第一次有人问我“割礼是什么？”，我几乎不相信我双耳所听道的。因为是一位二十岁左右大的女孩子问我，我有一点不好意思回答她的问题。慢慢地，我发现很多非基督徒不知道“割礼”是什么。
《圣经》里的割礼就是男人，出生的第八天切除阳茎包皮。
《圣经》里的割礼是由亚伯拉罕开始的。大约公元前两千年，在《创世记》第十七章，神告诉亚伯拉罕要为他家所有的男人行割礼为作记号。神与亚伯拉罕立约时，叫他和家里的所有男人都要行包皮之礼，就是割礼。割礼证明亚伯拉罕一家都属于神，也证明他的后代要承受神给亚伯拉罕的一切应许。
神说：“‘我要和你并你的子子孙孙立永恒的约，我要做你和你子孙的上帝。我要把你现在寄居的整个迦南赐给你和你的后裔永远作产业，我也必做他们的上帝’…‘你和你的子孙世世代代都要遵守我的约。你们所有的男子都要受割礼，这是我与你和你的子孙所立的约，你们要遵守。你们都要割包皮，作为我与你们立约的记号。你们世世代代的男子在出生后的第八日都要接受割礼’”（创世记17:8-12新汉语译本）。从此可知，割礼最主要的意义不是证明某人是犹太人，乃是证明他是与神立过约的人。
差不多五百年以后，摩西律法也包括割礼。摩西教导犹太人要行割礼，证明他们是神的子民，他们要守住神的“约”。犹太人，为了与非犹太人分彼此，不但把非犹太人称呼为“外邦人”，也形容他们为“未受割礼的人”。
也许您跟我一样认为割礼这个礼节很奇怪。但是，割礼因为关系到男人繁殖的性器官，所以天天提醒犹太人，他和他的后代都要属于神，遵守神的约，对神忠心，过圣洁的生活。
今天的犹太人还是受割礼吗？是。
基督徒受割礼吗？很多基督徒受割礼，但是不是因为是神命令的。基督徒不受摩西律法约束，所以割礼不是基督教的一项教条。但是，在《圣经·新约》时代（大约两千年以前），有些基督徒坚持说非犹太人成为基督徒时必须接受割礼。神说：“错了！”对基督徒来说受割礼不受割礼完全可随己意。“我们既然已经在基督耶稣里，受不受割礼根本无关紧要，借着爱表现出来的信心才至关重要”（加拉太书5:6）。“受不受割礼根本无关紧要，做一个新造的人才至关重要”（加拉太书6:15）。今天，基督徒男人受割礼好，不受割礼也好；家长可以随自己的意思行。
今天，有的男人（包括基督徒和非基督徒）受割礼为要保护妻子的健康，减少妻子得子宫癌和其它疾病的可能性。婴儿、大汉都可以受割礼。虽然割礼不是神给现代男人的诫命，但是它帮助我们明白箴言的话，说：“孩子啊，你要聆听我的吩咐… 因为得到[我的训言]就得到生命，全身也必康健”（箴言4:20, 22）。
What is Circumcision?
The first time I was asked about circumcision, the question came from a young lady, and I was somewhat embarrassed to answer it. Circumcision is the removal of the foreskin from the male penis.
In the Bible, circumcision began with Abraham and his family (Genesis 17), ca. 2000 B.C., as a sign that they belonged to God. It also showed Abraham that his descendants would receive the promises God made to Abraham. Genesis 17:8-12 shows that circumcision does not prove that a certain person is a Jew but rather that he is one who is in covenant relationship with God.
Some five hundred years after Abraham, the Mosaic Law also included circumcision. It showed that a person belonged to God and thus should obey God’s “covenant/law.” Non-Jews were sometimes termed “the uncircumcised.”
Perhaps, like me, you find circumcision strange. We should remember, however, that as circumcision affects a man’s organ of procreation, it was a daily reminder to all Jewish men that they and their descendants belonged to God, so they should be loyal to him and should keep themselves pure.
Do Jews practice circumcision today? Yes. Should Christians be circumcised? Many are, but it is not a command from God, as Christians are not under the Mosaic Law. Galatians 5:6 and 6:15 indicate that Christians are free to be circumcised or not to be circumcised. Research shows, however, that women whose husbands are circumcised have a lower incident of uterine cancer; perhaps this helps us understand Proverbs 4:20, 22.
【问答】七：割礼是什么？
FAQ’s About Christianity (07): What is Circumcision?
作者：谢德华 ©By Edward Short