{"id":95435,"date":"2026-05-06T09:37:27","date_gmt":"2026-05-06T14:37:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=95435"},"modified":"2026-05-06T09:37:27","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T14:37:27","slug":"timothy-was-circumcised","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/timothy-was-circumcised\/","title":{"rendered":"Timothy Was Circumcised"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t<p>by Hugh DeLong<\/p>\n<p>When you move from Acts of the Apostles 15 into chapter 16, the question naturally arises: has Paul just contradicted himself? In Acts 15, circumcision as a requirement tied to the law is clearly rejected. Yet in Acts 16:3, Paul the Apostle circumcises Timothy. The answer lies in a distinction that must be carefully maintained-the very distinction we have emphasized in our study of Galatians.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Circumcision, as a matter of law for justification, is denied.<\/li>\n<li>Circumcision, as an expedient for service, is permitted.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nActs 15 settles the doctrinal issue. Circumcision, when tied to &#8220;keeping the law&#8221; as a basis of justification, is rejected. It is not part of the gospel. To bind it as necessary for salvation is to alter the terms of justification and undermine grace. This is exactly the issue Paul confronts in Galatians-where circumcision is not merely a cultural practice, but a theological requirement being imposed. There, Paul refuses to yield at all because the truth of the gospel is at stake.<br \/>\nBut Acts 16 is not about justification-it is about serving-the service of spreading the Gospel.\n<p>Timothy&#8217;s background explains everything. He is the son of a Jewish mother and a Greek father (Acts 16:1). In the eyes of the Jews, that made him Jewish. Yet he was uncircumcised. That fact alone would immediately disqualify him from being heard in Jewish settings and would hinder access to the synagogues-Paul&#8217;s consistent starting point in preaching.<\/p>\n<p>So why circumcise him? Luke tells you plainly: &#8220;<em>because of the Jews who were in those parts<\/em>.&#8221; This is not about salvation-it is about access.<\/p>\n<p>Here is the distinction:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>If circumcision is done to be justified, it is a denial of the gospel.<\/li>\n<li>If circumcision is done to remove a barrier to teaching the gospel, it becomes a tool in the service of the gospel.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Paul himself articulates this principle in I Corinthians 9:20-becoming &#8220;as a Jew&#8221; to win Jews. This is not a compromise; it is a strategy governed by truth.<\/p>\n<p>The contrast with Titus (Galatians 2:3-5) makes this even clearer. Titus, a Gentile, is not circumcised. Why? Because in that case, circumcision was being demanded as necessary for acceptance before God. That crosses the line into justification by law-something Paul will not allow. With Timothy, no such doctrinal demand is present-only a practical obstacle to effective service.<\/p>\n<p>So Paul is entirely consistent:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>He denies that circumcision is the law for salvation (Acts 15; Galatians).<\/li>\n<li>He uses circumcision as an expedient for service (Acts 16).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The act is the same; the meaning is entirely different.<\/p>\n<p>This distinction is critical. When any act is elevated to a condition of justification, it corrupts the gospel. But when an act is used wisely to remove unnecessary offense and open doors for teaching, it serves the gospel without altering it. What would we be willing to do to help the spread of the Gospel?<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>by Hugh DeLong When you move from Acts of the Apostles 15 into chapter 16, the question naturally arises: has Paul just contradicted himself? In Acts 15, circumcision as a requirement tied to the law is clearly rejected. Yet in Acts 16:3, Paul the Apostle circumcises Timothy. The answer lies in a distinction that must&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27],"tags":[480,115],"class_list":["post-95435","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-circumcision","tag-old-law"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2082,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-important-is-the-sabbath-day\/","url_meta":{"origin":95435,"position":0},"title":"How important is the Sabbath day?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 18, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: How important is the Sabbath day (Saturday)? Is it something that we have to do? Thanks for the help. Answer: Ever since the covenant changed with the death of Jesus, the observance of the Sabbath has ceased to be a requirement. The law brought down from Mt. Sinai by\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Answer&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":5197,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-marks-of-jesus\/","url_meta":{"origin":95435,"position":1},"title":"The Marks of Jesus","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 17, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Galatians 6:11-18 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Paul battled much of his life with his own Jewish brethren \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0They insisted on preserving the Law in many ways. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A motivation is to be expected - Galatians 6:12 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0C.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It appears some tried to justify it by appealing to Paul. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a01.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0After all\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Audio&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":51463,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-paul-talking-about-physical-circumcision-or-something-else-in-galatians-53-4\/","url_meta":{"origin":95435,"position":2},"title":"Is Paul talking about physical circumcision or something else in Galatians 5:3-4?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 23, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hi. I've read some of your articles and they've been helpful. Thanks. I'm a kind of confused about what is written in Galatians 5:3-4 \"I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Answer&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1803,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/did-the-apostle-paul-keep-the-laws-found-in-the-torah\/","url_meta":{"origin":95435,"position":3},"title":"Did the apostle Paul keep the laws found in the Torah?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 20, 2004","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Did the apostle Paul keep the laws found in the Torah? If so, why do people reject them today? Answer: \"For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. To the Jews I became as a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Answer&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":96132,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/works-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":95435,"position":4},"title":"Works","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 15, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"by Terry Wane Benton In Romans 3-4 We are justified \"by faith apart from the deeds of the Law\" (Romans 3:28). To be justified by means of the deeds of the law, one would have to be perfect and never sin. Break one law and being justified by the deeds\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Article&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":42364,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-justification-through-faith-is-a-sinner-forgiven-when-he-prays\/","url_meta":{"origin":95435,"position":5},"title":"Is justification through faith? Is a sinner forgiven when he prays?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 27, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Dear Mr. Hamilton, I was reading your article on\u00a0the NIV\u00a0and I found it very informative! I just want to start off by saying thank you I had no idea there were a few discrepancies I needed to be aware of. With regards to this, I had a question. I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Answer&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95435","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=95435"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95435\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=95435"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=95435"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=95435"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}