Circumcision of the heart: Deut 10:16; 30:6; Jer 4:4; 9:25–26 behind Rom 2:28–29
Says Rom 2:28–29 sets ἐν σαρκὶ περιτομή against περιτομὴ καρδίας ἐν πνεύματι οὐ γράμματι ("circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter").
Says Deut 10:16 commands וּמַלְתֶּם אֵת עָרְלַת לְבַבְכֶם (umaltem et 'orlat levavkhem, "circumcise the foreskin of your heart"; BDB pp. 557, 790); Deut 30:6 promises God will do it: וּמָל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶת־לְבָבְךָ (umal YHWH eloheykha et-levavkha). Jer 4:4: הִמֹּלוּ לַיהֹוָה וְהָסִרוּ עָרְלוֹת לְבַבְכֶם (himmolu laYHWH vehasiru 'orlot levavkhem). Lev 26:41 has Israel's לְבָבָם הֶעָרֵל (levavam he'arel, "uncircumcised heart"); Ezek 44:9 bars the foreigner עֶרֶל לֵב וְעֶרֶל בָּשָׂר ('erel lev ve'erel basar, "uncircumcised in heart and flesh").
Says Jer 9:25 (MT 9:24) threatens עַל־כָּל־מוּל בְּעָרְלָה ('al-kol-mul be'orlah, "all circumcised in foreskin"). מוּל is the Qal passive participle of "circumcise" (BDB p. 557, citing this verse); LXX περιτετμημένους ἀκροβυστίας αὐτῶν. Judah is listed with the nations (where Swete's LXX has Ἰδουμαίαν for Judah), and וְכָל־בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל עַרְלֵי־לֵב (vekhol-bet yisra'el 'arle-lev, "all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in heart").
Says Swete's LXX has σκληροκαρδίαν ("hardness of heart") at Deut 10:16 and Jer 4:4, and περικαθαριεῖ at Deut 30:6. At Jer 9:26 it adds σαρκί: ἀπερίτμητα σαρκί … ἀπερίτμητοι καρδίας.
Implies Outward circumcision without the heart puts Israel with the uncircumcised nations (cf. 2:28–29). Paul's phrase follows the Hebrew image.
Uncertain Whether ἐν πνεύματι is God's Spirit (the lean: the γράμμα contrast of 7:6 and 2 Cor 3:6; Deut 30:6; Ezek 36:26–27) or the inward sphere set against the letter (the alternative; cf. ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ).
Claims
- SaysDeut 10:16 and Jer 4:4 command circumcision of the heart (עָרְלַת לְבַבְכֶם); Deut 30:6 promises that God will do it; Lev 26:41 and Ezek 44:7, 9 speak of the uncircumcised heart.
- SaysJer 9:24 MT מוּל is the Qal passive participle 'circumcised' (BDB p. 557, citing Je 9:24); LXX περιτετμημένους; Judah is listed with the nations, and Israel is עַרְלֵי־לֵב.
- SaysLXX: σκληροκαρδία at Deut 10:16 and Jer 4:4; περικαθαριεῖ at Deut 30:6; Jer 9:26 adds ἀπερίτμητα σαρκί.
- ImpliesOutward circumcision without the heart puts Israel with the uncircumcised nations (Jer 9:25–26), the contrast Paul draws in 2:28–29.
- UncertainWhether ἐν πνεύματι (2:29) is God's Spirit (lean) or the inward sphere set against the letter (alternative).
Citations
- OSHB CC BY 4.0 Deut 10:16; 30:6; Lev 26:41; Jer 4:4; 9:24–25 MT (ENG 9:25–26); Ezek 44:7, 9. Jer 9:24 word 9: lemma 4135 (the verb) but morph HR, an OSHB tag error (expected HVqsmsa), reported to Online Researcher
- BDB CC BY 4.0 s.v. II mul (H4135), p. 557, entry m.az.aa (1906 page image, archive.org hebrewenglishlex00browuoft n580: "Pt. pass. … Je 9:24"; "pass. … בערלה Je 9:24"); s.v. 'orlah (H6190), p. 790, entry p.fk.ab
- LXX (Swete) CC BY-SA 4.0 Deut 10:16; 30:6. LXX checked against Swete scan, vol. 1 (1909), p. 364. LXX checked against Swete scan, vol. 1 (1909), pp. 405–406. Jer 4:4; 9:25–26 (text Ἰδουμαίαν at 9:26). LXX checked against Swete scan, vol. 3 (1912), pp. 230, 245.
- SBLGNT CC BY 4.0 Rom 2:28–29; 7:6; 2 Cor 3:6
- TVTMS CC BY 4.0 Jer 9:25–26 = MT 9:24–25
Quotations from LXX (Swete) are used under CC BY-SA 4.0 · Credits
2026-10-29
Open in Reader All notes on this passage