Gênesis 17
John MacArthur · Citado em PreceptAustin
Gênesis 17
MacArthur comments that "The cutting away of the foreskin on the male procreative organ signified the need to cut away sin from the heart-sin that was inherent, passed from one generation to the next (Dt 10:16 Jer 4:4 Col 2:11 Ro 2:28,29 - ED: SEE DISCUSSION BELOW)." Steven
Gênesis 17
MacArthur - Circumcision (cutting away the male foreskin) was not entirely new in this period of history, but the special religious and theocratic significance then applied to it was entirely new, thus identifying the circumcised as belonging to the physical and ethnical lineage of Abraham (cf. Ac 7:8; Ro 4:11). Without divine revelation, the rite would not have had this distinctive significance, thus it remained a theocratic distinctive of Israel (cf. Ge 17:13). There was a health benefit, since disease could be kept in the folds of the foreskin, so that removing it prevented that. Historically, Jewish women have had the lowest rate of cervical cancer. But the symbolism had to do with the need to cut away sin and be cleansed. It was the male organ which most clearly demonstrated the depth of depravity because it carried the seed that produced depraved sinners (Ro 5:12+). Thus, circumcision symbolized the need for a profoundly deep cleansing to reverse the effects of depravity. (BORROW The MacArthur Study Bible page 38) Warren