Understanding Circumcision (Part 1 of 2)

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From: Eddie Chumney
To: heb_roots_chr@hebroots.org
Subect: Understanding Circumcision (Part 1 of 2)

UNDERSTANDING CIRCUMCISION
by Eddie Chumney
Hebraic Heritage Ministries Int'l

(Part 1 of 2)

Dear Mishpochah (family):

Many Christians find the book of Galatians very challenging because it SEEMS to CONTRADICT what is written in the Torah, Prophets and the teachings of the Messiah.

Many use the book of Galatians to justify that as believers in Yeshua as the Messiah who are saved by grace through faith that we should no longer observe the Torah even though Paul testified in Acts 21-26 that he kept the Torah and advocated believers in the Messiah who are saved by grace through faith to observe the Torah (Romans 3:28-31).

Peter said that those who are UNLEARNED in Torah will twist the writings of Paul to their own destruction (II Peter 3:15-16).

A couple of the challenging verses in Galatians is:

KJV Galatians 5:2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.

KJV Galatians 5:3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.

How do we seek to understand these Scriptures? In order to do so, we MUST follow valid rules of Biblical interpretation which consist among the following:

#1) No single scripture is of any private interpretation (stands alone by itself)

#2) Scripture must be compared to Scripture

#3) Two or three witnesses establishes a matter (Biblical doctrine)

NO SCRIPTURE IS OF ANY PRIVATE INTERPRETATION

KJV 2 Peter 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

SCRIPTURE MUST BE COMPARED WITH SCRIPTURE

KJV 1 Corinthians 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

BIBLE DOCTRINE IS ESTABLISHED BY TWO OR THREE WITNESSES

KJV Deuteronomy 19:15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.

WHAT MAKES YESHUA THE BIBLICAL MESSIAH?

Yeshua established that He was the Messiah based upon the criteria mentioned in the Torah, Prophets and Writings.

TORAH = WITNESS

PROPHETS = WITNESS

WRITINGS (Psalms, Proverbs) = WITNESS

KJV John 5:46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.

So, BELIEVING MOSES = BELIEVING YESHUA

KJV Luke 24:25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:

KJV Luke 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

KJV Luke 24:44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

The WITNESS / TESTIMONY that Yeshua is the Messiah is what is written in the Torah, Prophets and Writings (Psalms, Proverbs etc).

TORAH MEANS TEACHING / INSTRUCTION or BUILD A FOUNDATION

The Hebrew word TORAH is the Strong's number 8451. It is associated with the Hebrew word YARAH which is Strong's number 3384 which means, "to teach, to instruct, to lay a foundation, to point out as aiming the finger".

FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES = Lays the foundation

PROPHETS / WRITINGS = Builds upon that foundation

GOSPELS / EPISTLES = Completes the house

If the Gospels / Epistles CONTRADICTS what is written in the Torah and the Prophets, you destroy the foundation of the house.

WHAT DOES TORAH SAY ABOUT CIRCUMCISION?

KJV Genesis 17:7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

We are told in Galatians 3:16 that the "seed" is the Messiah.

KJV Galatians 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

Believers in Yeshua as the Messiah are heirs of this covenant.

KJV Galatians 3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

KJV Genesis 17:9 And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.

KJV Genesis 17:10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.

KJV Genesis 17:11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.

KJV Genesis 17:12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.

In these Scripture passages, we learn several things:

#1) CIRCUMCISION = COVENANT

Circumcision can be a "code word" which means being in COVENANT relationship with YHVH

KJV Genesis 17:10 This is my COVENANT, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall BE CIRCUMCISED.

#2) CIRCUMCISION = SIGN OF THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT

YHVH said that circumcision is a sign of those who identify with His covenant with Abraham.

KJV Genesis 17:11 And ye shall CIRCUMCISE the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a TOKEN of the COVENANT betwixt me and you.

#3) CIRCUMCISION = NATIVE BORN AND SOJOURNER

KJV Genesis 17:12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is BORN in the HOUSE, or bought with money of any STRANGER, which is NOT of thy SEED.

#4) PHYSICAL CIRCUMCISION = AFTER ABRAHAM OBEYED YHVH BY FAITH

KJV Genesis 12:1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

KJV Genesis 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

KJV Genesis 17:9 And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.

KJV Galatians 3:7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

KJV Galatians 3:8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

KJV Galatians 3:9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

What Paul wrote in Galatians 3:7-9 is CONSISTENT with what is written in the Torah.

YHVH REQUIRES A CIRCUMCISED HEART

KJV Deuteronomy 10:12 And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God REQUIRE of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,

KJV Deuteronomy 10:13 To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?

KJV Deuteronomy 10:16 CIRCUMCISE therefore the FORESKIN of your HEART, and be no more stiffnecked.

A CIRCUMCISED HEART = LOVES YHVH WITH ALL THEIR HEART

KJV Deuteronomy 30:6 And the LORD thy God will CIRCUMCISE thine HEART, and the heart of thy seed, to LOVE the LORD thy God with ALL thine HEART, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.

YOU MUST BE CIRCUMCISED TO EAT THE PASSOVER

KJV Exodus 12:48 And when a STRANGER shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.

THOSE WHO LIVED IN THE WILDERNESS WHO ENTER THE LAND OF ISRAEL MUST BE CIRCUMCISED

KJV Joshua 5:2 At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and CIRCUMCISE again the children of Israel the second time.

KJV Joshua 5:3 And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.

THOSE IN THE WILDERNESS WERE NOT CIRCUMCISED

KJV Joshua 5:4 And this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise: All the people that came out of Egypt, that were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came out of Egypt.

KJV Joshua 5:5 Now all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the PEOPLE that were BORN in the WILDERNESS by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, them they had NOT CIRCUMCISED.

WHAT DO THE PROPHETS SAY?

KJV Jeremiah 4:3 For thus saith the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.

KJV Jeremiah 4:4 CIRCUMCISE yourselves to the LORD, and take away the FORESKINS of your HEART, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem

This is consistent with Deuteronomy 10:16

KJV Deuteronomy 10:16 CIRCUMCISE therefore the FORESKIN of your HEART, and be no more stiffnecked.

CIRCUMCISION = JUDAH; UNCIRCUMCISION = NATIONS

KJV Jeremiah 9:25 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will punish all them which are CIRCUMCISED with the UNCIRCUMCISED;

KJV Jeremiah 9:26 EGYPT, and JUDAH, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all that are in the utmost corners, that dwell in the wilderness: for all these NATIONS are UNCIRCUMCISED, and all the house of ISRAEL are UNCIRCUMCISED in the HEART.

UNCIRCUMCISION = WITHOUT BEING IN COVENANT WITH YHVH

KJV Jeremiah 9:26 EGYPT, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all that are in the utmost corners, that dwell in the wilderness: for all these NATIONS are UNCIRCUMCISED, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart.

CAN BE PHYSICALLY CIRCUMCISED BUT UNCIRCUMCISED IN HEART

KJV Jeremiah 9:26 Egypt, and JUDAH, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all that are in the utmost corners, that dwell in the wilderness: for all these nations are uncircumcised, and ALL the HOUSE of ISRAEL are UNCIRCUMCISED in the HEART.

HOLY SPIRIT GIVES US A CIRCUMCISED HEART

KJV Ezekiel 36:26 A NEW HEART also will I give you, and a NEW SPIRIT will I put within you: and I will take away the STONY HEART out of your flesh, and I will give you an HEART of FLESH.

KJV Ezekiel 36:27 And I will put my SPIRIT within YOU, and cause you to WALK in my statutes, and ye shall KEEP my judgments, and DO them.

NORTHERN KINGDOM = CUT OFF FROM THE COVENANT = UNCIRCUMCISED

KJV Hosea 1:6 And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto him, Call her name Loruhamah: for I will NO more have MERCY upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away.

KJV Hosea 1:9 Then said God, Call his name Loammi: for ye are NOT my PEOPLE, and I will not be your God.

NO MERCY / NOT MY PEOPLE = CUT OFF FROM THE COVENANT = UNCIRCUMCISED

WHAT DOES OUR FOUNDATION ESTABLISH?

#1) Circumcision = A term for COVENANT
#2) Circumcision = SIGN of the ABRAHAMIC COVENANT
#3) Circumcision = NATIVE BORN and SOJOURNER
#4) PHYSICAL Circumcision = AFTER Abraham obeyed YHVH by FAITH
#5) YHVH REQUIRES a circumcised HEART
#6) A CIRCUMCISED HEART will LOVE YHVH with all his HEART
#7) You must be circumcised to EAT the PASSOVER
#8) Those who were BORN in the WILDERNESS were NOT CIRCUMCISED
#9) Circumcision is required when ENTERING the LAND of Israel
#10) CIRCUMCISION = Term for JUDAH or JEWS
#11) You can be PHYSICALLY circumcised but UNCIRCUMISED in HEART
#12) NATIONS WITHOUT COVENANT with YHVH = UNCIRCUMCISED
#13) HOLY SPIRIT gives us a CIRCUMCISED HEART
#14) The NORTHERN KINGDOM who were CUT OFF from the covenant obtained the status of "uncircumcism"

Because Paul refers to the role of the Torah for believers in the Messiah, we need to know what the Torah says about Torah as it relates to understanding what Paul writes in Galatians.

WHAT DOES THE TORAH TEACH US ABOUT THE TORAH?

YOU ARE BLESSED IF YOU OBEY TORAH

KJV Deuteronomy 28:1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:

OBEYING TORAH = OBEYING THE VOICE OF YHVH

KJV Deuteronomy 28:2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.

WE ARE TO LIVE BY OBEYING THE TORAH

KJV Leviticus 18:5 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD.

TORAH CAN BRING LIFE OR DEATH TO US

KJV Deuteronomy 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

WE ARE CURSED IF WE DISOBEY TORAH

KJV Deuteronomy 28:15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:

WHAT DO THE PROPHETS SAY?

THE SOUL THAT SINS SHALL DIE

KJV Ezekiel 18:4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

PROVERBS SAYS:

KJV Proverbs 19:16 He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; but he that despiseth his ways shall die.

MAN TRUSTING IN HIMSELF SHALL DIE

KJV Jeremiah 17:5 Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.

MAN TRUSTING IN YHVH SHALL LIVE

KJV Jeremiah 17:7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.

WHAT DOES OUR FOUNDATION SAY ABOUT TORAH?

#1) You are BLESSED if you OBEY TORAH
#2) OBEYING TORAH = OBEYING the VOICE of YHVH
#3) TORAH can bring LIFE or DEATH to us
#4) We are CURSED if we DISOBEY TORAH
#5) The SOUL that SINS shall DIE
#6) MAN TRUSTING in HIMSELF shall DIE
#7) MAN TRUSTING in YHVH shall LIVE

THE USE OF CIRCUMCISION IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

From the information contained in this lesson, we have at least 14 different applications and understanding of circumcision from what is given in the Torah and the prophets. Therefore, circumcision can be used in any one of these 14 ways in the New Testament.

WHY WAS MESSIAH CIRCUMCISED THE 8TH DAY?

KJV Luke 2:21 And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

The reasons why Yeshua was circumcised the 8th day were among the following:

#1) It is a commandment in the Torah
#2) It is a sign of the Abrahamic covenant
#3) He was born in the land of Israel

Being born in the land of Israel carries a HIGHER DEGREE of sanctify than being born in the nations (or the wilderness).

CIRCUMCISION = BEING IN COVENANT WITH YHVH = KEEPING TORAH

KJV Acts 15:1 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.

KJV Acts 15:5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.

In this case, the use of the term circumcision means that circumcision is a sign for being in covenant relationship with YHVH. One who is in covenant relationship with YHVH vows to obey His voice or follow the Torah.

CIRCUMCISION = BEING A JEW

KJV Acts 10:45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.

KJV Acts 11:2 And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him,

KJV Romans 3:1 What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?

CIRCUMCISION = JEW; UNCIRCUMCISION = THE NATIONS

KJV Romans 3:30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

KJV Romans 4:9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.

A CIRCUMCISED HEART HAS GREATER VALUE THAN BEING PHYSICALLY CIRCUMCISED AND DON'T OBEY YHVH

KJV Romans 2:25 For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep thelaw: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.

CIRCUMCISION = VOW TO OBEY YHVH = SIGN OF THE COVENANT

So, "if you be a breaker of the Torah" (if you disobey Torah) then your PHYSICAL CIRCUMCISION = COVENANT VOW TO OBEY YHVH'S VOICE has no value if you DISOBEY = UNCIRCUMCISED HEART then "your circumcision is made uncircumcision"

CIRCUMCISED HEART = OBEYS TORAH

KJV Romans 2:26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?

The "uncircumcision" = Those from the nations

If those from the nations obey Torah (showing a circumcised heart) their "uncircumcism" (the New Covenant was ONLY made with the house of Israel and the house of Judah) or being otherwise "outside the covenant" is counted as being in covenant relationship with YHVH if you obey Torah and keep your vow to obey His voice or Torah.

CIRCUMCISION = SEAL OF RIGHTEOUSNESS BY FAITH

KJV Romans 4:11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:

Being physically circumcised AFTER we are saved is a SIGN of our seal of righteousness by faith (that we have pledged to obey the voice of YHVH in our heart).

OBEYING TORAH = BEING CIRCUMCISED IN HEART = RULE THE NATIONS

KJV Romans 2:27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfill the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?

If those who are otherwise "outside of the covenant of Torah" (symbolized by circumcision) obey the Torah they will be judges or rulers over those who are physically circumcised but don't obey the Torah.

CIRCUMCISED HEART = OBEYS TORAH = PRAISER OF YHVH

KJV Romans 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

A TRUE JEW (which means a 'Praiser of YHVH') is one who is circumcised in heart (obeys Torah) in the spirit (with the help of the Holy Spirit) and not in the letter (physical circumcision) whom men praise because they THINK that physical circumcision is the TRUE way to follow Torah.

Paul is comparing someone who obeys Torah (circumcised in heart) verses someone who is physically circumcised and doesn't follow Torah.

MESSIAH IS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE CIRCUMCISED HEARTS WHO WANT TO FOLLOW TORAH

KJV Romans 15:8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:

"Minister of the circumcision" = Minister for those who have circumcised hearts for the "truth of God" (Truth = Torah = Psalm 119:142, 151)

CIRCUMCISION = JEWS; UNCIRCUMCISION = NATIONS / NORTHERN KINGDOM

KJV 1 Corinthians 7:19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.

The issue isn't whether you are "circumcision" (Jewish) or "uncircumcision" (those from the nations or the Northern Kingdom who were "cut off" (became uncircumcised) from the covenant) but keeping the commandments / Torah of YHVH.

Keeping the commandments = Obeying Torah = Circumcised heart

CIRCUMCISED HEART = OBEY THE TORAH IN THE SPIRIT

KJV Philippians 3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

The TRUE circumcision are those "who worship Elohim in spirit" (have a NEW HEART and are circumcised in heart).

THE ISSUE OF CIRCUMCISION IN GATATIANS

As we are seeing from our study, circumcision has a WIDE VARIETY of applications and understandings. Therefore, in order to understand the meaning of the term "circumcision" in any particular verse, you must read it in context with an understanding of how the word in used in Scripture.

PAUL'S MINSTRY WAS TO NON-JEW: PETER TO JEWS

KJV Galatians 2:7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;

KJV Galatians 2:8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)

In these verses, circumcision doesn't mean physical circumcision. Circumcision means JEW. Uncircumcision means NON-JEW.

THE MAIN ISSUE IN GATATIANS IS HOW ARE WE SAVED

It is a GIVEN in Torah (from Genesis 17:9-14) that circumcision is a SIGN of being in covenant relationship with YHVH. Also, it is a GIVEN that YHVH REQUIRES for His people to circumcised in HEART (Deuteronomy 10:12-16).

With this in mind, Paul is addressing the following issues in Galatians:

#1) What if I am physically circumcised and attempt to follow Torah but don't believe that Yeshua is the Messiah? (Uncircumcised in heart)

Paul argues that you have the status of being "uncircumcised" and your physically circumcision has no eternal value

#2) What if I am physically circumcised and attempt to follow Torah but don't believe that Yeshua is the Messiah and trust in my Torah observance to be in "right standing" with YHVH? (uncircumcised heart)

Paul argues that you have the status of being "uncircumcised" and your physically circumcision has no eternal value

PAUL'S TORAH BASED ARGUMENTS

KJV Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Works of the law = Trusting in salvation / life through your own merit of Torah observance rather than trusting in Messiah

Torah basis:

KJV Exodus 23:7 Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.

KJV Jeremiah 17:5 Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.

KJV Psalm 143:1 {A Psalm of David.} Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.

KJV Psalm 143:2 And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.

MESSIAH HAS REDEEMED US FROM THE CURSE OF THE TORAH

KJV Galatians 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

CURSE = NOT OBEYING THE TORAH

CURSED IS ONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE = REBELLIOUS SON

KJV Deuteronomy 21:18 If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them:

KJV Deuteronomy 21:22 And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree:

VOICE OF YOUR MOTHER = TORAH

VOICE OF YOUR FATHER = TORAH

KJV Proverbs 1:8 My son, hear the INSTRUCTION of thy FATHER, and forsake not the TORAH of thy MOTHER:

KJV Proverbs 6:20 My son, keep thy FATHER'S COMMANDMENT, and forsake not the TORAH of thy MOTHER:

REBELLIOUS SON = WON'T OBEY TORAH

KJV Ezekiel 2:3 And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day.

Paul explains that Messiah died on the tree to pay the penalty for those who trust in their flesh or who disobey Torah.

HAGAR = UNDER THE LAW = TRUST IN THE FLESH = EARTHLY JERUSALEM

SARAH = CIRCUMCISED HEART = TRUST IN MESSIAH = HEAVENLY JERUSALEM

KJV Galatians 4:21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?

Paul is using the Torah to define those who are "under the law" or trust in their own works of Torah without trusting in Messiah.

KJV Galatians 4:22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.

KJV Galatians 4:23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.

Under the law = Trusting in the flesh = Disobey Torah = Hagar

Trust in Messiah = Circumcised heart = Obey Torah in Spirit = Sarah

KJV Galatians 4:24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.

KJV Galatians 4:25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.

KJV Galatians 4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

Mount Sinai = Uncircumcised heart = Stony heart = Disobey Torah = Earthly Jerusalem

Mount Zion = Circumcised heart = Obey Torah in Spirit = Heavenly Jerusalem

WHAT IS PAUL SAYING IN GALATIANS 5 ??

KJV Galatians 5:2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.

The CONTEXT of Paul using the term "circumcision" refers to those who are physically circumcised and follow Torah but don't believe that Yeshua is the Messiah. The Torah says that those who "trust in the flesh" are "under the law" and physical circumcision has no merit for them without faith in Messiah and being circumcised in the heart. In this case:

KJV Galatians 5:2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.

DEBTOR TO THE WHOLE LAW

KJV Galatians 5:3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.

Continuing his argument, Paul is saying that those who are physically circumcised and who seek to follow Torah and haven't accepted Yeshua as the Messiah and are not circumcised in heart and thus "under the law" are "debtor to the whole law" meaning to them the Torah is a death sentence.

KJV Deuteronomy 27:26 Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen.

KJV James 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

The "debt" for being "under the law" or being physically circumcised without being circumcised in heart = death

KJV Ezekiel 18:4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

KJV 1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

(End Part 1 of 2)

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