ALL HUMANITY IS CIRCUMCISED IN JESUS’ CIRCUMCISION. ORIGEN: So, when he died, we died with him, and when he rose, we rose with him.
Likewise, we were also circumcised along with him. After his circumcision, we were cleansed by a solemn purification. Hence we have no need at all for a circumcision of the flesh. You should know that he was circumcised for our sake. Listen to Paul’s clear proclamation. He says, “For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have come to fullness of life in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of flesh in the circumcision of Christ. And you were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.”1 Therefore his death, his resurrection and his circumcision took place for our sake. HOMILIES ON THE
GOSPEL OF LUKE 14.1.2
THE POWER IN THE NAME OF JESUS. ORIGEN: Christians are seen to draw their courage not from incantations but from the name of Jesus and from the commemoration of what he has done. For by his name it has happened very
often that demons are put to flight from people, especially whenever they, who invoke them, pronounce them with the right disposition and with all trust. So great indeed is the power of the name of Jesus that sometimes it is efficacious even when spoken by the wicked. The name of Jesus heals the afflicted in mind, puts to flight the spirits of darkness, and to the sick is an ever present remedy. AGAINST CELSUS 1.6.3
THE LAST DAYS ARE INAUGURATED. BEDE: He therefore received in the flesh the circumcision decreed by the law, although he appeared in the flesh absolutely without any blemish of pollution. He who came in the likeness of sinful flesh4—not in sinful flesh—did not turn away from the remedy by which sinful flesh was ordinarily made clean. Similarly, not because of necessity but for the sake of example, he also submitted to the water of baptism, by which he wanted the people of the new law of grace to be washed from the stain of sins. . . .
The reason “the child who was born to us, the son who was given to us,”5 received the name Jesus (that is, “Savior”) does not need explanation in order to be understood by us, but we need eager and vigilant zeal so that we too may be saved by sharing in his name. Indeed, we read how the angel interprets the name of Jesus: “He will save his people from their sins.”6 And without a doubt we believe and hope that the one who saves us from sins is not failing to save us also from the corruptions which happen because of sins, and from death itself, as the psalmist testifies when he says, “Who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases.”7 Indeed, with the pardoning of all of our iniquities, all our diseases will be completely healed when, with the appearance of the glory of the resurrection, our last enemy, death, will be destroyed. . . . We read that circumcision was done with knives made of rock,8 and the rock was Christ.9 And by Christ’s faith, hope and love the hearts of the good are purified not only in baptism but furthermore in every devout action. This daily circumcision of ours (that is,
the continual cleansing of our heart) does not cease from always celebrating the sacrament of the eighth day. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS 1.11.10
THE EIGHTH DAY: CIRCUMCISION, BAPTISM AND RESURRECTION. CYRIL OF
ALEXANDRIA: St. Paul says that “neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision.”11 On the eighth day Christ rose from the dead and gave us the spiritual circumcision. He then commanded the holy apostles,
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”12 And we affirm that the spiritual circumcision takes place chiefly in holy baptism, when Christ makes us partakers of the Holy Spirit too. Of this Joshua, that Jesus of old, who became the leader of the Israelites after Moses, was also a type. He led the children of Israel across the Jordan, then made them stop and immediately circumcised them with knives of stone. So when we have crossed the Jordan, Christ circumcises us with the power of the Holy Spirit, not by purifying the flesh but rather by cutting off the defilement that is in our souls. On the eighth day, therefore, Christ was circumcised and, as I said, received his name. We were saved by him and through him, because
“in him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of flesh in the circumcision of Christ. And you were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him.”13 His death, therefore, was for our sake, as were also his resurrection and his circumcision. For he died, so that we who have died together with him in his dying to sin, would no longer live for sin. Thus if we have died together with him, we shall also live together with him.14 He is said to have died to sin, not because he had sinned, for he was without sin, neither was guile found on his lips,15 but because of our sin. Therefore, just as we died together with him when he died, so will we also rise together with him. . . .
After Jesus’ circumcision, the rite was abolished by the introduction of baptism, of which circumcision was a type. For this reason we are no longer
circumcised. It seems to me that circumcision achieved three distinct ends.
In the first place, it separated the descendants of Abraham by a sort of sign and seal and distinguished them from all other nations. Second, it prefigured in itself the grace and efficacy of divine baptism. Formerly a male who was circumcised was included among the people of God by virtue of that seal; nowadays, a person who is baptized and has formed in himself Christ the seal, becomes a member of God’s adopted family. Third, circumcision is the symbol of the faithful when they are established in grace, as they cut away and mortify the tumultuous rising of carnal pleasures and passions by the sharp surgery of faith and by ascetic labors.
They do this not by cutting the body but by purifying the heart. They do this by being circumcised in the spirit and not in the letter. Their praise, as St.
Paul testifies, needs not the sentence of any human tribunal, but depends upon the decree from above.16 COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 3.17