How did circumcision function as a seal?

Explanation:

Paul quotes from Scripture to show that Abraham believed God, so God counted Abraham as righteous (Romans 4:3). After counting Abraham as righteous, Abraham received the sign of circumcision as a σφραγίς (seal) of the righteousness he had by faith (Romans 4:11). So how does circumcision function as a seal? The literal meaning of seal has to do with the seal that is placed on a scroll, which consisted of a ruler’s official stamp that the contents were attested to by the ruler.¹ That is, ancient scrolls were authenticated by the official seal of an authority. Likewise, Paul is saying that circumcision sealed the righteousness that Abraham had by faith. In other words, God imputed righteousness to Abraham, and then he attested to the fact that he imputed righteousness to Abraham by sealing Abraham through the act of circumcision.

Counterargument:

The term seal not only has to do with the material that authenticates an ancient document but it could also be used in the sense of symbol. For example, the rainbow was a symbol for the fact that God had delivered Noah and his family from the destruction of the flood.² Thus, we cannot conclude from the fact that seal has to do with the materials used for authentication, that this is what Paul has in mind, for he might have in mind that circumcision was a symbol of God’s deliverance.

Response to counterargument:

This counterargument offers no evidence to support the notion that seal could be used to mean symbol. Rather, it simply asserts this and then points out that the rainbow was a symbol for God’s deliverance of Noah and his family. The fact is, generally accepted meanings of the term seal all have to do with attestation, or authentication, not symbol. For example, prominent definitions include the instrument used for sealing, the substance which bears the imprint of a signet, the impression made by a signet, and that which confirms or authenticates.³

Explanation:

Paul uses the term seal to denote something that confirms the truth of something else, like, for instance, a signet confirming the contents of a document. This is how Paul uses the term elsewhere. For example, in 1 Corinthians 9:2 Paul uses seal to refer to the fact that the Corinthians confirm his apostleship.⁴ In particular, Paul says that even if some do not accept his authority, the Corinthians are the seal of his apostleship. Likewise, Paul says in Romans 4:11 that circumcision is the seal that God imputed to Abraham’s righteousness because of his faith.

Counterargument:

We ought to consider the immediate context to determine Paul’s usage of a term. In the case of Romans 4:11, Paul says that Abraham received the sign of circumcision as a seal. Given that the seal of circumcision is a sign, Paul likely has a sort of reminder in mind. That is, just as the rainbow reminded Noah and his family that God delivered them from the flood, so circumcision was given to Abraham as a reminder of God’s promises to him.

Response to counterargument:

The context determines that we take the seal as something like confirmation. For according to the context, Abraham received the sign of circumcision as a seal. In other words, circumcision is the sign, and Abraham received the sign as a seal, not just a reminder. So the sign of circumcision was God’s seal that he considered Abraham righteous because of his faith, and not just a reminder.

It is hard to see what the weakness of this view might be. The term seal is a technical term used to denote attestation or authentication. Thus, Paul is saying that circumcision is a sign that attests to the fact that God considered Abraham righteous for his faith.

Explanation:

Paul says that Abraham received the sign of circumcision as a seal. There is no difference between the notion of a sign, or seal. Now, we notice from Scripture that God sometimes uses signs to remind the people of his deliverance. For example, we read in Genesis 9:12–13 that after God delivers Noah and his family from the flood, God sets the rainbow in the sky as a sign of the covenant between himself and the earth. The rainbow acted as a symbol that reminded Noah and his family that God had delivered them. In the same way, circumcision was a reminder to Abraham that God counted him righteous by faith. ⁵

Counterargument:

The problem with this argument is that Paul does not equate the sign as the same thing as the seal in Romans 4:11.⁶ That is, Paul does not write that Abraham received the sign, or seal, of circumcision. Rather, he says that Abraham received the sign of circumcision, as a seal of the righteousness he had by faith. So why does it matter that Paul seems to distinguish the sign of circumcision from the seal of circumcision? That circumcision was a sign might include the notion that circumcision was a reminder to Abraham that God counted him righteous, but that circumcision was a seal introduces another level of technicality. For a seal was used by authorities to authenticate, or attest to the contents of a document. The seal was not necessarily a reminder, but an attestation from authority. Thus, by sealing Abraham with the sign of circumcision, God not only reminds Abraham that he was counted righteous, but God himself attest to the righteousness he assigned to Abraham through circumcision. So the sign of circumcision tells us something about God’s permanent attestation toward Abraham, which is importantly different from the fact that it also reminded Abraham that God considered him righteous.

The weakness of this view is that it fails to consider the meaning of the term seal. This is a problem because seal is a technical term, and so failing to consider its meaning is to overlook what it means that circumcision is a seal.