circumcision

4 definitions found

circumcision - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  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]

circumcision - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  Circumcision
      n 1: (Roman Catholic Church and Anglican Church) feast day
           celebrating the circumcision of Jesus; celebrated on
           January 1st [syn: Circumcision, 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

circumcision - Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary :

  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.

circumcision - Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 :

  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