Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus points out a stunning inconsistency: they'll set aside the Sabbath for circumcision, a rite older than Moses himself, showing that works of necessity and mercy can override ceremonial law. He's subtly arguing that healing someone completely is an even greater act of love, far more important than fulfilling an ancient ritual.
Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is defending his healing of a man on the Sabbath, pointing out that the Jewish leaders themselves permit a more severe violation of the Sabbath for the sake of a ritual. He argues that if circumcision, an ancient patriarchal rite passed down through Moses, is performed on the Sabbath to uphold the law, then his act of mercy, which restores a person wholly, should also be acceptable.
Why did Jesus bring up circumcision when defending His healing on the Sabbath? It wasn't just about following Moses.
Jesus points out that circumcision, a key ritual given through Moses, actually originated much earlier with the patriarchs.
Beyond Moses
Jesus uses a common Jewish practice to expose the hypocrisy in how people viewed His miracle.
The core of Jesus' argument is a comparison: If performing a ritual like circumcision on the Sabbath was acceptable to uphold a covenant, how much more acceptable should be an act of pure mercy and healing.
The Heart of the Law
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Understand the original words
peritome · Greek Noun
The act of cutting off the foreskin, serving as the sign of the covenant between God and the people of Israel, initiated with Abraham and reaffirmed under the Mosaic law. It symbolizes dedication to God and separation from the world.
shabbat · Hebrew Noun
The seventh day of the week, sanctified by God at creation and commanded in the Decalogue as a day of rest and holiness. In the Gospels, it becomes a site of controversy regarding the proper interpretation of God's will versus human tradition.
Jesus highlights a perceived inconsistency in Jewish practice: they would perform circumcision on the Sabbath, an ancient rite requiring a painful procedure, yet they condemned him for performing a healing act of mercy on the same day. This points to a disconnect between their rigid adherence to ritual and the deeper principles of compassion and divine purpose underlying God's laws.
c. 2000 BC
Circumcision Instituted with Abraham
God establishes a covenant with Abraham, commanding circumcision as a physical sign for all males in his household and their descendants.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus and the Mosaic Law
Moses leads the Israelites out of Egypt, receiving the Law from God, which includes the Sabbath commandment and regulations for various observances.
Leviticus 12:3
Circumcision Mandated on Eighth Day
The Mosaic Law specifies that male infants are to be circumcised on the eighth day after birth.
During Jesus' Ministry— this verse
Healing on the Sabbath
Jesus performs a miraculous healing on the Sabbath, leading to conflict with religious authorities who question his authority and the observance of the Sabbath.
This passage shows that circumcision predates Moses, originating with Abraham, which Jesus uses to argue that an older, more significant divine institution can override the Sabbath law.
Leviticus 12:3This verse mandates circumcision on the eighth day, even if it falls on the Sabbath, directly supporting Jesus' argument that a specific divine command for an important rite permits work on the Sabbath.
Exodus 31:12-17This passage defines the Sabbath as a sign and emphasizes its sanctity, yet also includes exceptions for work, providing a broader context for Jesus' argument that acts of mercy or greater importance can be performed on it.
Matthew 12:11-12Jesus uses a similar argument here, asking if saving a sheep on the Sabbath is permissible, to highlight that acts of mercy and necessity are superior to strict interpretations of Sabbath observance.
jfbJohn 7:22: "Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man."
- Moses … gave unto you circumcision, &c.—Though servile work was forbidden on the sabbath, the circumcision of males on that day (which certainly was a servile work) was counted no infringement of the Law. How much less ought fault to be found with One who had made a man "every whit whole"—or rather, "a man's entire body whole"—on the sabbath-…
calvinJohn 7:20-24: "The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee?"
- The multitude answered, and said, Thou hast a devil; who seeketh to kill thee? 21. Jesus answered, and said to them, I have done one work, and you all wonder. 22. Therefore Moses gave you circumcision, not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers, and on the Sabbath you circumcise a man. 23. If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you offended…
Jesus points out a stunning inconsistency: they'll set aside the Sabbath for circumcision, a rite older than Moses himself, showing that works of necessity and mercy can override ceremonial law. He's subtly arguing that healing someone completely is an even greater act of love, far more important than fulfilling an ancient ritual.
Jesus is defending his healing of a man on the Sabbath, pointing out that the Jewish leaders themselves permit a more severe violation of the Sabbath for the sake of a ritual. He argues that if circumcision, an ancient patriarchal rite passed down through Moses, is performed on the Sabbath to uphold the law, then his act of mercy, which restores a person wholly, should also be acceptable.
Jesus is defending his healing of a man on the Sabbath, pointing out that the Jewish leaders themselves permit a more severe violation of the Sabbath for the sake of a ritual. He argues that if circumcision, an ancient patriarchal rite passed down through Moses, is performed on the Sabbath to uphold the law, then his act of mercy, which restores a person wholly, should also be acceptable.
"Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath." — Jesus points out a stunning inconsistency: they'll set aside the Sabbath for circumcision, a rite older than Moses himself, showing that works of necessity and mercy can override ceremonial law. He's…
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Last reviewed October 2026