Romans 2:28
28 For [gar] he is [esti] not [ou] a Jew [Ioudaios], which is one outwardly [en]
[phaneros]; neither [oude] is that circumcision [peritome], which is outward [en] [phaneros] in [en] the flesh [sarx]: KJV-Interlinear
28 For
no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and
physical. ESV
The words for Jew, Israelite and Hebrew, were all used
interchangeably, back in Pauls day. And
even though they all have different origins and meanings, to be referred to as
Jewish, represented the heritage of the culture and race, that dated back to
Abraham.
Abraham was the first to cross over the river from the
land of Ur, to the land of Canaan. He
was then referred to as a Hebrew, or one who crossed over the river, or one on
the other side of the river. This all
began with the faith of Abraham, and continued through his son Isaac, and then
Jacob, which is the line of faith, not simply genetics. Abraham and Isaac both had several children,
but the line of faith went only through to Jacob, and then to his twelve sons.
Abraham turned away from the idols of his fathers and
headed to Canaan in search of, and in obedience to, God.
Later, when his grandson, Jacob had his twelve sons,
Jacobs name was changed to Israel, meaning, may God prevail, He struggles with
God, God perseveres, contends.
The nation of Israel came out of Jacobs new name,
Israel and of course the people came to be known as Israelites.
Through the centuries, and following King Solomon's time,
the nation split into two nations, the northern kingdom generally called Israel
or Samaria, and the southern kingdom which retained its tribe name, Judah.
The northern kingdom split away from the dynasty of
David and attempted to invent its own dynasty.
That kingdom was eventually destroyed.
It was a false path, which was not of Gods plan.
Judah eventually became known as Judea and thus the
term Jew evolved as the name for those who lived in Judea.
The religion of Judaism followed the Mosaic Law,
claimed it as their one true religion and developed most of the additional
rules that were incorporated into the Levitical Priesthood. This was a religion of works, or trying to
keep the Law, and they drifted away from the true Messiah and its intent,
looking for a leader and king, rather than looking for a savior.
They held onto the rituals, including the ritual of
circumcision for their new born male infants.
But after Christ, then the Christian segment of the religion
became confused and tried to incorporate the Mosaic Law and its rituals into
the new faith in Christ, demanding that any gentile abide by the Law, as they
implied that they were.
This is the misapplication of faith and salvation,
that Paul is addressing in these verses.
Salvation is by faith, not by some physical act.
Becoming a member of the family of God, is more than
merely being a descendant of Abraham.
Abraham had many sons, but only one believed while the others did not.
Circumcision was to represent the cutting away of the
sins from the individual, and thus was a spiritual cutting away, as the dead skin
is cut away on the male genitals.
Physical circumcision was symbolic of the spiritual principle.
True circumcision is the inward cutting away of sin
from the life of the believer, through faith.
A physical circumcision is the outward only and does nothing
for the spiritual life.
