Circumcising Timothy

Paul wanted to have him go on with him. And he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek.
Acts 16:3

What? Paul circumcised Timothy!! What an unexpected verse after the debate in the previous chapter over whether or not you had to be circumcised to be saved. The decision of the Jerusalem council was a definitive, “No!” They clearly established that salvation was by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law. Just a few weeks back we quoted Gal 5:1-2 where Paul warned the Galatians, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing.” With such a strong warning to the Galatians AGAINST circumcision, why in the world would Paul take Timothy and circumcise him?

The answer is simple and set forth in our text today–“because of the Jews…for they all knew that his father was Greek.” Paul realized that Timothy’s ministry would be hindered as he declared the gospel to the Jews in that region since they knew he had a Jewish mother but a Greek father. If they found out he was uncircumcised, they would not have heard a word Timothy said! They would have viewed him as identifying himself with the heathen nations rather than with Israel. Of course, they would have been wrong to treat Timothy that way, but the issue in Paul’s mind was not whether or not their assessment of Timothy was unfair. Paul’s one concern was that these Jews were unsaved and needed the Lord!

The best explanation of why Timothy was circumcised is found in 1Co 9:19-22 as Paul writes: “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” As Paul makes clear in his statement “not being without law”, he didn’t live lawlessly in his pursuit to win sinners, but within the confines of his liberty in Christ, he did all he could to make sure he caused no unnecessary offense in sharing the word of God with others. Brethren, our pattern should be the same! May our love for souls prompt us to lay aside our lives, no matter the inconvenience, that others may know our Savior. “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” (Joh 15:13)

Jamie

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