The male whose flesh of his foreskin shall not be circumcised, that soul shall be destroyed out of his people: because he hath broken my covenant.
וְעָרֵ֣ל ׀ זָכָ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־יִמּוֹל֙ אֶת־בְּשַׂ֣ר עָרְלָת֔וֹ וְנִכְרְתָ֛ה הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ הַהִ֖וא מֵעַמֶּ֑יהָ אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֖י הֵפַֽר׃
6 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Anyone who is not circumcised on the designated day will be 'cut off' since he has violated my covenant and transgressed the commandment. Additionally, being ‘uncircumcised’ is synonymous with being unclean. It is important to recognize that these are not mere allegories, but rather vivid representations. In this context, it implies that one who does not eradicate the evil within their soul is at risk.
We invite you to embrace life, O human: why do you shun your divine purpose? We urge you to accept the blessings offered: why do you overlook the gift? The kingdom of heaven stands open; the One who calls is true; the path is easy, requiring no time, no cost, and no hardship. Why hesitate? Why hold back? Jews do not postpone circumcision, knowing that every soul uncircumcised on the eighth day faces destruction among their people. Yet you delay the spiritual circumcision of the heart, which occurs through baptism (Col. 2:11), even after hearing from the Lord Himself, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he shall not enter into the kingdom of God" (John 3:5). There may be suffering and wounds, but here lies the watering of the soul and healing for the afflictions of the heart.
It is no coincidence that the following passage raises concern among many: the Lord stated, “Because the uncircumcised male, who shall not circumcise his foreskin on the eighth day, his soul shall be destroyed from among his people: for he hath broken my covenant.” This suggests that a parent's failure to act concerning the infant's circumcision on the eighth day could result in significant harm to the child, leading to the destruction of his soul. Interestingly, even in cases of accidental murder, the law provides cities of refuge where individuals can seek safety from punishment for unintentional acts (Num. 35:9-15; Deut. 4:41-43; Deut. 19:1-13; Hab. 20:1-9). Why is it that here, the innocence of a child is overlooked, while the circumstances of accidental killing are considered?
Some might argue that the parents bear greater responsibility for a child's death, yet it seems unjust to transfer the guilt of the wrongdoers onto the innocent or to impose the same consequences on individuals of differing culpability. Consequently, some propose that the passage refers to the parents' destruction rather than that of the child. However, even this interpretation remains uncertain, despite the implication of “For he hath broken my covenant.” Others contend that the Lord may be subtly warning the parents of harsher retributions, instilling in them a deeper fear, since the absence of protection extends even to the innocent child.
God established the practice of circumcision for Abraham, his household, and all generations that would follow him. This rite serves as a prefiguration of Christian baptism, symbolizing repentance, the mortification of earthly desires, and the renunciation of sinful actions. Furthermore, circumcision represents the resurrection. Just as God commanded that newborn males be circumcised on the eighth day, at the time of the final resurrection, all humanity will rise from their graves as if emerging anew from the womb, ‘will be renewed like an eagle's youth’ (Psalm 102:5). This will occur after the seven temporal phases of the world's existence, resembling the eighth day, representing an eternal age. In that moment, all natural decay of the human body will be eradicated. ‘It is fitting,’ as the Apostle states, “that this corruptible be clothed with incorruption, and this mortal be clothed with immortality” (1 Cor. 15:53).
The soul shall be separated from his people. The severance of the uncircumcised, as interpreted by various Jewish and Christian scholars, can indicate loss of eternal life, untimely death, infertility, execution by human law, and excommunication. Some criticize parents for failing to circumcise their sons, while others reproach those sons if, upon reaching maturity, they do not undertake what their parents had overlooked. The separation of the soul from his people, according to the usage of this phrase in Scripture, represents divine punishment (Leviticus 17:10, Leviticus 20:5, 6, Leviticus 23:29, 30). Indeed, there are instances where God visibly demonstrated His anger for disregarding the command of circumcision, as illustrated in the case of Moses (Ex. 4:24-26).
The experience most akin to breaking the covenant is the excommunication from the fellowship of believers and the loss of entitlement to covenant blessings. Among the Jewish customs, it was understood that even those who were circumcised later than the eighth day were not considered equal to those circumcised on the prescribed day (Philippians 3:5. Orig. contra Cels. L. V). This interpretation may clarify why the seventy translators, after stating that one shall not circumcise the edges of his flesh, added in their translation: on the eighth day.
The phrase "on the eighth day" does not appear in the Hebrew text, making its inclusion in the Greek and Slavonic translations a puzzling challenge for interpreters. To address this issue, some scholars note that, according to Jewish tradition, individuals who undergo circumcision after the eighth day are not considered equal to those circumcised on that specific day. The phrase "her soul shall be consumed from her seed," as it is understood in other contexts, indicates the exclusion of a guilty individual from their community, or capital punishment (Ex. 12:15, 19; Lev. 7:20, 21, etc.), administered either directly through divine action, such as sudden death, or through a judicial decree.
To comprehend the severity of this penalty for the uncircumcised, it should be presumed that those who chose not to be circumcised in infancy and opted to remain uncircumcised upon reaching maturity – whether out of neglect or a turn toward paganism – demonstrated evident impiety and complete disregard for the covenant with God, which was unacceptable among His people. The account of circumcision is recited during the Feast of the Circumcision of the Lord to illustrate that Jesus Christ, who came not to abolish but to fulfill the Old Testament law, adhered fully to the law of circumcision. In doing so, He embraced the responsibility of remaining faithful to the covenant with God, which applies to all who are circumcised, and which only He, the Lord Jesus, could perfectly fulfill, thus meeting the standards of God's righteousness on behalf of everyone.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS