The circumcision of Timothy

“Paul wanted this man to leave with him; and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.” (1) Paul intended to take Timothy as his assistant. The issue was that Timothy had not been circumcised. This was likely because his Greek father avoided the practice. To the Greeks, circumcision was seen as nothing more than an act of harming the body. (2) It was well known among the Jews that Timothy, although Jewish through his mother, was uncircumcised. Therefore, Paul had him circumcised. This was a necessary step to maintain the evangelistic principle of “to the Jew first, and then to the Gentile. (3) For Timothy, this was a significant decision, as it meant choosing to live as a Jew. However, by receiving circumcision, Timothy was able to avoid causing offense to the Jewish people when preaching the gospel, removing a potential stumbling block for them.

Theological significance of circumcision

(1) The circumcision of Timothy was not only for practical reasons but also had theological significance. (a) Under the new covenant, Jewish believers were no longer obligated to follow the Law as a mandatory requirement. (b) However, they were free to observe the Law as a part of their lifestyle if they chose to do so. (2) Circumcision is the sign of the Abrahamic covenant. (a) This practice was established 400 years before the Mosaic Law was given. (b) While the Law also commanded circumcision, that requirement became obsolete under the New Covenant. (3) The covenant that God made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (the Abrahamic covenant) is still valid today. (a) Jewish believers receive circumcision because the Abrahamic covenant commands it, and circumcision is the sign of that covenant. (b) The “sign” of Jewish identity is not the Law, but circumcision. (4) How is Jewish identity determined? (a) In the Bible, if the father is Jewish, the child is considered Jewish. (b) In Judaism, if the mother is Jewish, the child is considered Jewish. (c) In Timothy’s case, he had the option to choose whether to identify as a Gentile or a Jew. (d) As a rabbi, Paul recognized Timothy as Jewish due to his mother’s Jewish heritage. Paul strongly opposed the teaching that circumcision was a requirement for salvation. However, he supported circumcision as a “sign” of Jewish identity. It was not that he made a compromise but he acted based on a correct theological understanding. Let’s learn, through our daily devotions, to rightly apply the Word of God in our lives.