“In Christ also,
You were circumcised
With non-human hands circumcision.
You put off
The body
Of the human flesh
In the circumcision
Of Christ.”
ἐν ᾧ καὶ περιετμήθητε περιτομῇ ἀχειροποιήτῳ ἐν τῇ ἀπεκδύσει τοῦ σώματος τῆς σαρκός, ἐν τῇ περιτομῇ τοῦ Χριστοῦ,
Paul said, “In Christ also (ἐν ᾧ), you were circumcised (καὶ περιετμήθητε) with non-human hands circumcision (περιτομῇ ἀχειροποιήτῳ). You put off (ἐν τῇ ἀπεκδύσει) the body of the human flesh (τοῦ σώματος τῆς σαρκός) in the circumcision (ἐν τῇ περιτομῇ) of Christ (τοῦ Χριστοῦ).” Only this unique word ἀπεκδύσει, is found here in Colossians, that means stripping off, putting off, or casting off. Paul returned to one of his favorite topics, circumcision, with this battle over the value of Jewish human circumcision. Paul talked about a circumcision not done with human hands, a non-human or spiritual circumcision. There was no need to use the human fleshy body in this new spiritual circumcision of Jesus Christ. Paul continued to wail against those who demanded that Christian males have a bodily circumcision just like the Jewish males. Christ brought a spiritual circumcision that no longer needed a human body penis circumcision. Are you circumcised?
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 