περιτομὴ καρδίας: "circumcision of the heart" and its LXX background
Says 2:28–29 sets ὁ ἐν τῷ φανερῷ Ἰουδαῖος and ἡ ἐν τῷ φανερῷ ἐν σαρκὶ περιτομή against ὁ ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ Ἰουδαῖος and περιτομὴ καρδίας (peritomē kardias). Abbott-Smith lists Rom 2:29 (with Col 2:11; Phil 3:3) as the metaphorical use of περιτομή.
The Greek OT texts, checked on the Swete scans: - Deut 10:16: περιτεμεῖσθε τὴν σκληροκαρδίαν ὑμῶν (vol. 1, p. 364). - Deut 30:6: καὶ περικαθαριεῖ Κύριος τὴν καρδίαν σου (vol. 1, pp. 405–406). - Jer 4:4: περιτμήθητε τῷ θεῷ ὑμῶν, καὶ περιτέμεσθε τὴν σκληροκαρδίαν ὑμῶν (vol. 3, p. 230; Swete's apparatus gives περιέλεσθε for ℵ* A).
Says None of these has Paul's phrase: twice the LXX renders the heart's "foreskin" as σκληροκαρδία, and at Deut 30:6 it has "cleanse" (περικαθαρίζω). The LXX does speak of the "uncircumcised in heart" (Lev 26:41; Jer 9:26, MT 9:25; Ezek 44:7, 9). Paul's wording stands closer to the Hebrew idiom; the MT texts are in note.language.Rom.2.29.circumcision-of-heart.
Implies Paul draws on the OT demand (Deut 10:16; Jer 4:4) and promise (Deut 30:6) that God himself will circumcise the heart. The true Jew is defined by that inward work, not by the visible mark, and this is the remedy for the hard heart of 2:5.
Uncertain Whether the uncircumcised law-keeper of 2:26–27 is a Gentile Christian or a hypothetical case (L21(b)). This note leans to Gentile Christians, given the Spirit in 2:29 (compare 8:4); the hypothetical case is the main alternative. This group need not be the same as that of 2:14–15.
Claims
- Says2:28–29 contrasts outward Jewishness and fleshly circumcision with the hidden Jew and circumcision of the heart.
- SaysLXX Deut 10:16 and Jer 4:4 render the heart's 'foreskin' as σκληροκαρδία, and Deut 30:6 has περικαθαριεῖ; none has περιτομὴ καρδίας.
- ImpliesPaul draws on the OT demand and promise that God will circumcise the heart; the true Jew is defined by that inward work.
- UncertainWhether the law-keeping uncircumcised of 2:26–27 is a Gentile Christian (this note's lean, given the Spirit in 2:29 and 8:4) or a hypothetical case (main alternative); 2:26–27 and 2:14–15 need not describe the same group.
Citations
- Abbott-Smith public domain s.v. περιτομή (Metaph., Ro 2:29, Col 2:11, Phl 3:3)
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LXX (Swete) CC BY-SA 4.0 vol. 1, p. 364 (Deut 10:16), scan archive.org oldtestamentingr01swetuoft leaf 395, checked; apparatus at 10:16 only 'σκληρυνειτε] + ετι AF' —
περιτεμεῖσθε τὴν σκληροκαρδίαν ὑμῶν
(LXX (Swete), CC BY-SA 4.0) -
LXX (Swete) CC BY-SA 4.0 vol. 1, pp. 405–406 (Deut 30:6), scan archive.org oldtestamentingr01swetuoft leaves 436–437, checked; apparatus at 30:6 only on ἵνα ζῇς σύ (A). The digital text (nathans/lxx-swete) is corrupt here —
καὶ περικαθαριεῖ Κύριος τὴν καρδίαν σου
(LXX (Swete), CC BY-SA 4.0) -
LXX (Swete) CC BY-SA 4.0 vol. 3, p. 230 (Jer 4:4), scan archive.org theoldtestamenti03swetuoft leaf 253, checked; apparatus: περιτεμεσθε B ℵc.a, περιελεσθε ℵ* A —
περιτμήθητε τῷ θεῷ ὑμῶν, καὶ περιτέμεσθε τὴν σκληροκαρδίαν ὑμῶν
(LXX (Swete), CC BY-SA 4.0)
Quotations from LXX (Swete) are used under CC BY-SA 4.0 · Credits
2026-10-29
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