Circumcision of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
The Gospel according to Luke 2:20-21
At that time, the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
Reflections
There are two major points in the above Gospel passage; those of Circumcision and Naming. Both of these are inextricably linked in the history of God's covenant with His people, but for the sake of this post I shall focus mainly on the latter, the naming.
Should you wish to read a recent blog post centred on the Circumcision, I would have no hesitancy in directing you toward Dimitris Salapatas' excellent blog Londinoupolis, where he engages with the Pauline exhortation that we are circumcised in the Spirit.
The Eighth Day
As Orthodox Christians the eighth day holds particular significance. The week as represented on earth is seven days, the eighth day is representative of the day of completion, the eschatalogical day. It is for this reason the Divine Liturgy is considered to take place on the 'eighth day', which is to say, outside of time as we perceive it.
It is on the eighth day that the Lord is circumcised and given the name Jesus.
It is on the eighth day that we will be given a new name as foretold in Rev. 2:17.
Purpose of Name
A name is a means by which to identify an individual.
It is what differentiates a pet from livestock, a loved one from the crowd.
By granting a name one is granting identity to the bestower of the name. The named one is called out and made recognisable.
The identity of that person is bound to the name so that when the name is called, so too is the remembrance of that person to whom it relates.
The name 'Jesus' gives us a means to identify the incarnate Son of God.
It is what differentiates a pet from livestock, a loved one from the crowd.
By granting a name one is granting identity to the bestower of the name. The named one is called out and made recognisable.
The identity of that person is bound to the name so that when the name is called, so too is the remembrance of that person to whom it relates.
The name 'Jesus' gives us a means to identify the incarnate Son of God.
Furthermore the name gives us the ability to call upon Jesus.
How sweet the name of Jesus sounds in a believer's ear!...
No comments:
Post a Comment