Journey Through ScripturePrint Article

FAQ: Genesis to Jesus - Lesson Four

Who exactly is Melchizedek?

Melchizedek was the priest-king of Salem (which became Jerusalem) who appears in Genesis 14 and blesses Abraham. He is the first person called a priest in Scripture. For more information on him and how he fits into salvation history, see this section of Lesson Three in Covenant Love: Introducing the Biblical Worldview.
Look at the Hebrews edition of the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible for a good article on Melzhizedek as well.

Why was circumcision the sign of the covenant between God and Abraham?

First we must realize that just as covenants were common to other cultures, so circumcision was practiced by other peoples before God had Abraham use it as a sign of the covenant. In fact, early Israelite readers would understand the relevance of Ishmael being circumcised when he was 13 years old because that was traditionally when it was done to Egyptian boys. This told the early Israelites that Ishmael, the son of Abraham’s Egyptian concubine Hagar, was not the child of God’s promise to Abraham. Circumcising their boys on the 8th day was something that set the Israelites apart from the other nations.

Another thing to realize is that circumcision was a “mixed blessing”, so to speak. Yes, it was a sign that God had covenanted with Abraham and that was good. But take a look at the sacrificial system that God set up with the Israelites as a sign of the covenant after the Golden Calf incident in Exodus 32. God set it up that way to remind the Israelites how they had failed by worshiping those animals. They now had to sacrifice those same false gods. Abraham’s case was similar. He had to be circumcised as a reminder of how he messed up by jumping the gun with Hagar. He didn’t wait on God and tried to take matters into his own hands. So, circumcision was a painful reminder of the type of sin he committed and a reminder to trust in God.

Covenants were ratified by a sacrifice in ancient times. As part of this, oftentimes an animal would be “cut off from the herd” never to return, and its head and other members would be severed as part of the sacrificial ritual. This symbolized what would happen to a covenant-breaker. It also ratified the covenant. Given the method of “cutting off” the animal from its herd and its subsequent dismemberment, covenant ratification became commonly referred to as “cutting a covenant”. Circumcision took this to another level in that a circumcised Israelite who broke the curse would be cut off by God and actually bore a mark symbolizing what would happen to him. This was truly “cutting a covenant.” So circumcision marked the entrance into the covenant community and it symbolized what would happen to you if you broke the covenant.

Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Study Descriptions

Upcoming Events

Resource Library

The best web resources on Scripture, the Sacraments, Sacred liturgies and rites, prayer, and more.