Epistle of Barnabas 9

Circumcised Ears, and the Number Three Hundred Eighteen

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The Circumcision of Ears and Heart

9:1Again He speaks concerning the ears, explaining how He circumcised our heart. The Lord says through the prophet: “At the hearing of the ear they obeyed Me.” Again He says: “Those far away will hear clearly; they will know what I have done,” and: “Circumcise your hearts,” says the Lord.

9:2Again He says: “Hear, Israel, because thus says the Lord your God.” Again the Spirit of the Lord prophesies: “Who is the one who wishes to live forever? Let that person listen carefully to the voice of My Servant.”

9:3Again He says: “Hear, heaven, and give ear, earth, because the Lord has spoken these things as a testimony.” Again He says: “Hear the word of the Lord, rulers of this people.” Again He says: “Hear, children, the voice of one crying in the wilderness.” Thus He circumcised our hearing so that we, hearing the word, might believe.

Circumcision of the Flesh Set Aside

9:4But the circumcision in which they trust has also been abolished, for He said that circumcision should not be of the flesh. Yet they transgressed, because an evil angel instructed them.

9:5He says to them: “Thus says the Lord your God”—here I find a commandment—“Do not sow among thorns; be circumcised for your Lord.” And what does He say? “Circumcise the hardness of your heart, and do not harden your neck.” Hear again: “Look,” says the Lord, “all the nations are uncircumcised in foreskin, but this people is uncircumcised in heart.”

9:6But you will say: “Yet the people have been circumcised as a seal.” So have every Syrian and Arab and all the priests of idols. Do they, then, belong to their covenant too? The Egyptians also practice circumcision.

Abraham and the Three Hundred Eighteen

9:7Learn fully about everything, children of love: Abraham, who first introduced circumcision, circumcised while looking ahead in the Spirit to Jesus, having received the teachings of three letters.

9:8For it says: “Abraham circumcised eighteen and three hundred men from his household.” What knowledge, then, was given to him? Learn that it says the eighteen first and, after a pause, the three hundred. Eighteen is iota, ten, and eta, eight: you have Jesus. Because the cross was to have grace in the letter tau, it also says three hundred. Thus it indicates Jesus by the two letters and the cross by the one.

9:9The One who placed within us the deeply rooted gift of His teaching knows. No one has learned a more authentic word from me; but I know that you are worthy.

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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.