Because Jesus was an offspring of Abraham, He underwent circumcision (Matthew 1:1–18). Being devout Jews, his parents brought him to be circumcised on the eighth day and followed Leviticus 12’s requirements for purification. God commanded circumcision as a way to set His people apart from the nations of Gentiles. A child who has been circumcised expresses his identity to God and accepts the covenant promises.
Abraham
The first recorded reference of circumcision is found in Genesis 17:10–14, where Abraham is told to undergo the procedure and to circumcise his progeny.
“This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised. Every male throughout your generations, whether born in your house or bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring, both he who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money, shall surely be circumcised. So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant. Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”
Jesus perfectly kept the law
In being circumcised, Jesus would walk in the covenant promise of Abraham. Through circumcision and His obedience, Jesus perfectly kept the law throughout His earthly ministry. Circumcision was His first step to following and fulfilling God’s law perfectly. Jesus affirms His obedience to God’s law where He says in Matthew 5:17-18 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” Jesus submitted to the laws of God and to the legitimate customs of the religious authorities of His day to demonstrate His perfection and sufficiency to redeem us from our sin.
No circumcision needed
An Old Testament ceremonial law known as circumcision was repealed when [Christ died and rose from the grave]. A person is no longer required to be circumcised in order to have a covenant relationship with God (see Galatians 2:1–16 and Acts 15:1–5). By faith, those who place their entire confidence in Jesus Christ are accepted into God’s covenant community and have a right standing with him. God doesn’t wait on our external displays of loyalty to Him. Rather, God searches for people who have had their hearts circumcised (Deuteronomy 10:16; 30:6).
