Last night before heading to bed, I was reflecting back over my earlier reflection on circumcision, and as I was thinking about it, I remembered that Jesus was circumcised, and that it was described in Luke. I turned there as I wanted to make sure my memory was correct, and sure enough, Luke recorded the following - Luke 2:21 NIV: "On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived."
This single verse really grabbed my thoughts, for prior to His circumcision, Jesus was known as "the child". Jesus custom is quite clear, that sons are named on the 8th day, the day of their circumcision. This is part of the written law, and Jesus fulfilled every bit of the Law, and thus was circumcised. The fact that Jesus, the Only son of God, the Word made flesh, came to earth and for 7 days was officially known as "the child" just blows me away. Continuing on with this line of thought that the Lord,when He instituted the rite of circumcision, knew that one day it would apply to Him.
I guess I am just reminded of the absolute humility that He embraced in coming to earth, and being born as a man. He held nothing back! He embraced humanity in every way, and was willing to allow Himself to be circumcised that He might perfectly embrace and fulfill the law. He gave up everything, laid everything down, allowed Himself to be "cut" to join Himself to the Covenant, the very Covenant He instituted with Abraham. He, the author of the Covenant, embraced the Covenant as a human child.
Lastly, the idea that for 7 days, He wasn't officially named, also just seemed amazing to me... I know its a ceremonial thing, and since Mary and Joseph knew what He was supposed to be named, I imagine they called Him Jesus before His 8th day, but maybe not. I found this interesting note concerning Jewish customs of naming:
"Contrary to popular perception, it is not forbidden to announce the name of a baby before his circumcision. In a metaphysical sense, however, the child does not actually "receive" his name until the Bris. This is based on the fact that God changed Abraham's name in conjunction with his Bris – at age 99 (Genesis 17:15). Also, the boy only receives the full measure of his soul at the Bris, and a person cannot truly be "named" until attaining that completion."
I don't know that the final sentence is true, at least it seems a bit strange for a ceremony to install part of one's full measure of soul, but if this is the belief, then Jesus fulfilled it perfectly as well. He was announced to the world officially as Yehoshua on the 8th day. He became a covenant male of Jewish lineage, and His course was set for His life, as the one who saves!
Amen and Amen!
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