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Objection 1: It would seem that Christ should not have been
circumcised. For on the advent of the reality, the figure ceases.
But circumcision was prescribed to Abraham as a sign of the covenant
concerning his posterity, as may be seen from Gn. 17. Now this
covenant was fulfilled in Christ's birth. Therefore circumcision
should have ceased at once.
Objection 2: Further, "every action of Christ is a lesson to us"
[Innoc. III, Serm. xxii de Temp.]; wherefore it is written
(Jn. 3:15): "I have given you an example, that as I have
done to you, so you do also." But we ought not to be circumcised;
according to Gal. 5:2: "If you be circumcised, Christ shall
profit you nothing." Therefore it seems that neither should Christ
have been circumcised.
Objection 3: Further, circumcision was prescribed as a remedy of
original sin. But Christ did not contract original sin, as stated
above (Question 14, Article 3; Question 15, Article 1).
Therefore Christ should not have been circumcised.
On the contrary, It is written (Lk. 2:21): "After eight
days were accomplished, that the child should be circumcised."
I answer that, For several reasons Christ ought to have been
circumcised. First, in order to prove the reality of His human
nature, in contradiction to the Manicheans, who said that He had an
imaginary body: and in contradiction to Apollinarius, who said that
Christ's body was consubstantial with His Godhead; and in
contradiction to Valentine, who said that Christ brought His body
from heaven. Secondly, in order to show His approval of
circumcision, which God had instituted of old. Thirdly, in order to
prove that He was descended from Abraham, who had received the
commandment of circumcision as a sign of his faith in Him. Fourthly,
in order to take away from the Jews an excuse for not receiving Him,
if He were uncircumcised. Fifthly, "in order by His example to
exhort us to be obedient" [Bede, Hom. x in Evang.]. Wherefore
He was circumcised on the eighth day according to the prescription of
the Law (Lev. 12:3). Sixthly, "that He who had come in the
likeness of sinful flesh might not reject the remedy whereby sinful
flesh was wont to be healed." Seventhly, that by taking on Himself
the burden of the Law, He might set others free therefrom, according
to Gal. 4:4,5: "God sent His Son . . . made under the
Law, that He might redeem them who were under the Law."
Reply to Objection 1: Circumcision by the removal of the piece of
skin in the member of generation, signified "the passing away of the
old generation" [Athanasius, De Sabb. et Circumcis.]: from
the decrepitude of which we are freed by Christ's Passion.
Consequently this figure was not completely fulfilled in Christ's
birth, but in His Passion, until which time the circumcision
retained its virtue and status. Therefore it behooved Christ to be
circumcised as a son of Abraham before His Passion.
Reply to Objection 2: Christ submitted to circumcision while it was
yet of obligation. And thus His action in this should be imitated by
us, in fulfilling those things which are of obligation in our own
time. Because "there is a time and opportunity for every business"
(Eccl 8:6).
Moreover, according to Origen (Hom. xiv in Luc.), "as we died
when He died, and rose again when Christ rose from the dead, so were
we circumcised spiritually through Christ: wherefore we need no carnal
circumcision." And this is what the Apostle says (Col.
2:11): "In whom," [i.e. Christ] "you are circumcised
with circumcision not made by hand in despoiling of the body of the
flesh, but in the circumcision of" our Lord Jesus "Christ."
Reply to Objection 3: As Christ voluntarily took upon Himself our
death, which is the effect of sin, whereas He had no sin Himself,
in order to deliver us from death, and to make us to die spiritually
unto sin, so also He took upon Himself circumcision, which was a
remedy against original sin, whereas He contracted no original sin,
in order to deliver us from the yoke of the Law, and to accomplish a
spiritual circumcision in us---in order, that is to say, that, by
taking upon Himself the shadow, He might accomplish the reality.
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