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Hence Israelites termed Gentiles “the uncircumcised,” Judg. 15:18; 2 Sam. 1:20. So in
the NT, but without the suggestion of contempt, e.g., Rom. 2:26; Eph. 2:11.
The rite had a moral significance, Ex. 6:12, 30, where it is metaphorically applied to
the lips; so to the ear, Jer. 6:10, and the heart, Deut. 30:6; Jer. 4:4. Cf. Jer. 9:25-26. It
refers to the state of “circumcision,” in Rom. 2:25-28; 3:1; 4:10; 1 Cor. 7:19; Gal. 5:6;
6:15; Col. 3:11.
“In the economy of grace no account is taken of any ordinance performed on the
flesh; the old racial distinction is ignored in the preaching of the gospel, and faith is the
sole condition upon which the favor of God in salvation is to be obtained, Rom. 10:11-
13; 1 Cor. 7:19. See also Rom. 4:9-12.”* * From
:
5
by Hogg and Vine.
p. 69.
Upon the preaching of the gospel to, and the conversion of, Gentiles, a sect of Jewish
believers arose who argued that the gospel, without the fulfillment of “circumcision,”
would make void the Law and make salvation impossible, Acts 15:1. Hence this party
was known as “the circumcision,” Acts 10:45; 11:2; Gal. 2:12; Col. 4:11; Titus 1:10 (the
term being used by metonymy, the abstract being put for the concrete, as with the
application of the word to Jews generally, Rom. 3:30; 4:9, 12; 15:8; Gal. 2:7-9; Eph.
2:11). It is used metaphorically and spiritually of believers with reference to the act, Col.
2:11 and Rom. 2:29; to the condition, Phil. 3:3.
The apostle Paul’s defense of the truth, and his contention against this propaganda,
form the main subject of the Galatian epistle. Cf.
, “concision,” Phil. 3:2. See
CONCISION
.
2.
$
(
$
&
, 203), “uncircumcision,” is used (a) of the physical state,
in contrast to the act of “circumcision,” Acts 11:3 (lit., “having uncircumcision”); Rom.
2:25-26; 4:10-11 (“though they be in uncircumcision,”
RV
), 12; 1 Cor. 7:18-19; Gal. 5:6;
6:15; Col. 3:11; (b) by metonymy, for Gentiles, e.g., Rom. 2:26-27; 3:30; 4:9; Gal. 2:7;
Eph. 2:11; (d) in a metaphorical or transferred sense, of the moral condition in which the
corrupt desires of the flesh still operate, Col. 2:13.¶
Note:
In Rom. 4:11, the phrase “though they be in uncircumcision” translates the
Greek phrase
$
, lit., “through uncircumcision”; here
has the local sense
of proceeding from and passing out.
B. Adjective.
(
$&
, 564), “uncircumcised” ( , negative,
, “around,”
, “to cut”), is used in Acts 7:51, metaphorically, of “heart and ears.”¶
C. Verbs.
1.
(
$ !
, 4059), “to circumcise,” is used (a) lit., e.g., Luke 1:59;
2:21; of receiving circumcision, Gal. 5:2-3; 6:13,
RV
; (b) metaphorically, of spiritual
circumcision, Col. 2:11.
2.
(
# 1
, 1986), lit., “to draw over, to become uncircumcised,” as
if to efface Judaism, appears in 1 Cor. 7:18.¶
For
CIRCUMSPECTLY
see
ACCURATELY
CITIZEN, CITIZENSHIP