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Discover the Arts! Each day a different image from the Literary, Performing, or Visual Arts representing a portion of Scripture
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2014 January 21



The Circumcision (c. 1530)
Master of AB Monogram (fl. 1530s)
Northern Renaissance Style
Gemaldegalerie, Dresden, Germany
Image Source: Web Gallery of Art


     Explanation: The painting above depicts the most notable incident of the application of the laws contained in Leviticus 12 -- the circumcision of Christ. Mary offered two pigeons for the required sacrifice, showing that she was among the poorest of the Israelites. Below is the relevant New Testament Passage (Luke 2:21-24, Literal Translation of the Holy Bible, copyright 1976-2000 by Jay P. Green, Sr.):
      21 And when eight days were fulfilled to circumcise the child His name was called Jesus, the name called by the angel before He was conceived in the womb. 22 And when the days of her cleansing according to the Law of Moses were fulfilled, they took Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord, 23 as it has been written in the Law of the Lord: Every male opening a womb shall be called holy to the Lord; [Ex. 13:2 -- Set apart to Me every first-born, the one opening the womb among the sons of Israel, among men and among livestock; they shall be Mine.] 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to that said in the Law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves, or two nestlings of doves. [Leviticus 12:8 -- And if her hand is not able to find a lamb, then she shall take two turtle doves, or two young doves one for a burnt offering, and one for a sin offering, and the priest shall atone for her; and she shall be cleansed.]
     Leviticus 12 gives the purification laws for a birth. If the child is a male, his mother is unclean seven days; and on the eighth day the boy is to be circumcised. She is then unclean for an additional thirty-three days. In total, she is unclean for forty days for a boy child. During that time she cannot touch anything which is holy, nor come into the sanctuary. But if her child is a girl, then she is unclean for two weeks, and her purifying continues for sixty-six days, for a total of eighty days for a girl child (1-5). When the purification is finished, she then shall offer a yearling lamb for a burnt offering, and a pigeon or turtledove for a sin offering. She will then be clean. If she cannot afford a lamb she shall bring two turtledoves or two pigeons, one for a burnt offering, the other for a sin offering. Afterward she will be clean. (6-8).


Leviticus 12

     1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean. 3 And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. 4 And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled. 5 But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her separation: and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days.
     6 And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest: 7 Who shall offer it before the LORD, and make an atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood. This is the law for her that hath born a male or a female. 8 And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean.




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