Circumcised, etc. As he had made mention of the calling, he takes occasion, from a particular instance, to make a digression for a little into a general exhortation, as he is wont to do in many instances; and, at the same time, he confirms, by different examples, what he had said respecting marriage. The sum is this, that in external things you must not rashly abandon the calling on which you have once entered by the will of God. And he begins with circumcisions, respecting which many at that time disputed. Now, he says that with God it makes no difference whether you are a Gentile or a Jew. Hence he exhorts every one to be contented with his condition. It must always be kept in view, that he treats only of lawful modes of life, which have God as their approver and author.

Is any man called? - Does anyone become a Christian? See the note at 1-Corinthians 1:26.
Being circumcised - Being a native-born Jew, or having become a Jewish proselyte, and having submitted to the initiatory rite of the Jewish religion.
Let him not become uncircumcised - This could not be literally done. But the apostle refers here to certain efforts which were made to remove the marks of circumcision which were often attempted by those who were ashamed of having been circumcised. The practice is often alluded to by Jewish writers, and is described by them; compare 1 Mac. 1-Corinthians 1:15. It is not decorous or proper here to show how this was done. The process is described in Cels. de Med. 7:25; see Grotuns and Bloomfield.
Is any called in uncircumcision? - A Gentile, or one who had not been circumcised.
Let him not be circumcised - The Jewish rites are not binding, and are not to be enjoined on those who have been converted from the Gentiles; see the notes at Romans 2:27-30.

Is any man called being circumcised? - Is any man who was formerly a Jew converted to Christianity?
Let him not become circumcised - Let him not endeavor to abolish the sign of the old covenant, which he bears in his flesh. The Greek words μη επισπασθω, let him not draw over, are evidently an elliptical expression: the word την ακροβυστιαν, the fore-skin, being understood; which, indeed, is added by the Armenian and the Itala, and several of the Latin fathers. It is a fact that it was possible by the assistance of art to do this; and Celsus himself prescribes the mode, De Medic. vii. 25. By frequent stretching, the circumcised skin could be again so drawn over, as to prevent the ancient sign of circumcision from appearing. Some in their zeal against Judaism endeavored to abolish this sign of it in their flesh: it is most evidently against this that the apostle speaks. Many false Jews made use of this practice, that they might pass through heathen countries unobserved; otherwise, in frequenting the baths they would have been detected.
Let him not be circumcised - Let no man who, being a Gentile, has been converted to the Christian faith, submit to circumcision as something necessary to his salvation.

(13) Is any man called being circumcised? let him not (o) become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.
(13) Nonetheless he shows us that in these examples all are not of the same type: because circumcision is not simply of itself to be desired, but such as are bound may desire to be free. Therefore herein only they are equal that the kingdom of God consists not in them, and therefore these are no hindrance to obey God.
(o) He is said to become uncircumcised, who by the help of a surgeon, recovers an upper skin. And this is done by drawing the skin with an instrument, to make it to cover the head. Celsus in book 7, chapter 25.

Is any man called being circumcised?.... That is, if any man that is a Jew, who has been circumcised in his infancy, is called by the grace of God, as there were many in those days, and many of them in the church at Corinth:
let him not become uncircumcised; or "draw on" the foreskin; as some did in the times of Antiochus, for fear of him, and to curry favour with him, who, it is said, 1 Maccab. 1:15, "made themselves uncircumcised", and forsook the holy covenant; and so did Menelaus, and the sons of Tobias, as Josephus reports (b); and there were many, in the days of Ben Cozba, who became uncircumcised by force, they had their foreskins drawn on by the Gentiles against their wills, and when he came to reign were circumcised again (c); for, according to the Jews, circumcision must be repeated, and not only four or five times (d), but a hundred times, if a man becomes so often uncircumcised (e) They make mention of several particular persons who voluntarily became uncircumcised, or, to use their phrase, and which exactly answers to the word used by the apostle, "that drew over his foreskin"; as Jehoiachin (f), Achan (g), yea even the first Adam (h); one guilty of this, they say, makes void the covenant (i); it was accounted a very great sin, so great that he that committed it was reckoned (k) among them that shall have no part in the world to come, but shall be cut off and perish; physicians say, this may be done by the use of an instrument they call spaster, which has its name from the word used in the text. The apostle's sense is, that such as had been circumcised, and had now embraced the faith of Christ, had no reason to be uneasy, or take any methods to remove this mark from their flesh, because it was abolished by Christ, and now of no significance; since as it did them no good, it did them no hurt:
is any called in uncircumcision? let him not become circumcised?; that is, if a Gentile who was never circumcised is called by grace, let him not submit to circumcision, which is now abrogated, and is altogether unnecessary and unprofitable in the business of salvation; yea, hurtful and pernicious if done on that account, since it makes men debtors to do the whole law, and Christ of none effect unto them.
(b) Antiqu. l. 12. c. 5. sect. 1. (c) Hieros. Yebamot, fol. 9. 1. & Sabbat, fol. 17. 1. T. Bab. Yebamot, fol. 72. 1. & Gloss. in ib. (d) Bereshit Rabba, sect. 46. fol. 41. 4. (e) T. Bab. Yebamot, fol. 72. 1. (f) Vajikra Rabba, sect. 19. fol. 161. 1. (g) T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 44. 1. (h) Ib. fol. 38. 2. Zohar in Genesis. fol. 27. 1. & 40. 4. (i) Hieros, Peah, fol. 16. 2. & Sanhedrin, fol. 27. 3. Bereshit Rabba, fol. 41. 4. (k) Maimon. Hilch. Teshuba, c. 3. sect. 6. & Milah, c. 3. sect. 8.

not become uncircumcised--by surgical operation (1 Maccabees 1:15; JOSEPHUS [Antiquities, 12.5.1]). Some Christians in excess of anti-Jewish feeling might be tempted to this.
let him not be circumcised--as the Judaizing Christians would have him (Acts 15:1, Acts 15:5, Acts 15:24; Galatians 5:2).

Was any one called being circumcised? He now applies the principle just stated, of walking "as God called every one." The circumcised Jews were to be content that they were circumcised; the uncircumcised Gentiles were to remain so when they became Christians.
Circumcision is nothing, etc. Has no bearing on final salvation. The one essential condition is "keeping the commandments of God." Nothing can take the place of this.
Let each man abide, etc. In that secular condition of life in which he was when called.
Art thou called being a servant? Half the population of the Roman Empire at this time were slaves. Thousands of the early Christians were in this condition. If a servant was converted, let him not be troubled over his servile state; but if he had the means of becoming free, let him rather choose freedom.
For he that is called . . . being a servant. The eternal equality of the servant and freeman in Christ is shown. The "servant" is Christ's freedman, since Christ has freed him from sin; the freeman, when converted, is Christ's servant.
Ye are bought with a price. Christ has bought each alike, ransomed them from the bondage of sin with his blood, and bound them to his service as his own.
Be not ye the servants of men. As Christ's servants, do not become the followers of any other religious master.
Let every man, wherein he is called, etc. Let each one remain in the domestic and social condition in which the call of God found him.