John Calvin Commentary Genesis 17:23

"And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham`s house, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him." — Genesis 17:23 (ASV)

And Abraham took Ishmael. Moses now commends the obedience of Abraham because he circumcised his entire family as he had been commanded. For he must, indeed, have been entirely devoted to God, since he did not hesitate to inflict upon himself a wound accompanied by acute pain, and not without danger to his life.

To this may be added the circumstance of the time; namely, that he did not defer the work to another day, but immediately obeyed the divine mandate.

There is, however, no doubt that he had to contend with various perplexing thoughts. Not to mention innumerable others, this might have come into his mind: ‘As for me, who have been so long harassed by many adverse situations, and tossed about in various exiles, and yet have never swerved from the word of God; if, by this symbol, He would consecrate me to Himself as a servant, why has He delayed this until I am extremely old? What does this mean, that I cannot be saved unless I, with one foot almost in the grave, thus mutilate myself?’

But this was an illustrious proof of obedience: having overcome all difficulties, he quickly and without delay followed where God called him.

And in doing so, he gave an example of faith just as excellent, because, unless he had certainly embraced God's promises, he would by no means have become so prompt to obey. Therefore, his great alacrity arose because he set God's word against the various temptations that might disturb his mind and pull him in opposite directions.

Two things here are also worthy of observation.

1. Abraham was not deterred by the difficulty of the work from yielding to God the duty which He owed Him. We know that he had a great multitude in his house, nearly equal to a nation. It was scarcely credible that so many men would have allowed themselves to be wounded, seemingly to be made a laughingstock. Therefore, it was reasonable to fear that he would stir up a great tumult in his tranquil family; indeed, that, by a common impulse, most of his servants would rise up against him. Nevertheless, relying on God's word, he strenuously attempted what seemed impossible.

2. The faithfulness with which his family was instructed is also clear, because not only his home-born slaves, but foreigners and men bought with money, meekly received the wounds, which were both troublesome and shameful to their carnal perception. It appears, then, that Abraham diligently took care to have them prepared for due obedience.

And since he held them under holy discipline, he received the reward of his own diligence in finding them so tractable in a most arduous affair.

So, today, God seems to command what appears impossible when He requires His gospel to be preached everywhere in the whole world, for the purpose of restoring it from death to life.

For we see how great the obstinacy of nearly all people is, and what numerous and powerful methods of resistance Satan employs, so that, in short, all paths to these principles are obstructed.

Yet it is fitting for individuals to do their duty and not to yield to impediments. And finally, our endeavors and our labors will by no means fail to achieve that success that is not yet apparent.

CHAPTER 18.