ACC ~ Romans 2 v26

CIRCUMCISED BY GRACE. ORIGEN: We can apply this lesson to our situation in the church as well. For example, let us say that catechumens are still uncircumcised, i.e., Gentiles, and that believers are circumcised by the grace of baptism. Therefore, if a catechumen who has not yet been circumcised by the grace of baptism keeps the law of Christ, he obeys the precepts and commandments. Will he not by analogy with what is written here judge the one who claims to be a believer but does not keep the precepts and despises the law of Christ and his commands? COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS.

BECOMING A SON OF ABRAHAM. AMBROSIASTER: Faith in Christ is the righteousness of the law. … From this it is clear that if a Gentile believes in Christ he becomes a son of Abraham, who is the father of faith. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

UNCIRCUMCISION COUNTED FOR CIRCUMCISION. AUGUSTINE: Gentiles become members of the house of Israel when their uncircumcision is counted for circumcision, inasmuch as they do not display the righteousness of the law by the cutting of the flesh but keep it in charity of heart. THE SPIRIT AND THE LETTER 46.

BECOMING CIRCUMCISED. CHRYSOSTOM: Look how clever Paul is. He does not say that the uncircumcision overcomes circumcision (for that would have angered the Jews who read his letter) but that the uncircumcision has become circumcision. Next he asks what circumcision really is, and he says that it is well-doing, whereas uncircumcision is evil-doing. Having moved the uncircumcised who does good deeds over to the circumcised and having pushed the circumcised man who leads a corrupt life into the ranks of the uncircumcised, Paul states his preference for the physically uncircumcised. HOMILIES ON ROMANS 6.

WHY CIRCUMCISION WAS INSTITUTED. PELAGIUS: The visible needs the invisible but not the other way round, because the visible is an image of the invisible, while the invisible is the reality itself. Thus, the circumcision of the flesh needs the circumcision of the heart but not vice versa, because the reality does not need the image. … If circumcision has no value by itself, why was it instituted? First, in order to distinguish the people of God from among the Gentiles. This is why when they were by themselves in the desert they were not circumcised. Or perhaps so that their bodies might be identified in battle. The reason why they were marked in that part of the body was first so that they would not be disfigured in a part of the body which was open to public view, and second, because the promise of grace would make this part of the body honorable through chastity. Or perhaps it was because it signified that Christ would be born from its seed. He was destined to introduce spiritual circumcision, but until he was born, physical circumcision would continue. PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS.

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