Colossians 2:11,12

11. in whom ye were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ; 12. having been buried with him in baptism, wherein ye were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

Translation and Paraphrase

11. And (to show you why we must hold only to Christ and reject the traditions of men,) in him you were circumcised by a circumcision not done by hands, (but brought about) by putting off the (deeds of your sinful) body of flesh; (and all this made possible for you) by (your participation in) the circumcision of Christ.

12. (Your putting off the body of flesh, and participating in the circumcision of Christ took place in your) being buried with him by baptism, in which (act) you also were raised up (to a newness of life) through (the means of your) faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

Notes

1.

Colossians 2:11-12 teaches us that Christ gives us perfect circumcision, and that this is accomplished in baptism.

2.

The rather unexpected reference here to circumcision suggests that among the Colossians circumcision had been discussed, if not absolutely demanded.

3.

Among the Jews there had always been two conflicting views of circumcision: (1) Circumcision by itself made a man good; (2) Circumcision was a sign of the good already in a man. When circumcision was first introduced among the Hebrews, it was a sign of the righteousness a man possessed before the circumcision was done. Thus Abraham, the father of the Hebrew people, was first declared righteous (Genesis 15:6), and much later circumcised (Genesis 17:10-11) as a token of God's covenant with him. (Romans 4:9-11).

However, after the time of Abraham Jewish infants were circumcised when eight days old. Therefore their circumcision could not have been a sign of their righteousness prior to circumcision, but only of their relationship to God through Abraham. Nonetheless if these circumcised individuals did not live righteously as they grew up, their circumcision alone did not make them acceptable to God. The Old Testament and the New alike speak of uncircumcised hearts, and ears and lips: hearts, ears, and lips that were not acceptable to God, even though the individual was circumcised. (Acts 7:51; Romans 2:25; Romans 2:29; Deuteronomy 10:16; Jeremiah 4:4.)

To sum this up, we observe that circumcision was an essential act to be in covenant relationship with God, but the act was rendered worthless if the person's life was ungodly.

4.

The Jewish-Gnostic-pagan-Christian heretics at Colossae were saying, You must be circumcised. Paul says that in Christ we already have this honor. We are circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands.

As circumcision in former times marked a child as being in covenant relationship with God through Abraham, in a like manner Christians are circumcised and marked as being in covenant relation with God through Christ.

5.

The question that comes to our minds as we think about this circumcision not made with hands is this: How can we obtain this wonderful circumcision? Three answers are given by Paul to this question:

(1) By putting off the body of the flesh. (Romans 6:6). This seems to refer to our putting away the sinful deeds done by our bodies. (This is a figure of speech in which the body doing the sinful acts stands for the acts themselves.) We must repent of our sins done in the body. Paul in Romans 8:4-7 warns us that we cannot do the sins of the flesh and please God. So also in Galatians 5:17; Galatians 5:19; Galatians 5:23.

(2) In the circumcision of Christ. When Christians enter into their union with Christ, His death becomes their death; His resurrection becomes their resurrection; His circumcision becomes their circumcision; His righteousness becomes our righteousness. We are circumcised in that He was circumcised. (Luke 2:21).

(3) By baptism. Baptism is the third factor that causes us to experience the circumcision not made with hands. (1 Peter 3:21).

As a result of these three things, Christians become the true circumcision, the people who are in covenant with God. See notes on Philippians 3:2-3.

6.

The expression at the start of Colossians 2:12 buried with him in baptism, refers back to circumcision in Colossians 2:11. Baptism takes the place of circumcision for us. Circumcision could be said to be a type of baptism. (By type we refer to some Old Testament person, event, or thing which foreshadowed some similar New Testament person, event or thing. The N.T. thing which was foreshadowed is called the antitype.)

7.

The comparison between circumcision and baptism follows the same pattern as the comparisons between all the O.T. types and their N.T. counterparts: in some respects the types are like the antitypes, and in some other respects they differed.

The failure to recognize the differences between baptism and circumcision as well as their similarities has led to a grievous error: many interpreters argue that as infants were circumcised, so infants should now be baptized. As infants were brought into God's covenant by circumcision, so now infants are brought into God's covenant by baptism. This argument is used by almost every advocate of infant baptism. (For an example of it see Wm. Hendrickson's commentary on Colossians and Philemon p. 116, footnote.)

This argument cannot be true. Note the plain statement in Colossians 2:12 that in baptism we are raised with Christ through FAITH in the working of God. Obviously then those who are baptized (and thereby circumcised) are those who have faith, This eliminates infants.

Also Colossians 1:11 says that we are circumcised by the putting off of the body of flesh. No eight-day old infant is capable of fleshly sins, nor of repenting and putting off the body of flesh.

We wonder why those who insist that baptism is for infants because circumcision was for infants, do not insist that baptism be done on the eighth day of a child's life, since circumcision was to be done on that day. Even Wm. Barclay affirms that baptism in New Testament times was for adults only. (Wm. Barclay, Letters to the Philippians, Colossians and Thessalonians, pp. 167-168.)

8.

CIRCUMCISION

BAPTISM

(Colossians 2:11-13)

1.

For the O.T. age.

1.

For the N.T. age.

2.

Related men to Abraham and God's covenant; Genesis 17:9-10.

2.

Relates us to Abraham God's promise; Galatians 3:27; Galatians 3:29.

3.

A physical putting away of flesh.

3.

A putting away of sinful deeds of the flesh.

4.

A sign (token) of God's covenant; Genesis 17:11.

4.

Not called a sign of anything. It is not an outward sign of an inward grace.

5.

Righteousness required of those circumcised; Deuteronomy 10:16.

5.

Righteousness required of those baptized; Romans 6:4; Romans 6:6.

6.

For infants; Genesis 17:11.

6.

For those who have faith; Colossians 2:12.

7.

For males; Genesis 17:12.

7.

For all; Galatians 3:27-28.

8.

Essential; Genesis 17:14.

8.

Essential; Acts 2:38; Romans 6:3-4.

9.

Colossians 2:12 tells us that we are buried with Christ and raised with him by baptism. This thought is discussed at length in Romans 6:1-11. This thought seems to be introduced here in Colossians as an explanation of how we share the circumcision of Christ. In Colossians 2:11 Paul said that we are circumcised. in the circumcision of Christ. Then in Colossians 2:12 he indicates that this is brought about by our having been buried and raised with Christ in baptism. In being raised with Christ we share all the triumphs of the risen Christ, including the privileges that came in the O.T. age to those circumcised. These included all the promises to Abraham concerning how his seed would bless the world. (Genesis 12:1-3; Genesis 22:17-18).

10.

The allusion to burial by baptism recalls to our minds that in the primitive church baptism was done by the act of immersion, or completely dipping the body of the one baptized under water for an instant. We are buried in the water as he was buried in the tomb. Many old baptistries designed for immersion still remain in the Holy Land and surrounding countries; examples can be seen in Capernaum, Nazareth, and dozens of other places.

However, the burial Paul alludes to in Colossians 2:12 is a spiritual burial. Our old man, our old nature, is buried, done away with, and disposed of as we are united with Christ. His death and burial becomes our death and burial. We are released from sins by death. (Romans 7:7).

11.

Baptism alone has no magic, no power. It MUST be accompanied and preceded by faith in the working of God. Note that it is not enough to believe that God exists. We must believe that he works, and works for us. (Philippians 2:13). Do you believe that God works in our world and in your life? God has always required faith of his people, faith that he will work for them and save them. The great failure of the Israelites in the desert under Moses was that their knowledge of God was not accompanied by faith that God would use His power for them (Hebrews 4:2).

12.

Paul reminds us that God raised Christ from the dead. We must believe this fact to be saved. (Romans 10:9). Christ's resurrection is a historical fact, but it is also a part of our experience. When we receive Christ, his resurrection becomes our resurrection unto a new life. Note that Colossians 2:12 refers to two resurrections: Christ's and ours. The same God accomplished both resurrections.

13.

In summary, Colossians 2:11-12 teaches us that Christ gives us perfect circumcision, and that this is accomplished in baptism, in which we are both buried and raised with Christ, if we have faith in God's working.

Study and Review

19.

Wherein are Christians circumcised? (Colossians 2:11)

20.

What sort of circumcision do Christians have?

21.

What must Christians put off to be truly circumcised?

22.

How does Christ's circumcision relate to us?

23.

In what act is our circumcision done? (Colossians 2:12)

24.

What two experiences of Christ do we share when we are baptized?

25.

What is accomplished through our faith when we are baptized?

26.

What are we to have faith in? (Colossians 2:12)