The Old Covenant Essay Sample

In Canaan, following God’s orders, Abraham circumcised all the men in his household, including himself and his son Ishmael. The role of circumcision in the life of Abraham serves two significant purposes. First, the act sealed God’s covenant with Abraham, where He promised the latter many descendants and blessings for them because they will be His people. Second, circumcision set aside Abraham, and later the Israelites, from the inhabitants of Canaan because of it is a physical sign of God’s covenant with His people. A good illustration of the importance of circumcision to the Israelites revolves around David’s fight with Goliath. When told of Goliath’s taunts, David states, “Your servant has killed both a lion and bear, and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them” (1 Samuel 17:36). Through his comment, David confirms himself to be circumcised and in turn, his place as Abraham’s descendant. In addition, by pointing out that Goliath is an uncircumcised male, David recognizes the man as an enemy of the Israelites and knows victory is imminent because of God’s promise. Paul’s preaching of the gospel lays emphasis on the importance of the blood of Jesus Christ. According to the apostle, “in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything” (Ephesians 2:11). Paul’s argument revolves around the belief that Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), rendering circumcision unimportant as a sign of connection to God. It is prominent to note that Jesus’ parents followed Jewish traditions and on the eighth day of birth, Jesus underwent circumcision. The adherence to the tradition came before Jesus’ crucifixion, where His blood sufficed for that spilt during circumcision.

Work Cited

The Holy Bible: New King James Version (NKJV). New Edition. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2005. Print.