In what ways does John 7:22 connect to the covenant with Abraham? Passage for Reflection John 7:22: “But because Moses gave you circumcision, you circumcise a boy on the Sabbath (not that it is from Moses, but from the patriarchs).” Circumcision—The Original Covenant Sign • Genesis 17:9-11: “Then God said to Abraham, ‘You must keep My covenant—you and your descendants in the generations after you. This is My covenant you are to keep: every one of your males must be circumcised. You are to circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.’” • Given about 600 years before the Law at Sinai. • Marked every male Israelite as belonging to God’s promised line. • Sealed God’s pledge that nations would be blessed through Abraham’s seed (Genesis 12:3; 22:18). Jesus’ Explicit Link to Abraham • By saying “not that it is from Moses, but from the patriarchs,” Jesus: – Takes the leaders back past Sinai to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. – Affirms that circumcision’s authority rests in God’s covenant promise, not merely in later legislation. • His audience prided themselves on being “children of Abraham” (John 8:39); Jesus presses that claim to expose their inconsistency. A Covenant Older—and Weightier—Than the Sabbath • Sabbath law was codified in Exodus 20:8-11. • Circumcision predates it by centuries; Scripture allowed it to override normal Sabbath restrictions (Leviticus 12:3). • Jesus’ logic: 1. If the Abrahamic sign can be performed on the Sabbath, 2. then healing the whole man (John 7:23) cannot violate God’s intent for the day. • Thus the covenant with Abraham becomes the lens through which Sabbath mercy is understood. Foreshadowing the Greater Fulfillment in Christ • Physical circumcision pointed to “circumcision of the heart” (Deuteronomy 30:6; Romans 2:28-29). • Through His cross and resurrection, Jesus performs that inward work (Colossians 2:11-14). • He is the singular “Seed” promised to Abraham (Galatians 3:16), securing blessing for “all nations.” Key Takeaways for Today • God’s earliest covenant promises still govern His later commands; Scripture never contradicts itself. • Religious ritual has value only when it springs from covenant faith and points to Christ. • The priority of the Abrahamic covenant reminds believers that salvation is by grace through faith, not by legalistic rule-keeping. • Because Jesus fulfills the covenant, we are invited into the same blessing Abraham received—right standing with God and a heart transformed by His Spirit. |
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