A recurring theme in the Old Testament is about the inherent flaws or sinful inclinations of the human heart:

Genesis 6:5 states: “The Lord saw that the wickedness of humans was great in the earth and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually.”

Genesis 8:21 notes: “And when the LORD smelled the pleasing odor, the LORD said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of humans, for the inclination of the human heart is evil from youth; nor will I ever again destroy every living creature as I have done.”

Ecclesiastes 9:3 declares: “This is an evil in all that happens under the sun, that the same fate comes to everyone. Moreover, the hearts of humans are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.”

Jeremiah 17:9 asserts: “The heart is devious above all else; it is perverse— who can understand it?”

Given a sinful heart is such a foundational level of human creation, it seems to imply God made a mistake in how man was created:

 Genesis 6:6–7 (NRSVUE):”The Lord regretted that he had made humans on the earth, and his heart was deeply grieved. So the Lord said, ‘I will blot out from the earth the humans I have created—people together with animals and creeping things and birds of the sky, for I regret that I have made them.'”

Romans 2 answers this with Paul declaring God wrote the Law on man’s heart but what is needed is a circumcision of the fleshly part of the heart to reveal the law written on it:

When gentiles, who do not possess the law, by nature do what the law requires, these, though not having the law, are a law to themselves. 15 They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, as their own conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts will accuse or perhaps excuse them 16 on the day when, according to my gospel, God through Christ Jesus judges the secret thoughts of all… For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision something external and physical. 29 Rather, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not the written code. Such a person receives praise not from humans but from God.

The Old Testament does mention circumcision in a figurative sense, similar to Paul’s references to “circumcision of the heart” in the New Testament (e.g., Romans 2:29), where it symbolizes spiritual renewal, obedience to God, and the removal of sinful tendencies rather than a literal physical act.

This metaphorical usage appears in several passages, often emphasizing inner transformation over outward ritual.  Key examples include:

Deuteronomy 10:16: “Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn.”

Deuteronomy 30:6: “And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.”

Jeremiah 4:4: “Circumcise yourselves to the Lord; remove the foreskin of your hearts, O men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem…”

Jeremiah 9:25-26: This warns of punishment for those who are “circumcised only in the flesh” but not in the heart, extending the metaphor to both Israelites and Gentiles.

Other figurative applications in the Old Testament include “uncircumcised lips” (Exodus 6:12, 30) for impeded speech and “uncircumcised ears” (Jeremiah 6:10) for unwillingness to listen to God.

Paul’s New Testament teachings build directly on this established Old Testament imagery, shifting the focus from physical covenant signs to spiritual faith.

There is a plausible theological connection in Paul’s writings between the law being written on the hearts of Gentiles (Romans 2:14-15) and the concept of “circumcising the fleshly” as a metaphor for revealing or activating that inner law through spiritual transformation.

This interpretation builds on several interrelated ideas in Romans 2 and related passages: The Law on Gentile Hearts: In Romans 2:14-15, Paul describes Gentiles who, without the Mosaic Law, instinctively do what it requires, demonstrating that “the work of the law is written on their hearts.” This is often seen as an allusion to the New Covenant promise in Jeremiah 31:33, where God writes His law inwardly.

Circumcision of the Heart: Later in the same chapter (Romans 2:29), Paul defines true circumcision as “of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter.” This echoes Old Testament calls for heart circumcision (e.g., Deuteronomy 30:6, where God circumcises the heart to enable love for Him).

It symbolizes removing spiritual barriers—often termed the “flesh” or sinful nature—to align the inner self with God.

The idea of “circumcising the fleshly to reveal the law written on the heart” fits well with Pauline theology, where spiritual circumcision strips away the “flesh” (sinful tendencies) that obscure or hinder the law already inscribed within.

For Gentiles, this internal law (via conscience or the Spirit) becomes evident and operative through heart circumcision, counting their uncircumcised state as spiritually circumcised if they obey in faith and love.

Pseudo Paul extends this in Colossians 2:11, describing believers’ circumcision “not performed by human hands” as putting off the “fleshly” self through Christ, which could be seen as unveiling the heart’s true alignment with God’s will.

This reading emphasizes that external rites like physical circumcision are insufficient; true righteousness involves an inward revelation and empowerment by the Spirit, making Gentiles full participants in God’s covenants without needing the outward sign.

The concepts sacrifice and circumcision relate, drawing on shared themes in biblical and ancient Jewish thought that prioritize inner spiritual transformation over mere external rituals. This builds on “circumcision of the heart” as a metaphor for removing spiritual barriers to reveal or align with God’s inward law.

Several Old Testament passages emphasize that God values a humble, repentant inner disposition—often described as a “broken” or “contrite heart”—far more than ritual animal sacrifices performed without genuine devotion. This idea critiques empty formalism and echoes the metaphorical “heart circumcision” from texts like Deuteronomy 10:16 and Jeremiah 4:4, where the focus is on internal renewal rather than outward acts. Key examples include: Psalm 51:16-17: Here, David declares, “For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”  This psalm, written in the context of repentance after sin, portrays a contrite heart as the true “sacrifice” God accepts, implying that external offerings are insufficient without inner brokenness over wrongdoing.

Hosea 6:6: “For I desire steadfast love [or mercy] and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.”

The prophet Hosea conveys God’s preference for relational faithfulness and ethical living over ritual compliance.

Other supporting texts, such as Isaiah 1:11-17 (“What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord… Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes”) and Jeremiah 7:21-23 (God instructs that obedience to His voice matters more than sacrifices), reinforce this theme.

This could relate to Paul’s ideas (e.g., the law written on Gentile hearts in Romans 2:14-15 and heart circumcision in Romans 2:29) by extending the Old Testament critique of rituals: just as a contrite heart “reveals” true devotion hidden beneath superficial sacrifices, spiritual circumcision removes the “fleshly” obstacles to uncover the innate moral law or God’s will inscribed within. Both motifs shift emphasis from physical acts (like animal slaughter or literal circumcision) to an internal, transformative process enabled by the Spirit, aligning with the New Covenant promises (e.g., Jeremiah 31:33) that God will inscribe His law on hearts directly.  Ancient Jewish thought often drew symbolic, legal, and theological parallels between sacrifice and circumcision, viewing both as acts of covenantal dedication, atonement, and self-offering to God. While circumcision is not literally a sacrifice (it doesn’t involve animal offerings or temple rituals), rabbinic and biblical interpretations frequently linked them as expressions of submission and purification.  In rabbinic literature (e.g., midrashim and Talmudic discussions), circumcision is portrayed as a personal “sacrifice” or offering of one’s body to God, akin to the binding of Isaac (Akeidah) in Genesis 22. For instance, it is seen as an act where a person “binds himself” in devotion, atoning for human weaknesses much like temple sacrifices.  This views the shedding of blood in circumcision as a sacrificial element, representing the covenant’s cost and permanence.

Legal Parallels: Halakhic (Jewish legal) traditions note that the laws governing circumcision mirror those of sacrifices. For example, both can override certain Sabbath restrictions in specific cases, and both are tied to themes of holiness and separation from impurity. Circumcision is also connected to the Passover sacrifice, as both mark entry into the covenant community—historically, uncircumcised males were barred from the Passover lamb (Exodus 12:48), symbolizing that circumcision “prepares” one for sacrificial participation.

In broader ancient Jewish philosophy, both rituals signify the covenant (berit) with God, as established in Genesis 17 for circumcision and expanded through sacrificial systems in Leviticus. Some sources emphasize circumcision’s enduring nature as a “sacrifice” that Jews maintained even during persecution, highlighting its role in identity and atonement when temple sacrifices were unavailable (e.g., post-70 CE).

If sacrifice represents external atonement that God ultimately deems secondary to a contrite heart, then circumcision—as a linked ritual—could similarly point to an inner reality. In Paul’s framework, “circumcising the fleshly” to reveal the heart’s law parallels offering a “contrite heart” instead of animal sacrifice: both involve “sacrificing” the outer self (ritualistically or metaphorically) to expose and activate true spiritual obedience. Ancient Jewish thinkers might see this as circumcision fulfilling a sacrificial role by inwardly transforming the individual, much like how prophets reframed sacrifices as ethical and heartfelt actions.

The polemic against circumcision in Paul needs to be seen not just on physical circumcision but in a broader context that Paul himself talks about of figurative circumcision of the fleshly from the heart to reveal the law written upon it.  This fits in with the discussion of sacrifice and the lack of need of animal sacrifice (e.g., John the Baptist; Jesus calling for repentance at the beginning of Mark, etc). 

Romans 2 looks at sin as transgression and the saving factor of circumcised heart, but how is such an event enacted by the cross/resurrection and what does it have to do with Sin as a powerful Evil entity addressed later in Romans?