One question that arises in the Christian world is the question of circumcision.  Is it necessary anymore, or is it a cultish demand of antiquity? Didn’t Pa’al abolish circumcision?  Let’s take a look at this issue in more depth.  We begin with the question: WDYD?  (What did Yahusha do?)

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

There are some who might say: “Well, this is inconclusive that the child was actually circumcised.” Yet, we have a record that follows which indicate that Yoceph and Miryam acted in strict accord with the Torah of Mosheh in respect of the presentment of the child and his circumcision:

Luqas (Luke) 2:22-24
And when the days of her purification according to the Torah of Mosheh were accomplished, they brought him to Yerushalayim, to present him to YAHUAH; 23 (As it is written in the statutes of YAHUAH, Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to YAHUAH;) 24 And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the statutes of YAHUAH, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.

The mitsvah that every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to YAHUAH is declared in Shemoth (Exodus) 13:12; Bemidbar (Numbers) 18:15.

Consider:

Bere’shiyth (Genesis) 17:9-14
And ELOHIYM said unto El-Avraham, You shall guard את eth-my covenant therefore, you, and your seed after you in their generations. 10 This is my covenant, which ye shall guard, between me and you and your seed after you; Every male child among you shall be circumcised. 11 And ye shall circumcise את eth the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a sign of the covenant betwixt me and you. 12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every male child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of your seed. 13 He that is born in your house, and he that is bought with your money, must need to be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. 14 And the uncircumcised male child whose את eth-flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he has broken את eth-my covenant.

There can only be one conclusion from these passages; that HAMASHIACH was circumcised on the eighth day in strict accord with the provisions of the Torah of Mosheh.

However, let us corroborate that with further elucidation:

Luqas (Luke) 2:25-39
And, behold, there was a man in Yerushalayim, whose name was Shim`on; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Yashar’el: and the RUACH HAQODESH was upon him. 26 And it was revealed unto him by the RUACH HAQODESH, that he should not see death, before he had seen YAHUAH’S את eth-MASHIACH. 27 And he came by the RUACH into the Temple: and when the parents brought in the child YAHUSHA, to do for him according to the customary practices of the Torah, 28 Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed YAH, and said, 29 YAHUAH, now let your servant depart in peace, according to your word: 30 For my eyes have seen your yeshu`ah, 31 Which you have prepared before the face of all people; 32 A light to lighten the other nations, and the glory of your people Yashar’el. 33 And Yoceph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him. 34 And Shim`on blessed them, and said unto Miryam his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Yashar’el; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; 35 (Yea, a sword shall pierce through your own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. 36 And there was one Channah, a prophetess, the daughter of Penu’el, of the tribe of Asher: she was of a great age, and had lived with a man seven years from her virginity; 37 And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the Temple, but served את eth-YAHUAH with fastings and prayers night and day. 38 And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto YAHUAH, and spoke of him to all them that looked for redemption in Yerushalayim. 39 And when they had performed all things according to the statutes of YAHUAH, they returned into Galiyl, to their own city Natsareth.

Let there be no doubt then, as to the circumcision of HAMASHIACH. 

So, how is this relevant to the discussion today?  We begin with the most important prophecy found in the Torah:

Vayiqra (Leviticus) 17:11
For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that makes an atonement for the soul.

What is the blood that was given to us for an atonement for the soul? It is the blood of YAHUAH’S את eth-MASHIACH.  There was therefore blood spilled at his circumcision; a critical point now when we look at the reformed passage (as it appears in the Eth CEPHER – 3rd Edition) in Galatiym (Galatians) 5:2:

Galatiym (Galatians) 5:2
Behold, I Pa’al, set forth as concerning you, except that MASHIACH was circumcised, none of ye benefit.

We realize that many of those who worship Paul will have great difficulty with any modification of the text as they know it, as many of those who engage in this form of reverence (and they are the very first to contradict the plain meaning of the Besorah (Gospel) with the counter “well Paul says . . .”) will undoubtedly accuse us in accord with their own ruach.  However, consider first the Greek from the Stephanus Textus Receptus, which sets forth the following:

2  ιδε εγω παυλος λεγω υμιν οτι εαν περιτεμνησθε χριστος υμας ουδεν ωφελησει

We believe the best interpretation of these words is as follows:

2  ιδε (Behold) εγω (I) παυλος (Paulos) λεγω (set forth) υμιν (to you) οτι (that) εαν (except) περιτεμνησθε (circumcised) χριστος (Christos) υμας (you) ουδεν (none) ωφελησει (benefits) 

Behold, I Paulos set forth to you that except circumcised Christos, you none benefits

The traditional interpretation reads, however, as follows:

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

NKJV Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing.

NIV Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all.

NASB Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you.

ESV Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you.

The question is: Where do these interpreters get the passages as underlined from the existing Greek? 

The answer is: They added it out of bias, because the passage references the circumcision of MASHIACH (Christos)!

The traditional interpretation implies that MASHIACH is simply unavailable to the circumcised. Tell that to Peter, James, John, Jude and even Paul, all of whom were undoubtedly circumcised.

The corrected translation tells us the true statement of Pa’al, saying that the blood atonement of the circumcision of YAHUAH’S את eth-MASHIACH is an atonement for all of the uncircumcised – an atonement that allows entry into the Kingdom for the uncircumcised, and which renders circumcision moot for purposes of salvation. 

We have further discussion in this passage as well.

Galatiym (Galatians) 5:3-4
For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole Torah; 4 Removed by HAMASHIACH. For whosoever in Torah is so justified, grace has no effect.

Again, the Greek:

5:3  μαρτυρομαι δε παλιν παντι ανθρωπω περιτεμνομενω οτι οφειλετης εστιν ολον τον νομον ποιησαι

It’s direct interpretation:

5:3 also witnesses again every man circumcised debtor that theirs is the whole law to do

It’s semantic correction:

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

Again, the Greek with interpretation:

κατηργηθητε (Removed) απο (by) του (the) χριστου (Christos) οστινες* (whoever) εν (in) νομω (the law) δικαιουσθε (justified) της (to)  χαριτος (grace) εξεπεσατε (has no effect).

Here, we see that the concept being taught by Pa’al is the concept that a person who claims a path to salvation by means of circumcision, does so because the grace of the RUACH has had no effect on the growth of the soul. There is no claim in the Torah that the circumcision of the flesh will create a pathway to salvation. Rather, the Torah claims that it is a sign of participation within the Avrahamic covenant.

Bere’shiyth (Genesis) 17:4-8
As for me, behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. 5 Neither shall your את eth-name anymore be called Avram, but your name shall be Avraham; for a father of many nations have I made you. 6 And I will make you exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come out of you. 7 And I will establish את eth-my covenant between me and you and your seed after you in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be ELOHIYM unto you, and to your seed after you. 8 And I will give unto you, and to your seed after you, את eth the land wherein you are a stranger, את eth all the land of Kena`an, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their ELOHIYM.

So, we see the covenant between YAHUAH and Avraham.  What remains of that covenant for the seed of Avraham? That YAHUAH will be our ELOHIYM; and that we shall have the birthright to the land of Kena’an (Canaan) as an everlasting possession.  The outward sign of this covenant is the circumcision of the flesh.

Do you see any writing there about salvation in the Kingdom?  Compare this language with the language found later in the Torah in the Cepher Devariym:

Devariym (Deuteronomy) 30:1-6
And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon you, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, and you shall call them to mind among all the nations, whither YAHUAH ELOHAYKA has driven you, 2 And shall return unto YAHUAH ELOHAYKA, and shall obey his voice according to all that I command you this day, you and your children, with all your heart, and with all your soul; 3 That then YAHUAH ELOHAYKA will turn את eth-your captivity, and have compassion upon you, and will return and gather you from all the nations, whither YAHUAH ELOHAYKA has scattered you. 4 If any of yours be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will YAHUAH ELOHAYKA gather you, and from thence will he fetch you: 5 And YAHUAH ELOHAYKA will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it; and he will do you good, and multiply you above your fathers. 6 And YAHUAH ELOHAYKA will circumcise your heart, and the heart of your seed, to love את eth-YAHUAH ELOHAYKA with all your heart, and with all your soul, that you may live.

Consider further the teaching of Pa’al.

Romaiym (Romans) 15:8-13
Now I say that YAHUSHA HAMASHIACH was a minister of the circumcision for the Truth of YAHUAH, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: 9 And that the other nations might glorify YAH for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to you among the other nations, and sing unto your name. 10 And again he says, Rejoice, ye other people, with his people. 11 And again, Praise את eth-YAHUAH, all ye nations; and laud him, all ye people. 12 And again, Yesha`yahu says, There shall be a root of Yishai, and he that shall rise to reign over the other nations; in him shall the other nations trust. 13 Now the YAH of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the RUACH HAQODESH.

What is Pa’al saying here, that YAHUSHA HAMASHIACH was a minister of the circumcision for the Truth of YAHUAH?  Does it not mean that by the circumcision of MASHIACH, the promises made to those of the circumcision were confirmed? But, as Pa’al goes on to say, it also means that be the circumcision of MASHIACH, mercy is given to the other nations; joy is given to the other people; praise to YAHUAH is for all nations. This is most certainly a reason to fill the nations with joy, and peace in believing, and the hope in the power of the RUACH HAQODESH.