SEV Biblia, Chapter 7:18
¿Es llamado alguno circuncidado? Qudese circunciso. ¿Es llamado alguno incircuncidado? Que no se circuncide.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 7:18
Verse 18. Is any man called being circumcised?] Is any man who was formerly a Jew converted to Christianity? Let him not become circumcised.] Let him not endeavour to abolish the sign of the old covenant, which he bears in his flesh. The Greek words mh epispasqw, let him not draw over, are evidently an elliptical expression: the word thn akrobustian, the fore-skin, being understood; which, indeed, is added by the Armenian and the Itala, and several of the Latin fathers. It is a fact that it was possible by the assistance of art to do this; and Celsus himself prescribes the mode, Deuteronomy Medic. vii. 25. By frequent stretching, the circumcised skin could be again so drawn over, as to prevent the ancient sign of circumcision from appearing. Some in their zeal against Judaism endeavoured to abolish this sign of it in their flesh: it is most evidently against this that the apostle speaks. Many false Jews made use of this practice, that they might pass through heathen countries unobserved; otherwise, in frequenting the baths they would have been detected. Let him not be circumcised.] Let no man who, being a Gentile, has been converted to the Christian faith, submit to circumcision as something necessary to his salvation.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 18. Is any man called being circumcised ? etc.] That is, if any man that is a Jew, who has been circumcised in his infancy, is called by the grace of God, as there were many in those days, and many of them in the church at Corinth: let him not become uncircumcised ; or draw on the foreskin; as some did in the times of Antiochus, for fear of him, and to curry favour with him, who, it is said, 1 Maccab. 1:15, made themselves uncircumcised, and forsook the holy covenant; and so did Menelaus, and the sons of Tobias, as Josephus reports f122 ; and there were many, in the days of Ben Cozba, who became uncircumcised by force, ykwm , they had their foreskins drawn on by the Gentiles against their wills, and when he came to reign were circumcised again f123 ; for, according to the Jews, circumcision must be repeated, and not only four or five times f124 , but a hundred times, if a man becomes so often uncircumcised They make mention of several particular persons who voluntarily became uncircumcised, or, to use their phrase, and which exactly answers to the word used by the apostle, wtlr[b wm that drew over his foreskin; as Jehoiachin f126 , Achan f127 , yea even the first Adam f128 ; one guilty of this, they say, makes void the covenant f129 ; it was accounted a very great sin, so great that he that committed it was reckoned among them that shall have no part in the world to come, but shall be cut off and perish; physicians say, this may be done by the use of an instrument they call spaster, which has its name from the word used in the text. The apostles sense is, that such as had been circumcised, and had now embraced the faith of Christ, had no reason to be uneasy, or take any methods to remove this mark from their flesh, because it was abolished by Christ, and now of no significance; since as it did them no good, it did them no hurt: is any called in uncircumcision? let him not become circumcised? ; that is, if a Gentile who was never circumcised is called by grace, let him not submit to circumcision, which is now abrogated, and is altogether unnecessary and unprofitable in the business of salvation; yea, hurtful and pernicious if done on that account, since it makes men debtors to do the whole law, and Christ of none effect unto them. Ver. 19. Circumcision is nothing , etc.] In the affair of justification before God, and acceptance with him; it cannot make any man righteous in the sight of God, nor recommend him to the divine favour; it is no evidence of a mans calling, or of his having the truth or grace of God in him; nor is it of any avail in the business of salvation. It was something formerly; it was a command and an ordinance of God, to Abraham and his natural seed; it pointed at the corruption and pollution of nature; was typical of the effusion of the blood of Christ, for pardon, and cleansing, and of the internal circumcision of the heart; it was a sign and seal to Abraham, that he should be the father of many nations, and that the righteousness of faith should come upon the uncircumcised Gentiles; and was a distinguishing character of the people of the Jews, until the Messiah came: but now it is nothing, nor has it any of these uses, being with the rest of the ceremonies abolished by Christ; it gives no preference to the Jew above the Gentile; he that has this mark in his flesh, is not a whir the better for it, and he that is without it, is not at all the worse; and is a reason why both the one and the other should be easy, and not attempt any alteration in themselves with regard to this, or think the better or worse of themselves on account of it.
This is said in direct opposition to the sentiments of the Jews, who extol circumcision to the skies. The apostle says it is nothing, and they say it is everything, and everything is nothing without it; they say, it is the hinge of their whole law f131 , and that it is equal to all the precepts in the law f132 ; their extravagant commendations of it take in the following passage f133 ; says R. Eliezar ben Azariah, uncircumcision is rejected, because by it the wicked are defiled, as it is said, for all the Gentiles are uncircumcised; says R. Ishmael, hlym hlwdg , great is circumcision; for on account of it, thirteen covenants were made; says R. Jose, great is circumcision, for it drives away the sabbath, the weighty (command in the law, that is, it is obliged to give way to it); R. Joshua ben Korcha says, great is circumcision, for it was not suspended to Moses the righteous one full hour; R. Nehemiah says, great is circumcision, for it drives away plagues; says Rabba, great is circumcision, for notwithstanding all the commands which Abraham our father did, he was not called perfect until he was circumcised; as it is said, walk before me, and be thou perfect; says another, great is circumcision, for had it not been for that, the holy blessed God would not have created his world; as it is said, thus saith the Lord, if my covenant be not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth, More of this kind might be produced, but enough of this. And uncircumcision is nothing ; it does not hinder any having an interest in, and partaking of the blessings of grace; nor their enjoyment of the Gospel and Gospel ordinances; nor their communion and fellowship with the churches of Christ, much less their everlasting salvation, as say the Jews; the holy blessed God (say they) rejects the uncircumcised, and brings them down to hell; as it is said, ( Ezekiel 32:18) son of man, wail for the multitude of Egypt, and cast them down; and so says Isaiah, ( Isaiah 5:14) therefore hell hath enlarged herself and opened her mouth, qj ylbl ; that is, to him that hath not the law of circumcision; as it is said, ( <19A510> Psalm 105:10) and confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant; for no circumcised persons go down to hell: but the keeping of the commandments of God ; that is something; not that the commands of God, and the observance of them, are of any avail to procure the pardon of sin, acceptance with God, justification in his sight, and eternal salvation; yet they are of moment, as they are the commands and ordinances of God; and ought to be kept in faith and fear, as they were delivered from a principle of love, and with a view to the glory of God; and though for keeping of them there is no reward of debt, yet in keeping of them there is a reward of grace; peace of mind is had, and the presence of God enjoyed; obedience to them, upon Gospel principles and motives, is a fruit of grace, an evidence of faith, and of the new creature; it is the ornament of a Christian profession, and is profitable to men.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 17-24 - The rules of Christianity reach every condition; and in every state man may live so as to be a credit to it. It is the duty of ever Christian to be content with his lot, and to conduct himself in his rank and place as becomes a Christian. Our comfort and happiness depen on what we are to Christ, not what we are in the world. No man shoul think to make his faith or religion, an argument to break through an natural or civil obligations. He should quietly and contentedly abid in the condition in which he is placed by Divine Providence.
Greek Textus Receptus
περιτετμημενος 4059 5772 V-RPP-NSM τις 5100 X-NSM εκληθη 2564 5681 V-API-3S μη 3361 PRT-N επισπασθω 1986 5737 V-PNM-3S εν 1722 PREP ακροβυστια 203 N-DSF τις 5100 X-NSM εκληθη 2564 5681 V-API-3S μη 3361 PRT-N περιτεμνεσθω 4059 5744 V-PPM-3S
Vincent's NT Word Studies
18. Become uncircumcised (epispasqw). The reference is to the process of restoring a circumcised person to his natural condition by a surgical operation. See Josephus, "Antiquities," 12, 5, 1; 1 Macc. i. 15; Smith's "Dictionary of the Bible," Article Circumcision; Celsus, "De Re Medica," cited in Wetstein with other passages. See, also, Edwards' note on this passage.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
7:18 {Let him not become uncircumcized} (me epispasqw). Present middle imperative of epispaw, old verb to draw on. In LXX (I Macc. 1:15) and Josephus (_Ant_. XII, V. I) in this sense. Here only in N.T. The point is that a Jew is to remain a Jew, a Gentile to be a Gentile. Both stand on an equality in the Christian churches. this freedom about circumcision illustrates the freedom about Gentile mixed marriages.
