Jewish men were circumcised…because God instituted circumcision in Abraham’s day.
(NASB) Genesis 17:10-12 “This is My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you.
11 ‘And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you.
12 ‘And every male among you who is eight days old shall be circumcised throughout your generations…”

The covenant of circumcision is one with spiritual implications and applications.

(NASB) Romans 2:29 “But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.”
Followers of Christ are circumcised – in their hearts.  And it is done by the Holy Spirit of God when we receive Jesus as our Savior, our Redeemer.  The Jewish believers throughout Jerusalem and Judea had not yet learned this fact.

Spiritual circumcision is Jesus doing all the work…making us complete; cutting away our whole corrupt, carnal nature; and raising us to life (eternal life).

(NASB) Colossians 2:9-12 “For in Him (Jesus Christ) all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,
10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;
11 and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;
12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.”

Circumcision was (and is) very important to the Jewish people…the believers in Jerusalem heard that Gentiles had also received the word of God.  And when Peter returned to Jerusalem, the Jewish believers were ready for him…ready with their accusations.  (Acts 11:1-2)

(NASB) Acts 11:3 “…‘You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.’”

Splutter…sputter…consternation!  How can this be, it has never been done this way before…what were you thinking Peter?

Tomorrow’s devotional will address Peter’s reasoning, experience and leading of God in this issue of a Jew going to and eating with Gentiles.