CHRIST’S CIRCUMCISION (Part II)

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God, and Savior,

CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

CHRIST’S CIRCUMCISION (Part II)

Furthermore, Christ was circumcised IN ORDER TO TEACH MEN THAT CIRCUMCISION, WHICH HE HIMSELF HAD GIVEN TO THE JEWS, HAD SERVED HUMANITY AND PREPARED THE GROUND FOR HIS OWN PRESENCE (Saint Epiphanius). It was NOT a useless rite. Through circumcision the Jews REMAINED FAITHFUL TO GOD’S LAW AND HAD WAITED FOR THE MESSIAH.

And lastly, it not only showed that the circumcision was preparing the human race for His presence, but also THAT IT IS A TYPE, A PREFIGURING OF THE CIRCUMCISION NOT DONE BY HUMAN HANDS, WHICH IS HOLY BAPTISM. According to Saint John of Damascus, circumcision WAS A FIGURE OF BAPTISM. Just as circumcision cuts off from the body a part that is not useful, so by Holy Baptism WE SHED SIN, WHICH IS NOT A NATURAL STATE, BUT EXCREMENT. When we speak of sin which is shed, WE MEAN DESIRE, AND OF COURSE NOT THE USEFUL AND NECESSARY DESIRE, BUT USELESS DESIRE AND PLEASURE. Baptism is the circumcision not done by human hands, which does not remove one from one’s nation, but SEPARATES THE ONE WHO IS FAITHFUL FROM THE UNFAITHFUL ONE WHO LIVES IN THE SAME NATION.

After Pentecost, the first Church was very much occupied with the subject of whether the CONVERTS to the Christian faith should be circumcised. The grounds for it were that since the Old Testament preceded the New Testament, the pagans who come to the Christian faith should keep the Law of the Old Testament on the matter of circumcision as well. In order to deal with this topic, the First Ecumenical Council, called APOSTOLIC, was convened, and it made the decision about it, as recorded in the 15th Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles.

In that APOSTOLIC COUNCIL the Holy Apostle Peter and the Apostles Barnabas and Paul and James the brother of God spoke. The decision of the COUNCIL was that those who came to the Christian faith from the Gentiles SHOULD NOT BE CIRCUMCISED, BUT THEY SHOULD ONLY KEEP THEMSELVES PURE, ABSTAINING FROM THINGS OFFERED TO IDOLS, FROM BLOOD, FROM THINGS STRANGLED, AND FROM SEXUAL IMMORALITY. The decision, which was communicated in a letter to the Christians, said: "for it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and ot us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things, that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these you will do well" (Acts 15:28-29).

According to the teaching of Saint Cyril of Alexandria, the Old Testament circumcision did not abolish death, which New Testament circumcision does. In fact, the person WHO ENTERS THE CHURCH THROUGH BAPTISM BECOMES A MEMBER OF THE RISEN BODY OF CHRIST. In this way SPIRITUAL DEATH IS ABOLISHED AND THERE IS ASSURANCE OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. For if bodily DEATH REMAINS AFTER BAPTISM, IT IS FOR THE SAKE OF CUTTING OUT SIN.

Saint John of Damascus teaches that to be circumcised IS TO RENOUNCE BODILY PLEASURE AND UNNECESSARY AND USELESS DESIRES. Here we see that Baptism IS CONNECTED WITH THE ASCETIC LIFE, THROUGH WHICH A MAN (A PERSON) IS FREED FROM DOMINATION BY THE PASSIONS. It is NOT a matter of disciplining and diminishing the body, but of DIMINISHING AND TRANSFORMING THE DESIRES OF THE SOUL.

In the teaching of Saint Maximos we see that circumcision is the name for cutting off the passionate relation of the soul to the body. The SOUL AND BODY HAVE A RELATIONSHIP AND UNITY. It is not a question of that, however, BUT OF THE PASSIONATE RELATIONSHIP, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOUL AND BODY THROUGH THE PASSIONS.

The sayings of the Holy Fathers of the Church show that the Old Testament circumcision is internal, spiritual, it is a communion of man with God and an effort to maintain this communion. In the Old Testament God gave His Law, so as to prepare the people FOR RECEIVING CHRIST. Saint John the Evangelist says in the prologue to his Gospel: "The law was given through Moses, but GRACE AND TRUTH, THROUGH JESUS CHRIST" (John 1:17). The Unincarnate Logos/Word gave the law to Moses in order TO CURE THE PEOPLE IN READINESS FOR RECEIVING THE TRUTH AND GRACE WHICH CAME INTO THE WORLD THROUGH THE LOGOS/WORD OF GOD MADE FLESH, THAT IS TO SAY, CHRIST. The Mosaic law, as well as circumcision, also had grace, but this was the so-called PURIFYING ENERGY AND GRACE OF GOD, NOT HIS ILLUMINATING AND DEIFYING ENERGY.

Through Christ we gain SPIRITUAL BIRTH AND TRUE WORSHIP. Saint John the Evangelist emphasizes: "AS MANY AS RECEIVED HIM, TO THEM HE GAVE THE RIGHT TO BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD, EVEN TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN HIS NAME: WHO WERE BORN, NOT OF BLOOD, NOR OF THE WILL OF MAN, BUT OF GOD" (John 1:12-13).

Through circumcision men become good Israelites, God’s chosen people. THROUGH BAPTISM AND THE FAMILY LIFE IN CHRIST MEN BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD, THEY ATTAIN SONSHIP BY GRACE AND THEY CONQUER DEATH.

Therefore Christ’s circumcision suggests to us THE CIRCUMCISION OF THE HEART. THROUGH THE SACRAMENTAL AND ASCETIC LIFE WE BECOME MEMBERS OF THE Body of Christ. Christ’s CONDESCENSION BECOMES OUR ASCENT. [Resources: Metropolitan of Nafpaktos HIEROTHEOS)

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"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
+ Saint John Chrysostomoas

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With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George