Clarke's Bible Commentary - John 7:22
Verse 22. But of the fathers] That is, it came from the patriarchs. Circumcision was not, properly speaking, one of the laws of the Mosaic institution, it having been given at first to Abraham, and continued among his posterity till the giving of the law: Genesis xvii. 9, 10, &c.
Ye-circumcise a man.] That is, a male child: for every male child was circumcised when eight days old; and if the eighth day after its birth happened to be a Sabbath, it was nevertheless circumcised, that the law might not be broken, which had enjoined the circumcision to take place at that time, Leviticus xii. 3. From this and several other circumstances it is evident that the keeping of the Sabbath, even in the strictest sense of the word, ever admitted of the works of necessity and mercy to be done on it; and that those who did not perform such works on that day, when they had opportunity, were properly violators of every law founded on the principles of mercy and justice. If the Jews had said, Why didst thou not defer the healing of the sick man till the ensuing day? He might have well answered, Why do ye not defer the circumcising of your children to the ensuing day, when the eighth day happens to be a Sabbath?-which is a matter of infinitely less consequence than the restoration of this long-afflicted man.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 22. Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision , etc.] The command of circumcision, which he renewed and established, ( Leviticus 12:3); (not because, or that it is of Moses ; originally, or that he was the first giver of it, for it was enjoined before his time; this is a correction of what is before said, giving a more accurate account of the rise of circumcision: but of the fathers) ; Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to whom it was enjoined by God, and who practised it before the times of Moses; so that this command was in force before him, and obligatory upon the descendants of Abraham, before he delivered it; and would have been, if he had never mentioned it; though the Jews say f303 , we do not circumcise because Abraham our father, on whom be peace, circumcised himself and his household, but because the holy blessed God commanded us by Moses, that we should be circumcised, as Abraham our father was circumcised.
But no doubt it would have been binding on them, if Moses had said nothing about it; the command to Abraham is so express, for the circumcision of his male offspring, ( Genesis 17:10-12); however, it being both of Moses and of the fathers, laid a very great obligation on the Jews to observe it: and ye on the sabbath day, circumcise a man ; a male child, as they did, when the eighth day fell on a sabbath day; for the law of circumcision was before the law of the sabbath, and therefore was not to be made void by it, nor was it made void by it; and so much is intimated by our Lords observing, that it was not of Moses, but of the fathers; and this is the reason which the Karaite Jews give for circumcision on the sabbath day: for f304 say they, because it is a former command, from the time of Abraham our father, on whom be peace, before the giving of the law of the sabbath, tbb ylm wyh , they circumcise on the sabbath day, and when the command of the sabbath afterwards took place, it was not possible it should disannul circumcision on the sabbath day; and for the same reason, they also allow the sacrifice of the passover to be done on the sabbath day, because it is a command which went before the command of the sabbath.
And this was also the sense and practice of the other Jews: thus citing the law of Moses in ( Leviticus 12:3). And in the eighth day, the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised, by way of gloss upon it add, tbb wlypaw , and even on the sabbath day f305 ; and on the same text another writer observes f306 , that by Gematry, every day is fit for circumcision. R.
Jose says f307 , they do all things necessary to circumcision, on the sabbath day.
R. Abika says f308 , all work that can be done on the evening of the sabbath, does not drive away the sabbath; but circumcision, which cannot be done on the evening of the sabbath, drives away the sabbath: they do all things necessary to circumcision; they circumcise, and make bare, and suck, and put (on the wound) a plaster and cummin; and which, if not bruised on the evening of the sabbath, they may chew with their teeth.
Also it is allowed of f309 , to wash the infant on the third day of circumcision, which happens to be on the sabbath.
Moreover, a case is put after this manner f310 ; if a man has two infants, one to be circumcised after the sabbath, and the other to be circumcised on the sabbath, and forgets, and circumcises that, that was to be after the sabbath, on the sabbath, he is guilty of sin; if one is to be circumcised in the evening of the sabbath, and the other on the sabbath, and he forgets, and circumcises that which should be on the evening of the sabbath, on the sabbath, R. Eliezer pronounces him guilty, but R, Joshua absolves him.
And we have an instance of R. Sheshana, the son of R. Samuel bar Abdimo, that when he was to be circumcised, it was the sabbath day, and they forgot the razor; and they inquired of R. Meni and R. Isaac ben Eleazar, and it was drove off to another day.
From all which it appears, that circumcision on the sabbath day, was a common practice, and which confirms the assertion of Christ.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 14-24 - Every faithful minister may humbly adopt Christ's words. His doctrin is not his own finding out, but is from God's word, through the teaching of his Spirit. And amidst the disputes which disturb the world, if any man, of any nation, seeks to do the will of God, he shal know whether the doctrine is of God, or whether men speak of themselves. Only those who hate the truth shall be given up to error which will be fatal. Surely it was as agreeable to the design of the sabbath to restore health to the afflicted, as to administer an outwar rite. Jesus told them to decide on his conduct according to the spiritual import of the Divine law. We must not judge concerning any by their outward appearance, but by their worth, and by the gifts an graces of God's Spirit in them.
Greek Textus Receptus
δια 1223 PREP τουτο 5124 D-ASN μωσης 3475 N-NSM δεδωκεν 1325 5758 V-RAI-3S υμιν 5213 P-2DP την 3588 T-ASF περιτομην 4061 N-ASF ουχ 3756 PRT-N οτι 3754 CONJ εκ 1537 PREP του 3588 T-GSM μωσεως 3475 N-GSM εστιν 2076 5748 V-PXI-3S αλλ 235 CONJ εκ 1537 PREP των 3588 T-GPM πατερων 3962 N-GPM και 2532 CONJ εν 1722 PREP σαββατω 4521 N-DSN περιτεμνετε 4059 5719 V-PAI-2P ανθρωπον 444 N-ASM
