The prophetic Spirit contemplates the Lord as if He were already on His way to His passion, clad in His fleshly nature; and as He was to suffer therein, He represents the bleeding condition of His flesh under the metaphor of garments dyed in red, as if reddened in the treading and crushing process of the wine-press, from which the labourers descend reddened with the wine-juice, like men stained in blood. Much more clearly still does the book of Genesis foretell this, when (in the blessing of Judah, out of whose tribeChrist was to come according to the flesh) it even then delineated Christ in the person of that patriarch,5092
Do you see how that God does not mean this circumcision which is given for a sign? For it is of no use to the Egyptians, or the sons of Moab, or the sons of Edom. But though a man be a Scythian or a Persian, if he has the knowledge of God and of His Christ, and keeps the everlastingrighteousdecrees, he is circumcised with the good and useful circumcision, and is a friend of God, and Godrejoices in his gifts and offerings. But I will lay before you, my friends, the very words of God, when He said to the people by Malachi, one of the twelve prophets, ‘I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord; and I shall not accept your sacrifices at your hands: for from the rising of the sun unto its setting My name shall be glorified among the Gentiles; and in every place a sacrifice is offered unto My name, even a pure sacrifice: for My name is honoured among the Gentiles, saith the Lord; but ye profane it.’2022
But thou wilt say, “Yea, verily the people are circumcised for a seal.” But so also is every Syrian and Arab, and all the priests of idols: are these then also within the bond of His covenant?1566
1566 Dressel and Hilgenfeld read, “their covenant,” as does Cod. Sin.; we have followed Hefele.
Yea, the Egyptians also practise circumcision. Learn then, my children, concerning all things richly,1567
1567 Cod. Sin. has “children of love,” omitting “richly,” and inserting it before “looking forward.”
But thou wilt say, “Yea, verily the people are circumcised for a seal.” But so also is every Syrian and Arab, and all the priests of idols: are these then also within the bond of His covenant?1566
1566 Dressel and Hilgenfeld read, “their covenant,” as does Cod. Sin.; we have followed Hefele.
Yea, the Egyptians also practise circumcision. Learn then, my children, concerning all things richly,1567
1567 Cod. Sin. has “children of love,” omitting “richly,” and inserting it before “looking forward.”
the prophet; for he spoke as follows “Israel is uncircumcised in heart, but the Gentiles are uncircumcised in the flesh.” So many things therefore, as these, when they are seen with the eye, are enough to produce conviction and belief in those who embrace the truth, and are not bigoted in their opinions, nor are governed by their passions.
