Topical Bible: Children: Circumcised on the Eighth Day

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In the Judeo-Christian tradition, the practice of circumcision holds significant religious and cultural importance, particularly as it pertains to the covenant between God and His people. The rite of circumcision, specifically performed on the eighth day after a male child's birth, is rooted in biblical instruction and carries profound theological implications.

Biblical Foundation

The command for circumcision is first introduced in the Book of Genesis, where God establishes His covenant with Abraham. In Genesis 17:10-12 , God instructs Abraham: "This is My covenant with you and your descendants after you, which you are to keep: Every male among you must be circumcised. You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between Me and you. For the generations to come, every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner—those who are not your offspring."

This directive underscores the importance of circumcision as a physical sign of the covenant, marking the Jewish people as set apart for God. The specification of the eighth day is significant, as it reflects divine instruction and timing.

Theological Significance

Circumcision on the eighth day is not merely a ritualistic act but a profound symbol of faith and obedience to God's commands. It signifies the child's inclusion in the covenant community and serves as a reminder of God's promises to His people. The act of circumcision is a physical manifestation of spiritual truths, representing purity, dedication, and the cutting away of sin.

In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul addresses the spiritual significance of circumcision, emphasizing that it is not merely an external act but a matter of the heart. In Romans 2:28-29 , Paul writes, "A man is not a Jew because he is one outwardly, nor is circumcision only outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew because he is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code."

Jesus and the Eighth Day

The practice of circumcision on the eighth day is also observed in the life of Jesus Christ. In Luke 2:21 , it is recorded: "On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the Child, He was named Jesus, the name the angel had given Him before He was conceived." This event highlights Jesus' fulfillment of the Law and His identification with the Jewish people.

Medical and Symbolic Considerations

From a medical perspective, the timing of circumcision on the eighth day is noteworthy. Modern science has shown that the eighth day is optimal for circumcision due to the natural peak in vitamin K levels, which aids in blood clotting. This scientific insight aligns with the biblical mandate, further illustrating the wisdom inherent in God's commands.

Symbolically, the number eight in biblical numerology often represents new beginnings and regeneration. Circumcision on the eighth day can thus be seen as a sign of new life and entry into the covenant community.

Conclusion

The practice of circumcising male children on the eighth day is deeply embedded in the biblical narrative and carries rich theological meaning. It serves as a testament to God's covenantal faithfulness and the call for His people to live in obedience and holiness. Through this rite, the continuity of faith and the transmission of divine promises from generation to generation are vividly expressed.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Philippians 3:5
Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Whether the Rite of Circumcision was Fitting?
... took a very sharp stone and circumcised the foreskin of ... and circumcise the second
time the children of Israel ... Reply to Objection 3: The eighth day was fixed for ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the rite of circumcision.htm

Whether Circumcision Bestowed Sanctifying Grace?
... alone died in the desert, who had been circumcised in Egypt ... And this applies also
to those children who, at the time of the Law, died before the eighth day. ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether circumcision bestowed sanctifying grace.htm

Why the Circumcision of Infants was Enjoined under Pain of So ...
... Abraham's time righteous men or their children were marked ... from that very time to
be circumcised, while fresh ... their mother's womb, on the eighth day from their ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/chapter 35 xxx why the circumcision.htm

Why God Taught the Same Things by the Prophets as by Moses.
... without understanding, both blind and lame, children in whom ... or those to sin, who
are circumcised and do ... since He commands that on the eighth day"even though ...
/.../chapter xxvii why god taught the.htm

Philippians iii. 3-Jan
... shows forth their shamelessness and violence, and their infinite distance from the
relation of children, for that ... "Circumcised on the eighth day"; and he ...
/.../homily x philippians iii 3-jan.htm

John Chapter vii. 19-24
... indeed of His passion, but on the eighth day in the ... added thereto by ill living;
being circumcised by the ... of child-bearing, increase of children, abundance of ...
/.../augustine/homilies on the gospel of john/tractate xxx john chapter vii.htm

He Shows that Cyprian had not Doubted the Original Sin of Infants.
... number of the days (because it was on the eighth day that infants were before
circumcised), that they ... martyr On the Baptism of Little Children; for it ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/chapter 10 v he shows that.htm

Appendix xviii. Haggadah About Simeon Kepha (Legend of Simon Peter ...
... those sinners from the congregation of the children of Israel ... of His birth, and on
the eighth day after His birth observe that on which He was circumcised.'. ...
/.../appendix xviii haggadah about simeon.htm

Acts vii. 6, 7
... "And circumcised him on the eighth day: and Isaac ... just as these made Joseph the more
glorious: just as the king did Moses, by ordering the children to be ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/homily xvi acts vii 6.htm

On the Creation of the World
... His fury; for this is indeed the eighth day of that ... on the Sabbath-day he commanded
the children of Israel ... that on the same day He was circumcised, [2238] on ...
/.../victorinus/on the creation of the world/on the creation of the.htm