Was Jesus circumcised?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Jesus was circumcised on the eighth day in accordance with the covenant God gave to Abraham and reaffirmed through Moses. Mary and Joseph, as devout Jews, fulfilled other requirements such as the redemption of the firstborn and the purification of His mother. This early act demonstrated that even from birth, Jesus perfectly obeyed God’s Law and identified with His people. His circumcision was part of His mission to fulfill the Law completely, making Him the perfect, sinless sacrifice for humanity. Jesus’ example calls us to live in covenant faithfulness, marked by obedience, holiness, and devotion to God in every part of life.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• God had commanded that Abraham, every male in his entire household, and his male descendants for generations to come be circumcised as a sign of the covenant (or promise) He made with His people (Genesis 17:10–14).
• God repeated this command when giving the Law to Moses in Leviticus 12:3.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Luke 2:21 records, "at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb." Jesus was circumcised according to the covenant instructions given to Abraham and Moses.
• Because Mary and Joseph were devout Jews, they were diligent to ensure that "they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord" (Luke 2:39). So when Jesus was eight days old, they made certain Jesus was circumcised according to the Law and that He received the name the angel had commanded. Both circumcision and naming occurred during a ceremony known as b'rit-milah that is still practiced by Jews today.
• Interestingly, Luke recorded as well in his gospel account that Mary and Joseph also obeyed the law to redeem the firstborn son and the purification of the mother. Luke 2:22–24 says, "And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, 'Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord') and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, 'a pair of turtle doves, or two young pigeons.'" So Jesus was both circumcised on the eighth day and then redeemed during a ceremony known as pidyon ha'Ben at one month old.
• Later in His ministry, Jesus declared, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them" (Matthew 5:17). Jesus did indeed fulfill the Law perfectly and thus was "holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners" and therefore able to "offer up himself" as a sacrifice on behalf of sinful humanity (Hebrews 7:26–28). Circumcision was only a small part of the Law Jesus kept, but it was important enough that Scripture recorded when and where He was circumcised so we can know for certain that Jesus was circumcised.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

Jesus’ circumcision shows that from the very beginning of His earthly life, He was fully committed to obeying God’s Law. He entered into the covenant sign given to Abraham, identifying Himself with God’s people and fulfilling every requirement of righteousness. Jesus didn’t simply come to teach or to heal—He came to fully step into our world, live under God’s commands, and perfectly obey them on our behalf. His circumcision points to being the One who would fulfill the Law perfectly so He could be the perfect sacrifice for our sins.

We, too, are called to follow Jesus with that same wholehearted devotion. While we are no longer under the Law’s ceremonial requirements, we are called to live in covenant faithfulness—set apart, obedient, and living according to God’s Spirit, the mark of our covenant relationship with God. Jesus’ example challenges us to take God’s commands seriously, even in the small things and to live in a way that reflects our identity as God’s people. Just as circumcision marked Jesus as belonging to God, so our lives should be marked by holiness, obedience, and a willingness to honor God in every aspect of life.

UNDERSTAND

• Jesus was circumcised on the eighth day in obedience to God’s covenant law.
• Jesus’ circumcision showed His perfect obedience and identification with God’s people.
• Jesus’ circumcision calls us to live faithfully, marked by holiness and obedience.

REFLECT

• How does knowing that Jesus obeyed God’s Law from birth challenge you to take God’s commands seriously?
• In what areas of your life are you tempted to overlook “small” acts of obedience, and how can you honor God in those moments?
• How can your daily choices reflect that you belong to God and are set apart for Him?

ENGAGE

• What does Jesus’ circumcision reveal about His fulfilling the Law, and why does that matter for us today?
• How can we, as God’s people, live in a way that clearly shows we are marked by holiness and obedience?
• What parallels can we draw between circumcision in the old covenant and being marked by the Holy Spirit in the new covenant?