Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary John 7:23

"If a man receiveth circumcision on the sabbath, that the law of Moses may not be broken; are ye wroth with me, because I made a man every whit whole on the sabbath?" — John 7:23 (ASV)

Circumcision was initiated by Abraham (Genesis 17:9–14) and explicitly commanded in the law of Moses (Leviticus 12:3). Because it had to be observed on the eighth day after birth, it was allowable on the Sabbath. Jesus argued that if a rite symbolizing purification were permitted on one member of the body, why should he not be allowed to make the entire person whole and clean on the Sabbath? “Stop judging” implies that his enemies should cease making superficial pronouncements on his work and that they should evaluate it objectively.