Topical Bible: Servant: Bond: Must be Circumcised

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In the context of ancient Israelite society, the practice of circumcision held significant religious and cultural importance. It was a physical sign of the covenant between God and Abraham, as described in the Book of Genesis. This covenantal sign extended beyond Abraham and his direct descendants to include those who were part of his household, including bondservants.

Biblical Foundation

The requirement for circumcision of bondservants is explicitly stated in Genesis 17, where God establishes His covenant with Abraham. Genesis 17:12-13 states: "Throughout your generations, every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or purchased from a foreigner, even those who are not your offspring. Whether born in your household or purchased, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh will be an everlasting covenant."

This passage underscores the inclusivity of the covenant, extending its obligations and blessings to all males within the household, regardless of their status as free or bondservants. The act of circumcision for bondservants symbolized their inclusion in the religious community and their participation in the covenantal promises.

Cultural and Religious Significance

Circumcision served as a rite of initiation into the community of God's people. For bondservants, undergoing circumcision was not merely a physical act but a spiritual one, signifying their acceptance into the faith and the community's religious life. It was a mark of identity and belonging, aligning them with the values and beliefs of the Israelite people.

The requirement for circumcision of bondservants also reflects the broader biblical theme of inclusivity within the covenant community. While bondservants were not free men, their circumcision indicated that they were not excluded from the spiritual life and blessings of the household. This practice demonstrated the permeable boundaries of the covenant community, where faith and obedience to God's commands were paramount.

Legal and Social Implications

In the ancient Near Eastern context, the status of bondservants varied, but within Israel, the requirement for circumcision highlighted a unique aspect of their integration into the household. It was a legal obligation that reinforced the bondservant's role and responsibilities within the family structure. The act of circumcision was a declaration of the bondservant's commitment to the household's faith and practices.

Moreover, the circumcision of bondservants served as a reminder of the household's collective identity under God's covenant. It was a unifying practice that transcended social and economic distinctions, emphasizing the spiritual equality of all males within the covenant community.

Theological Reflections

Theologically, the circumcision of bondservants can be seen as a precursor to the New Testament understanding of spiritual inclusion. While the physical act of circumcision was a requirement under the Old Covenant, the New Testament expands this concept to include all believers, regardless of their ethnic or social status, through faith in Christ. As Paul writes in Galatians 3:28 , "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

In summary, the requirement for the circumcision of bondservants in the Old Testament reflects the inclusive nature of God's covenant with His people. It underscores the importance of communal identity and spiritual belonging, themes that resonate throughout the biblical narrative.

Nave's Topical Index

Genesis 17:13,27
He that is born in your house, and he that is bought with your money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
Nave's Topical Index

Exodus 12:44
But every man's servant that is bought for money, when you have circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Adoption --The Spirit and the Cry
... by faith we are no more like to bond-servants ... we are heirs""Wherefore thou art no
more a servant, but a ... who said, "This will never do; you must be circumcised ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 24 1878/adoptionthe spirit and the cry.htm

Christian Casuistry.
... which he speaks only as a servant, "called of ... according to circumstances, and the
duty must be stated ... concerning the sanctity of the marriage-bond between two ...
/.../robertson/sermons preached at brighton/xiii christian casuistry.htm

Slaves and Free
... For you must remember that the word most inadequately rendered here, 'servant' does
not ... specific work and get wages for it; but it means 'a bond-slave,' a ...
/.../maclaren/romans corinthians to ii corinthians chap v/slaves and free.htm

The Heresies Attacked by the Apostles.
... not receiving the remission of sins, but the bond of impiety ... and a deacon, when they
are constituted, must be but ... to wife either a courtesan, or a servant, or a ...
/.../various/constitutions of the holy apostles/sec iii the heresies attacked by.htm

James the Brother of the Lord.
... But we must carefully distinguish between the Jewish ... of glory," and himself humbly
his "bond-servant." [336] He ... the line of the fifteen circumcised bishops had ...
/.../history of the christian church volume i/section 27 james the brother.htm

Covenanting Enforced by the Grant of Covenant Signs and Seals.
... and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be ... At the hand of his servant John,
he received baptism ... is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free ...
/.../cunningham/the ordinance of covenanting/chapter xi covenanting enforced by.htm

Repentance unto Life
... time that is coming, when Jew and Gentile, bond and free ... I think it is true;" but
it must enter the ... had taken possession of the vineyard, the servant of the ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 1 1855/repentance unto life.htm

The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Galatians
... Derbe, etc., would be "Galatians." Their bond of union ... of a Greek "tutor," ie a trusted
servant who attended a ... We must leave the mere rudiments of religion now ...
/.../pullan/the books of the new testament/chapter xii the epistle of.htm

John Bunyan on the Terms of Communion and Fellowship of Christians ...
... and privilege in church relation: 'A foreigner and an hired servant shall not ... and
he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised:"and the ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/john bunyan on the terms.htm

Consecration to God --Illustrated by Abraham's Circumcision
... than want of chastity to the marriage-bond made with ... world, and a resurrection with
Christ, which must be to ... The Christian is the best servant of humanity in a ...
/.../spurgeons sermons volume 14 1868/consecration to godillustrated by abrahams.htm