Circumcision in Jewish life and pagan eyes, and circumcision of the heart

Says Circumcision "has value if you observe the law" (2:25); true circumcision is "a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code" (2:29).

In Genesis the uncircumcised male "will be cut off from his people" (Gen 17:10–14). Under Antiochus IV some Jews "made themselves uncircumcised" (1 Macc 1:15, Brenton), and mothers who circumcised sons were killed (1:48, 60–61); Mattathias's men circumcised boys by force (2:46). Jubilees calls the rite an eternal ordinance on the heavenly tablets (Jub. 15:25–34).

Ananias told Izates of Adiabene he could worship God uncircumcised; Eleazar from Galilee urged the rite, and Izates complied (Josephus, Ant. 20.38–48). Philo allegorizes the rite (Spec. 1.1–11) yet keeps the command (Migr. 89–93). Roman writers mocked it (Tacitus, Hist. 5.5; Petronius, Sat. 102.14; Martial 7.30; 11.94).

Scripture called for heart circumcision (Deut 10:16; Jer 4:4; 9:25–26) and promised it (Deut 30:6). 1QS 5.5 speaks of circumcising the foreskin of evil inclination.

Implies Paul's circumcision "of the heart, by the Spirit" (or "in spirit," of the inner person; 2:29) takes up the call and promise of Deut 10:16; 30:6; Jer 4:4.

Uncertain Whether the uncircumcised law-keeper of 2:26–27 and the inward Jew of 2:28–29 are Gentile Christians or a description of what true Jewishness requires is debated. The evidence leans toward Gentile believers, since the Spirit-versus-written-code contrast of 2:29 returns in 7:6 and 8:4; others read 2:26–27 as hypothetical, like 2:13. These need not be the same group as in 2:14–15; see the Exegete's commentary.