Whether Christ Should Have Been Circumcised?
Objection 1: It would seem that Christ should not have been
circumcised. For on the advent of the reality, the figure ceases. But
circumcision was prescribed to Abraham as a sign of the covenant
concerning his posterity, as may be seen from Gen. 17. Now this
covenant was fulfilled in Christ's birth. Therefore circumcision
should have ceased at once.
Obj. 2: Further, "every action of Christ is a lesson to us" [*Innoc.
III, Serm. xxii de Temp.]; wherefore it is written (John 3:15): "I
have given you an example, that as I have done to you, so you do
also." But we ought not to be circumcised; according to Gal. 5:2: "If
you be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing." Therefore it
seems that neither should Christ have been circumcised.
Obj. 3: Further, circumcision was prescribed as a remedy of original
sin. But Christ did not contract original sin, as stated above (Q.
14, A. 3; Q. 15, A. 1). Therefore Christ should not have been
circumcised.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (Luke 2:21): "After eight days were
accomplished, that the child should be circumcised."
_I answer that,_ For several reasons Christ ought to have been
circumcised. First, in order to prove the reality of His human
nature, in contradiction to the Manicheans, who said that He had an
imaginary body: and in contradiction to Apollinarius, who said that
Christ's body was consubstantial with His Godhead; and in
contradiction to Valentine, who said that Christ brought His body
from heaven. Secondly, in order to show His approval of circumcision,
which God had instituted of old. Thirdly, in order to prove that He
was descended from Abraham, who had received the commandment of
circumcision as a sign of his faith in Him. Fourthly, in order to
take away from the Jews an excuse for not receiving Him, if He were
uncircumcised. Fifthly, "in order by His example to exhort us to be
obedient" [*Bede, Hom. x in Evang.]. Wherefore He was circumcised on
the eighth day according to the prescription of the Law (Lev. 12:3).
Sixthly, "that He who had come in the likeness of sinful flesh might
not reject the remedy whereby sinful flesh was wont to be healed."
Seventhly, that by taking on Himself the burden of the Law, He might
set others free therefrom, according to Gal. 4:4, 5: "God sent His
Son . . . made under the Law, that He might redeem them who were
under the Law."
Reply Obj. 1: Circumcision by the removal of the piece of skin in the
member of generation, signified "the passing away of the old
generation" [*Athanasius, De Sabb. et Circumcis.]: from the
decrepitude of which we are freed by Christ's Passion. Consequently
this figure was not completely fulfilled in Christ's birth, but in
His Passion, until which time the circumcision retained its virtue
and status. Therefore it behooved Christ to be circumcised as a son
of Abraham before His Passion.
Reply Obj. 2: Christ submitted to circumcision while it was yet of
obligation. And thus His action in this should be imitated by us, in
fulfilling those things which are of obligation in our own time.
Because "there is a time and opportunity for every business" (Eccl
8:6).
Moreover, according to Origen (Hom. xiv in Luc.), "as we died when He
died, and rose again when Christ rose from the dead, so were we
circumcised spiritually through Christ: wherefore we need no carnal
circumcision." And this is what the Apostle says (Col. 2:11): "In
whom," [i.e. Christ] "you are circumcised with circumcision not made
by hand in despoiling of the body of the flesh, but in the
circumcision of" our Lord Jesus "Christ."
Reply Obj. 3: As Christ voluntarily took upon Himself our
death, which is the effect of sin, whereas He had no sin Himself, in
order to deliver us from death, and to make us to die spiritually unto
sin, so also He took upon Himself circumcision, which was a remedy
against original sin, whereas He contracted no original sin, in order
to deliver us from the yoke of the Law, and to accomplish a spiritual
circumcision in us--in order, that is to say, that, by taking upon
Himself the shadow, He might accomplish the reality.
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