Christ is the author of the “circumcision” of the heart, which anticipates and transforms the Old Covenant ritual. The key verse, Colossians 2:11, explicitly states: “In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ.” Here Paul identifies Christ as the agent of a “spiritual circumcision,” which Christians later saw fulfilled sacramentally in Baptism (see Romans 2:29; Colossians 2:12). Looking for other NT passages where Christ is explicitly portrayed as the author or agent of this spiritual circumcision:
Romans 2:29 – Paul contrasts physical circumcision with circumcision of the heart: “No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code.” While Christ is not named directly here, the connection to the Spirit and inward transformation prepares the way for Christ’s role as the agent in Colossians. Baptism, as a participation in Christ’s death and resurrection (Rom. 6:3–4), enacts this inward circumcision.
Philippians 3:3 – Paul describes true believers as: “For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh.” Again, the focus is on Christ and the Spirit effecting the inward reality, echoing Colossians’ “circumcision by Christ.”
1 Corinthians 7:19 – Paul links circumcision to obedience to God, but emphasises the essence over the ritual: “Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing; keeping God’s commandments is what counts.” Implicitly, Christ is the one who fulfills and transcends the ritual through obedience and union with Him.
Baptism as New Covenant Circumcision
Colossians 2:12 ties Baptism explicitly to this new circumcision: “Having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.” Here Baptism is the means by which Christ effects the inward “circumcision” of the heart, making the believer part of the new covenant people. In short, Colossians 2:11 is the clearest verse in the NT where Christ Himself is described as performing the circumcision. Other passages, particularly in Romans, Philippians, and Corinthians, describe the same reality in terms of the Spirit’s work in believers’ hearts, which Baptism brings to sacramental expression.
Spiritual Circumcision
Here’s a concise table mapping the key New Testament passages where circumcision is spiritualised, indicating whether Christ or the Spirit is presented as the agent, or if the passage simply points to the inward reality:
| NT Passage | Spiritualised Circumcision | Agent / Emphasis | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colossians 2:11 | Circumcision of the heart, putting off the flesh | Christ | Explicitly states “circumcised by Christ,” linking spiritual circumcision to union with Him. Seen as fulfilled in Baptism. |
| Colossians 2:12 | Buried with Christ in Baptism; raised in faith | Christ / God | Baptism as sacramental enactment of this spiritual circumcision. |
| Romans 2:29 | Circumcision of the heart | Spirit | Inward reality of covenant membership; “by the Spirit, not by the written code.” Prefigures Christ’s work. |
| Philippians 3:3 | True circumcision = worship by the Spirit, glory in Christ | Christ + Spirit | Faithful worshippers constitute “the circumcision”; Christ as the one to glory in, Spirit effecting worship. |
| 1 Corinthians 7:19 | Circumcision is nothing; keeping God’s commandments counts | Implicit | Focus on obedience over ritual; Christ fulfils the Law, enabling inward obedience. |
| Galatians 5:6 | Faith working through love; circumcision counts for nothing without this | Christ / Spirit | Inward transformation through Christ and the Spirit is what matters, not the external ritual. |
| Galatians 6:15 | “Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation” | Christ | Christ’s work creates the “new creation,” analogous to spiritual circumcision. |
Key Points from the Table
Christ as agent: Colossians 2:11–12 explicitly identifies Christ as performing the circumcision. Galatians 6:15 points to Christ effecting the new creation, which fulfills the ritual’s spiritual meaning.
Spirit as agent: Romans 2:29 and Philippians 3:3 emphasise the Spirit’s work in the inward transformation of the believer.
Integration: Many passages combine Christ and the Spirit—the believer is united with Christ (Colossians) and transformed inwardly by the Spirit (Romans, Philippians).
Baptism: Functions sacramentally as the new circumcision, fulfilling the spiritual reality in a tangible rite.
Joshua Circumcises the People of God
The episode in Joshua 5:2–9 is profoundly typological and is often read in spiritual theology as a prefiguration of Christ’s saving work. Let’s unpack it carefully. After the 40 years in the wilderness—the 38 years after Kadesh-Barnea that saw the generation of warriors die off due to disobedience—Joshua circumcises the new generation at Gilgal: “At that time the LORD said to Joshua, ‘Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites again.’ So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites at Gibeath-haaraloth.” (Josh 5:2–3) Several theological points connect Joshua with Christ here:
Joshua as Type of Christ: Just as Joshua leads the people into the Promised Land, Christ leads humanity into the true promised inheritance, the Kingdom of God. The circumcision Joshua performs is a new beginning for the people, analogous to the spiritual circumcision Christ effects in Baptism.
Death of the Old Generation: The old generation could not enter the land because of sin; the new generation must be purified and prepared. Spiritually, this anticipates the death of the old self in Christ (Romans 6:6) and the transformation required to enter the promised “rest.”
Circumcision as Covenant Sign: The act of circumcision marks the people as covenant members. After years in the wilderness, it is both a physical and spiritual reconstitution of God’s covenant people. In Christ, the circumcision of the heart (Colossians 2:11) fulfills and transcends this ritual, removing the “fleshly” aspect and conferring a spiritual identity in God’s covenant.
Gilgal – Place of Renewal: The site of circumcision, Gilgal, becomes a locus of new life and covenantal readiness. Spiritually, Baptism functions in the same way: the Christian is reborn into the covenant through Christ.
So, typologically, Joshua’s circumcision of the new generation represents Christ performing the ultimate circumcision, not with flint knives but by grace, through Baptism, cutting away the “old self” and making the believer a member of God’s covenant people.
Joshua and Jesus
Here’s a clear visual schema connecting Joshua’s circumcision, Christ’s spiritual circumcision, and Baptism as the New Covenant fulfilment:
OLD COVENANT TYPOLOGY
────────────────────────────────────────────
Joshua circumcises Israel at Gilgal
(Joshua 5:2–9)
– Marks the new generation after 40 years
– Prepares them to enter the Promised Land
– Physical circumcision = covenant identity
– Death of old generation = purification / readiness
│
│ Prefigures
▼
NEW COVENANT FULFILMENT
────────────────────────────────────────────
Christ as the agent of spiritual circumcision
(Colossians 2:11–12)
– Circumcision of the heart, putting off the flesh
– Union with Christ
– Inward transformation > ritual
– Spiritual reality achieved by Christ Himself
│
│ Made sacramentally effective
▼
BAPTISM
– Acts as the New Covenant circumcision
– Buried and raised with Christ
– Inward transformation is made outwardly visible
– Entry into God’s covenant people
– Works in conjunction with the Spirit (Romans 2:29; Philippians 3:3)
────────────────────────────────────────────
Key Agents:
– **Joshua** → type of Christ
– **Christ** → performs spiritual circumcision
– **Spirit** → effects inward transformation in the believer
────────────────────────────────────────────
Explanation of Flow
- Joshua → Christ: Joshua circumcising Israel is a prefiguration; the physical act points to Christ performing the true circumcision of the heart.
- Christ → Baptism: Christ effects the inward circumcision, which is sacramentally enacted in Baptism.
- Spirit → Believer: The Spirit brings about the inward reality, working in union with Christ’s saving action.
- Theological significance: The old generation’s death and the new generation’s circumcision typologically correspond to the death of the old self and the new life in Christ.