Circumcision

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Circumcision \Cir`cum*cision\, n. [L. circumcisio.]
     1. The act of cutting off the prepuce or foreskin of males,
        or the internal labia of females.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: The circumcision of males is practiced as a religious


           rite by the Jews, Mohammedans, etc.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Script.)
        (a) The Jews, as a circumcised people.
        (b) Rejection of the sins of the flesh; spiritual
            purification, and acceptance of the Christian faith.
            [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  Circumcision
       n 1: (Roman Catholic Church and Anglican Church) feast day
            celebrating the circumcision of Jesus; celebrated on
            January 1st [syn: {Feast of the Circumcision}, {January
            1}]
       2: the act of circumcising performed on males eight days after
          birth as a Jewish and Muslim religious rite
       3: the act of circumcising; surgical removal of the foreskin of
          males

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  36 Moby Thesaurus words for "circumcision":
     adoption, agape, asperges, aspersion, auricular confession,
     bar mitzvah, bas mitzvah, celebration, confession, confirmation,
     conversion, high celebration, incense, invocation,
     invocation of saints, kiss of peace, lesser litany, litany,
     love feast, lustration, new birth, new life, pax, processional,
     rebirth, reciting the rosary, redeemedness, redemption,
     reformation, regeneration, salvation, second birth,
     spiritual purification, telling of beads, the confessional,
     the confessionary
  
  

From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]:

  Circumcision
     cutting around. This rite, practised before, as some think, by
     divers races, was appointed by God to be the special badge of
     his chosen people, an abiding sign of their consecration to him.
     It was established as a national ordinance (Gen. 17:10, 11). In
     compliance with the divine command, Abraham, though ninety-nine
     years of age, was circumcised on the same day with Ishmael, who
     was thirteen years old (17:24-27). Slaves, whether home-born or
     purchased, were circumcised (17:12, 13); and all foreigners must
     have their males circumcised before they could enjoy the
     privileges of Jewish citizenship (Ex. 12:48). During the journey
     through the wilderness, the practice of circumcision fell into
     disuse, but was resumed by the command of Joshua before they
     entered the Promised Land (Josh. 5:2-9). It was observed always
     afterwards among the tribes of israel, although it is not
     expressly mentioned from the time of the settlement in Canaan
     till the time of Christ, about 1,450 years. The Jews prided
     themselves in the possession of this covenant distinction (Judg.
     14:3; 15:18; 1 Sam. 14:6; 17:26; 2 Sam. 1:20; Ezek. 31:18).
     
       As a rite of the church it ceased when the New Testament times
     began (Gal. 6:15; Col. 3:11). Some Jewish Christians sought to
     impose it, however, on the Gentile converts; but this the
     apostles resolutely resisted (Acts 15:1; Gal. 6:12). Our Lord
     was circumcised, for it "became him to fulfil all
     righteousness," as of the seed of Abraham, according to the
     flesh; and Paul "took and circumcised" Timothy (Acts 16:3), to
     avoid giving offence to the Jews. It would render Timothy's
     labours more acceptable to the Jews. But Paul would by no means
     consent to the demand that Titus should be circumcised (Gal.
     2:3-5). The great point for which he contended was the free
     admission of uncircumcised Gentiles into the church. He
     contended successfully in behalf of Titus, even in Jerusalem.
     
       In the Old Testament a spiritual idea is attached to
     circumcision. It was the symbol of purity (Isa. 52:1). We read
     of uncircumcised lips (Ex. 6:12, 30), ears (Jer. 6:10), hearts
     (Lev. 26:41). The fruit of a tree that is unclean is spoken of
     as uncircumcised (Lev. 19:23).
     
       It was a sign and seal of the covenant of grace as well as of
     the national covenant between God and the Hebrews. (1.) It
     sealed the promises made to Abraham, which related to the
     commonwealth of Israel, national promises. (2.) But the promises
     made to Abraham included the promise of redemption (Gal. 3:14),
     a promise which has come upon us. The covenant with Abraham was
     a dispensation or a specific form of the covenant of grace, and
     circumcision was a sign and seal of that covenant. It had a
     spiritual meaning. It signified purification of the heart,
     inward circumcision effected by the Spirit (Deut. 10:16; 30:6;
     Ezek. 44:7; Acts 7:51; Rom. 2:28; Col. 2:11). Circumcision as a
     symbol shadowing forth sanctification by the Holy Spirit has now
     given way to the symbol of baptism (q.v.). But the truth
     embodied in both ordinances is ever the same, the removal of
     sin, the sanctifying effects of grace in the heart.
     
       Under the Jewish dispensation, church and state were
     identical. No one could be a member of the one without also
     being a member of the other. Circumcision was a sign and seal of
     membership in both. Every circumcised person bore thereby
     evidence that he was one of the chosen people, a member of the
     church of God as it then existed, and consequently also a member
     of the Jewish commonwealth.