going to talk further about The BIRTH of JOHN THE BAPTIST and YEHSUA THE MESSIAH focusing on ONE IMPORTANT MATTER and that is CIRCUMSISION.

We are mainly reading from the Complete Jewish Study Bible – insight for Jews and Christians with cross references to other Bible versions. As well as the Nelson’s Foundational Bible Dictionary.

We are using the Hebrew names of God the Father, namely YHVH (Yod-Heh-Vav-Heh) where the word LORD is used in standard versions of the Bible and we will also use the description Heavenly Father and Abba Father.  We also use the Hebrew Name Yeshua the Messiah instead of the English Name Jesus Christ translated from the Greek.

THE GOSPEL OF LUKE

Luke introduces Yeshua as the SON OF MAN and in chapter 1:57-59 he tells us about the BIRTH of John the Baptist the Forerunner of YESHUA the MESSIAH

We read in Luke 1:57-66 “The time arrived for Elizabeth to have her baby, and she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard how good YHVH had been to her, and they rejoiced with her. On the EIGHT DAY they came to do the child’s circumcision. They were about to name him Zechariah after his father, when his mother spoke up and said, no he is to be called JOHN. They said to her: None of your relatives has that name, and they made signs to his father to find out what he wanted to call him (remember Zechariah was temporarily unable to speak due to his unbelief – read Luke 1:18-20). He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s surprise he wrote: ‘His name is John.’ At that moment. His power of speech returned, and his first word were a blessing to God. All their neighbors were awestruck; and through the hill country of Judea, people talked about all these things. Everyone who heard of them said to himself: ‘WHAT IS THIS CHILD GOING TO BE’? For clearly the hand of YHVH was with him.”

We also read in Luke 2:21 that Yeshua, was, like John circumcised on the 8th DAY in and He was given the NAME YESHUA, which is what the angel called Him BEFORE CONCEPTION.

So we are going to take a little detour and do a STUDY on CIRCUMCISION to determine what the significance of CIRCUMCISION is in the Bible and why there has been so much controversy, conflict and confusion about it in the New Testament. As well as determine in what way it may be applicable to us today.

The Nelson’s Bible Dictionary defines circumcision as: a ritualistic operation that removes part of the foreskin from the male sex organ.

It also seems that this was not only practiced by God’s people, but also by other nations. The Nelson’s Bible Dictionary explains that it is a practice of ancient origin, depicted on Egyptian tombs, and also practiced by African, Australian, Aztec and American Indian tribes.  It functioned in most cultures as a “rite of passage” or an initiation into manhood. Circumcision of the Israelite male, however, was required as a visible sign of the covenant between YHVH and His people. In most cultures of the ancient world the ceremony was performed when the youth was about 12 or 13 years old, but among the Hebrews it occurred on the 8^th day after birth.

We see that the covenant of God was established with Abraham when he was 99 years old and therefore, he was circumcised at that age and Ismael was 13 years old (see Genesis 17:23-25). But Isaac was later circumcised when he was 8 days old as God had ordered Abraham to do (see Genesis 21:4 & Leviticus 12:3).

The answer of why circumcision is found as a custom for boys around 12 or 13 among other nations like the Egyptians and in Africans may therefor perhaps be Ismael’s circumcision at this age. Remember his mother Hagar was an Egyptian and she was sent away with Ismael due to conflict between her and Sarah. See Genesis 21. And we indeed read in Genesis 21:20-21 “God was with the boy, and he grew. He lived in the desert and became an archer. He lived in the Paran Desert and his mother chose a wife for him from the land of EGYPT. So, it seems that Ismael then probably went ahead to circumcise his descendants at 12 or 13 years of age, and it could have been carried forth as a tradition from generation to generation as they intermarried into other nations.

But let’s look at the Biblical aspect and meaning of CIRCUMCISION. We know that it formed part of the FIRST COVENANT between ABBA FATHER and ABRAHAM.

We read about it in Genesis 17 we see when Abram was 99 years old YHVH appeared to him and said in verses 1-15: “I am El Shaddai (God Almighty). WALK in MY PRESENCE and BE PURE HEARTED. I will make MY COVENANT between me and you, and I will increase your numbers greatly…You will father many nations. Your name will no longer be Abram (meaning exalted father), but your name will be ABRAHAM (father of many), because I have made you the FATHER OF MANY NATIONS…I will make NATIONS of you, KINGS will descend from you. I am establishing My covenant between ME and you, along with your dependents after you, GENERATION after GENERATION, as an EVERLASTING COVENANT, to be God for you and for your descendants after you. And in verses 10 God explained to Abraham the covenant he should keep is to circumcise EVERY MALE among them – they are to be circumcised IN THE FLESH of their FORESKIN; this will be the SIGN of the COVENANT between God and Abraham. And God also changed Sarai’s name that meant “mockery” to SARAH meaning “princess”.

So, a few interesting aspects to take note of here are the following:

• Abraham (at that stage still called Abram) was required, as PART OF THE COVENANT made with him by YHVH to WALK in God’s presence and to BE PURE HEARTED.

In Psalm 24 verse 3 David asks “Who may go up to the mountain of YHVH? Who can stand in His Holy Place?” And then the answer is verse 4 is: “Those with CLEAN HANDS and PURE HEARTS who don’t make vanities (pride and arrogance) the purpose of their lives or swear oaths just to deceive.”

And Yeshua our Messiah said in Matthew 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart! for they will see God”.

• The SIGN of the COVENANT was CIRCUMISISION IN THE FLESH of the FORESKIN (the male reproductive organ) of ALL MALES. Genesis 17:13-23 YHVH’s people had to BE DIFFERENT and LOOK DIFFERENT than the rest of the world
• So in COMING into God’s COVENANT (we can maybe say, in becoming FAMILY of YHVH the Father), He CHANGED both ABRAM and SARAI’s names – as if this COVENENTAL ACT CHANGED THEIR IDENTITIES – their bodies (not visible to the world were marked with a sign) therefore they now LOOKED different than other people BUT their IDENTITIES also had to be changed, with other words they BACAME NEW PEOPLE/ A NEW CREATION/ A NEW PERSON with a DIFFERENT PURPOSE than before. Abraham was now to be called in line with his blessing of being a FATHER OF MANY and SARAH became a PRINCESS. And is it not TRUE? Don’t WE BECOME WHAT WE ARE CALLED? If we are appointed as a DIRECTOR of a company, we act with the authority and are treated as the director. The same goes for teacher, preacher, doctor, lawyer etc. So, although that may not be your NAME, YOUR TITLE SURELY DEFINES WHO YOU ARE.

We see this same pattern in the CIRCUMSISION of John the Baptist and Yeshua the Messiah at 8 DAYS OLD after BIRTH.

• I believe you will agree with me a baby of 8 days old has a PURE HEART.
• Both received the SIGN of the COVENANT IN THEIR FLESH – proving that they BECAME PART OF THE COVENANT with YHVH and thereby belonged to the Creator of Heaven and Earth.
• We see also YHVH the Father GIVING them EACH a NAME that would REFLECT WHO THEY ARE! Zechariah and Elisabeth’s son was to be called JOHN meaning GOD (YHVH) IS MERCIFUL. And Joseph and Mary’s SON, the Son of Abba Father Himself was to be called: “YESHUA meaning “GOD (YHVH) SAVES” Both names tell us what the PURPOSE was that each of them had been born to fulfill.

So, although we clearly SEE in Genesis 17:15 that SARAI as the wife of Abraham also received a NEW NAME namely SARAH (meaning Princess) after Abraham obeyed YHVH and entered into a COVENANT with Him. But WHY were the men singled out for circumcision?

We read in Genesis 17:23 ABRAHAM took REPONSIBILITY FOR HIS HOUSEHLD –he took Ismael his son, all the slaves born in his house and all who had been bought with his money, every male among the people in his household, and circumcised the flesh of his foreskin…”

So, what we must understand is that Abba Father assigns a VERY SPECIAL ROLE to the FATHER OF EACH HOUSE. The father of each house assumes the ROLE OF KING, PRIEST and PROPHET of his own household. He has to protect, teach the ways of YHVH and ensure it is applied and pray for the wife and children YHVH blessed him with. And that is why there is an order spelled out by Him in 1 Corinthians 11:3 namely: “The head of every man is the Messiah, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of the Messiah is God the Father. Also read 1 Tim 3:4-5. So, what then of woman that is single, divorced or widowed? In the Bible a man in the family had to take responsibility for her, but God also tells us in the BIBLE: “I am your husband.” Read Isaiah 54:5 and Hosea 2:16 and 2 Corinthians 11:2. So if there is no man to protect and guide her, Abba will Himself through His Holy Spirit as He does for all believers in Yeshua.

We also see in Exodus 4:24-26 that Moses could not take up his calling BEFORE he was circumcised! Because REMEMBER, how would he be able to fulfill the very important role of leading God’s people OUT OF EGYPT TO THE PROMISED LAND, if he himself was not in COVENANT WITH YHVH, the GOD OF ISRAEL?

We read in Judges 14:3 Uncircumcised = NOT in covenant with YHVH therefore NOT BELIEVERS, does not BELONG to YHVH

Maybe you say, CIRCUMSICION was ONLY FOR THE ISRAELITES – people belonging to the 12 TRIBES. But we read in Exodus 12:43-49 – strangers were circumcised and were ONLY allowed to eat the Passover AFTER being circumcised.

YOU SEE FROM THE VERY START; THE HEART FORMED an IMPORTANT PART OF THE COVENANT OF CIRCUMSISION

In in Deuteronomy 10 we again read about the TEN COMMANDMENTS written on TWO STONE TABLETS and placed in the ARK of the COVENANT made of the acacia thorn tree. And Moses informs the people of YHVH’s expectations namely:

• to FEAR Him as YHVH their God,
• to FOLLOW ALL HIS WAYS (to be obedient to Him).
• to LOVE HIM AND SERVE HIM with ALL YOUR HEART and all your BEING (all your SOUL); and
• to OBEY for your OWN GOOD, the MITZVOT (that is the COMMANDMENTS) and REGULATIONS (rules, guidelines, principles) of

And Moses further told them in verses 14-16 That the sky, the heaven beyond the sky, the earth and everything on it belong to YHVH their God, but He took pleasure in their ancestors to LOVE them and CHOOSE their descendants after them, including them, above all people, as He still does today. And then we read in verse 16-17: “Therefore, circumcise the foreskin of your HEART; and don’t be stiff-necked (stubborn and rebellious) any longer!  For YHVH your God is (capital letter) God of (small letter) gods and (capital letter) Lord of (small letter) lords, the great, mighty and awesome God, who has no favorites and accepts no bribes (also read this description of Yeshua the Messiah in returning to the earth in Revelation 19:16) So it is CLEAR, even Moses knew at that time already, that it was ALL ABOUT OUR HEARTS.

We again read in Deuteronomy 30:1-6 the requirement for YHVH to reverse the exile and show mercy to the people and return and gather them from where He scattered them among the nations and make them prosperous and many in number is to: RETURN to YHVH their God and pay attention to what He has said – you an all your children, with ALL YOUR HEART and ALL YOUR BEING (YOUR SOUL), “Then YHVH your God will circumcise your HEARTS and the HEARTS of your CHILDREN, so that YOU WILL LOVE YHVH YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND ALL YOUR BEING (your soul), AND THUS YOU WILL LIVE.”

And we see the PROPHETS of God also knew it was all about the HEART. We read in Jeremiah 4:4 “People of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, circumcise yourselves for YHVH, REMOVE THE FORESKIN OF YOUR HEART! Otherwise, My fury will lash out like fire, burning so hot that no one can quench it, because of how evil your actions are.”

We also read in Jeremiah 9:25-26 God says that the days are coming that He will punish ALL nations with UNCIRCUMSIZED HEARTS – including the HOUSE OF ISRAEL.

And in Jeremiah 31 we read the restoration of the relationships between the different TRIBES OF ISRAEL flows from the restoration of their relationship with God. Reconciliation between people is only possible if the person is first reconciled with God. God takes the initiative to restore His relationship with ISRAEL. God’s special relationship with His people spreads out via proclaiming it and draw people of other nations closer. God promises the people of the North Kingdom (the Ten Lost Tribes under Ephraim) that they will return. They will REPENT and RETURN. And we read in verses 31-33 “Here, the days are coming says YHVH, when I will make a NEW COVENANT with the HOUSE OF ISRAEL (referring to the TEN TRIBES under EPHRAIM) and with the HOUSE OF JUDAH (referring to Judah and Benjamin referred to as the JEWS in the NT until today). It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers on the day I took them by their hand and brought them out of the Land Egypt, because they, for their part, violated My COVENANT, even though I, for My part, was a HUSBAND to them, says YHVH. For this is the COVENANT I will make with the HOUSE OF ISRAEL AFTER those days says YHVH: I will put MY TORAH (His Word in Genesis to Deuteronomy including the summary known to us as the TEN Commandments) WITHIN THEM and WRITE it ON THEIR HEARTS; I will be their God, and they will be MY PEOPLE. No longer will any of them teach his fellow community member or his brother, KNOW YHVH; for ALL WILL KNOW ME, from the least of them to the greatest; because I will FORGIVE THEIR WICKEDNESS and remember their sins no more.” In Isaiah 51 God promises everlasting salvation for Zion – for THOSE who PURSUE RIGHTEOUSNESS and WHO SEEK YHVH, and we read in verse 7 “Listen to Me, you who know JUSTICE, you people who HAVE MY TORAH IN YOUR HEART; …” , In Ezekiel 11:18-21 we read a prophecy of restoration, YHVH will regather His people from the nations and give the land of Israel to them: “Then they will go and remove all its loathsome things and disgusting practices and I will give them UNITY OF HEART. I will put a new spirit among you. I will remove from their bodies the HEARTS OF STONE and give them HEARTS OF FLESH; so that they will live by My regulations, obey My rulings and act by them. Then they will be MY PEOPLE, and I will be THEIR GOD. But as for those whose hearts go after their loathsome things and disgusting practices, I will bring (the consequences) of their ways on their own heads, says YHVH ELOHIM.“ And we again read the same words in Ezekiel 36:26.  David was also well aware of the HEART CURCIMCISION and he says in Psalm 40:8 “Doing YOUR WILL, my GOD, is my JOY, YOUR TORAH (Your WORD) is in my INMOST BEING (soul). And in Psalm 37:31 David says: the TORAH of GOD is in the RIGHTEOUSS MAN’s HEART, and THEREFORE his FOOTSTEPS DO NOT FALTER (or slip).

Also read the confirmation of this in the NT in Hebrews 8:10-12 confirmation for the PROPHECIES in JEREMIA of the COVENANT YHVH will make with the HOUSE OF ISRAEL (that is the North Kingdom of under Ephraim, including all nations grafting into Israel as explained in Romans 11), putting His TORAH in their MINDS and HEARTS. Also read Proverbs 3:1-5, Hebrews 10:16, Romans 2:14-16 and 2nd Corinthians 3:2-3.

Paul actually says in Romans 2:28-29 “For the REAL JEW, is not JEWISH OUTWARDLY: TRUE CIRCUMSISION is not only EXTERNAL and PHYSICAL. On the contrary, the REAL JEW is one INWARDLY; and TRUE CIRCUMSISION IS OF THE HEART; SPIRITUAL, NOT LITERAL; so that his praise comes not from other people but from God.”

SO WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM WITH CIRCUMCISSION IN THE NEW TESTAMENT?

It seems that it was a HEART PROBLEM. The Pharisees and Sadducees implemented RELIGIOUS PRACTICES with a SPIRIT OF RELIGION focusing only on the outward circumcision of the flesh of the foreskin of the male and never understanding that that was just the way Abba Father taught them about the invisible heart surgery that was required, so sadly they did not understand that YHVH required, right from the start as indicated to Abraham and captured in the writings of the Torah in Genesis 17 that YHVH required a PURE and RIGHTEOUS HEART that will SEEK HIM and LOVE HIM ABOVE ALL ELSE (as we read in many Scriptures from the beginning in the OT, right through the NT because God is the same, yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8)

We therefore we see in Acts 15:1 certain people from Judea and Antioch were teaching the believers that unless they are circumcised in the foreskin of their flesh they cannot be saved and THIS BROUGHT PAUL AND BARNABAS IN SHARP DISPUTE WITH THEM. Also see Philippians 3:2-4 where Paul lashes out against the circumcised whom he calls DOGS AND EVIL DOERS, mutilators of the flesh against whom the believers need to be protected. And he then proceeds to say: “FOR IT IS WE WHO ARE THE CIRCUMSISION, WE WHO SERVE GOD BY HIS SPIRIT, WHO BOAST IN YESHUA THE MESSIAH, and who put no confidence in the flesh.”

And we know FOR SURE the ONLY WAY TO BE SAVED is BY GRACE through FAITH – not from ourselves but it is a GIFT OF GOD the Father (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Paul himself was circumcised since He was from the tribe of Benjamin (the Southern Kingdom under Judah) and therefore Jewish (see Philippians 3:5.), BUT he understood that REAL CIRCUMSISION as intended by Abba Father from the very start INVOLVED HEART SURGERY DONE BY THE HOLY SPIRIT so that we will walk before YHVH our Father in PURITY OF HEART!

In Galatians chapter 2 we again see the CONFLICT about the circumcision of the flesh and in verse 4 Paul says: the question of the circumcision of Titus only came up because some men who pretended to be brothers had been sneaked in – they came in secretly to spy out the freedom we have in Messiah Yeshua, so that they might enslave us. Not even a minute we give in to them, so that the TRUTH of the GOOD NEWS might be preserved for you. SO PLEASE NOTE PAUL IS ALLUDING HERE TO THE FREEDOM OF SALVATION THROUGH YESHUA THE MESSIAH as opposed to the JEWS who believed on is saved when the foreskin is circumcised! Also read Titus 1:10

GREAT DECEPTION due to MISUNDERSTANDING of Paul’s words arise here when people think that Paul is referring to the TORAH of YHVH and specifically the TEN COMMANDEMENTS. Paul often confirmed the importance of the TEN COMMANDMENTS like in Romans 2:13 and 3:31, Romans 8:6-8 and 13:1-14.

Please also read Psalm 119 and Proverbs 7:1-3 and Yeshua our Messiah tells us in John 14:15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commands.”

To put this in context however it always helps me to understand the ARK of the COVENANT with its MERCY SEAT placed on Abba Father’s specifications in the Holy of Holiest. The TEN COMMANDMENTS written by Him on the TWO STONE TABLETS are placed in the ARK of the COVENANT as it forms the basis of a summary of the LAW/ TORAH OF THE KINGDOM OF YHVH against which each human being will be judged (read John 12:48 and Revelation 19:13) BUT, the LAW is covered by the MERCY SEAT upon which Messiah Yeshua’s blood was sprinkled for us – therefore believers in Yeshua are protected by Him against the death sentence of the law. This however does not mean that believers may transgress the law since we show our LOVE to GOD by being faithful to Him and keeping His commandments. It also ensures a safe and happy live for us and those in relationship with us. REMEMBER Yeshua freed us from the enslavement of sin, so why in the world would we move back into enslavement of sin and being burdened by the fear, guilt and shame that comes with it? And even more important – why would we risk enraging the Father by stepping on the precious blood of Yeshua spilled to free us from sin and then proceeding to live in it. Read Hebrews 10:28-31.

Paul explains the SPIRITUAL CIRCUMSICION OF THE HEART nicely in Colossians 2:11-13 saying: “…it was in union with Him (Yeshua the Messiah) that you were circumcised, with a circumcision not done by human hands, but accomplished by stripping away the old nature’s control over the body. In this circumcision DONE BY THE MESSIAH, you were buried along with Him by being immersed (or baptized); and in union with Him; you were also raised up along with Him by God’s faithfulness that worked when He raised Yeshua from the dead. You were dead because of your sins, that is, because of your “FORESKIN” YOUR OLD NATURE. But God made you alive along with Messiah by forgiving you your sins.”

So here Paul explains it EXCELLENTLY why the foreskin of our heart needs to be removed since it REPRESENTS OUR OLD NATURE! We also know Paul is referring here to the FIRST THREE FEASTS of YHVH the Father, namely the death, burial and resurrection of Yeshua the Messiah and we with Him when we accept Him as our Saviour and dye with to our sins and are resurrected with Him to a person with a new nature.

In Colossians 3 Paul then proceeds to describe the NEW SELF and how we should live by putting to death the earthly parts of our nature. Please read it in your own time.

So it seems again, like with the TABERNACLE imagery that outward CIRCUMSISION of the males of Israel was a picture to teach us about the INWARD CIRCUMSISION OF THE HEART required by Abba Father, through Yeshua our Messiah and the Holy Spirit as PART OF THE NEW COVENANT because it was impossible for us as sinners to ever be able to fully keep the LAW of ABBA FATHER every day of our lives. The LAW therefore did not lose its value or importance in the KINGDOM of Abba Father, but YEHSUA our Messiah came to SHIELD believers in Him from the death sentence brought about when we transgress against the Law of Abba Father. The LAW is however STILL applicable and form the principles of management – found in his Throne Room within the ARK OF THE COVENANT – and it will be against this LAW that ALL people that ever lived will be JUDGED on JUDGEMENT DAY. Yeshua our Messiah said in John 12:48 as already discussed, we will be JUDGED by the WORDS He spoke – remember the WORD = the TORAH and in Revelation 19:13 He comes as the JUDGE and He is called THE WORD OF GOD. But those who accepted YESHUA’s PRICE PAID for our sin against Abba Father by transgressing the LAW and following the Holy Spirit have NOTHNG TO FEAR, because YEHSUA HIMSLEF will be our ADVOCATE to protect us against the JUDGEMENT of the LAW – and this is represented by the MERCY SEAT in the HOLY OF HOLIES, covering the LAW.

To circumcise the heart means to remove the OLD, DEAD, STIFF-NECKED hearts that so often marked the people and to instead turn fully – with the whole self – to YHVH in DEDICATION.

So how are our hearts circumcised?

It is through the work of Yeshua the Messiah believers, through the Spirit, are given NEW HEARTS. To circumcise your heart then is to respond to the WORK OF THE MESSIAH in REPENTANCE and FAITH. We “cut-off” the OLD MAN, our CALLOUSED HEARTS, and we TURN IN FAITH and DEVOTION to Yeshua the Messiah.

True repentance involves an INWARD change of heart that leads to OUTWARD change. It is only in Yeshua our Messiah that we can receive this NEW HEART