What is the "Circumcision of the Messiah"?
Looking at Colossians 2:11-12
Here's my literal translation of Col. 2.11-13: "In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision done without human hands, in the putting off of the body of flesh in the circumcision of the Messiah. Having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the operation of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in the trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with him, having forgiven us all of our trespasses".
What is the ‘circumcision of the Messiah’?
A number of commentators see the circumcision of the Messiah as referring to Jesus’s death. This kind of makes sense given that Paul refers to union with the Messiah in circumcision, burial, and resurrection in vv. 11-13.
I do wonder though if “circumcision” is really a metaphor for “crucifixion”? Yes, there is some “cutting up” in both, but normally circumcision is a metaphor related to a consecrated heart, a correlation of heart and behaviour, and covenantal fidelity.
I think this “circumcision” is a circumcision of the heart performed by the Messiah upon his people!
Hence the CEB translation glosses the text in the right direction:
“In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not administered by human hands. The circumcision of Christ is realized in the stripping away of the whole self dominated by sin.”