Jesus Stamped Jewish on January First

In order for Jesus to be the Messiah, he had to be Jewish, and in order to be Jewish he had to be circumcised. This tangible connection with Jesus' humanity--his circumcision--tells us not only of his Jewishness, but its emblematic nature for Gentile Christian faith.

Where is this historic act found in the Bible? Buried in the Christmas story, right next to the angels “glorifying and praising God.” He's named Yeshua (Savior) at the time of his circumcision, “After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus” (Luke 2:21). Joseph might have said something like, “Blessed art thou, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with thy commandments and commanded us to enter our son into the covenant/brit first given to Abraham our father.”

Early Western Christians celebrated this event in the life of Jesus quite deliberately. In fact, they called the day the “Feast of Circumcision”—the culmination of the “Eight Days of Nativity.” Since Jesus' birth is celebrated on December 25, the eighth day (counted inclusively as the ancients did and many young children do today) would be the First of January – or New Year's Day. The Feast of the Circumcision is known to be kept at least as early as the Council of Tours (567) and such celebrations are recorded in the earliest Byzantine calendars and in “Regula Monachorum” from Spain before the death of St. Isidore (636). Even fifty years ago, the liturgical titles in the West for January 1 were "In Circumcisione Domini et Octav Nativitatis."

Circumcision is decisive for Jewish identity: no snipping ceremony, no male Jewish identity. From as far back as Genesis 17, ninety-nine year-old Abraham is commanded to circumcise himself, his children, his servants—every male in his household, and to continue this covenant for all generations. Circumcision is the most important of all the ceremonial commandments, and even trumps the Shabbath and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). (Meaning circumcision overrides certain laws of Shabbath and Yom Kippur in order to keep the commandment of circumcision.)

It is not surprising that this covenant practice was followed by Paul and his fellow Jewish believers—Acts 16:3, 21:21, Gal 5:3. This covenantal circumcision signified Israel's "set-apartness" and was a sign of her relationship with God.

But this snipping for covenantal identity was not all that God wanted from Israel. He commanded them: “circumcise your heart, and stiffen your neck no longer” (Deut 10:16; see Jer 4:4, 9:25-26; Ezek 44:7). This spiritual circumcision is described in Colossians 2:11-12 where Jesus' circumcision assumes a redemptive role: "In Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead."

The "circumcision of Christ” here may be understood to have a double meaning: the circumcision carried out on baby Yeshua in order to be the Jewish Christ, as well as the circumcision Christ carries out on us spiritually — which is linked with baptism, death and new birth. This passage may be more deeply understood with reference to the physical circumcision of Jesus to illustrate the spiritual circumcision which he provides: first stripping of one's “flesh” and then renewing through a resurrected kind of life.

Jesus' circumcision stamped him to be Jewish — a prerequisite to be the Messiah. And as Messiah he could then usher in the Reign of God. Beyond this, His circumcision serves as a redemptive emblem—in the stripping of his flesh and the initial shedding of his blood. In identifying with the events of His life – baptism, death and resurrection — Christians also may well identify with his circumcision, both for its historical significance and spiritual import.