chrysostom on why taking circumcission is rejecting the gift > (6) but someone might say: "is there so much harm in circumcision that it makes christ's whole plan of redemption useless? yes, the harm of circumcision is as great as that, not because of its own but because of your obstinacy. there was a time when the law was useful and necessary, but now it has ceased and is fruitless. if you take it on yourself to be circumcised now, when the time is no longer right, it makes the gift of god useless. it is because you are not willing to come to him that christ will be of no advantage to you. suppose someone should be caught in the act of adultery and the foulest crimes, and then be thrown into prison. suppose, next, that judgment was going to be passed against him and that he would be condemned. suppose that just at that moment a letter should come from the emperor, setting free from any accounting or examination all those detained in prison. if the prisoner should refuse to take advantage of the pardon, remain obstinate and choose to be brought to trial, to give an account, and to undergo punishment, he will not be able thereafter to avail himself of the emperor's favor. for when he made himself accountable to the court, examination, and sentence, he chose of his own accord to deprive avail himself of the emperor's favor. for when he made himself accountable to the court, examination, and sentence, he chose of his own accord to deprive himself of the imperial gift. > (7) this is what happened in the case of the jews. look how it is. all human nature was taken in the foulest evils. "all have sinned," say paul. they were locked, as it were, in a prison by the curse of their transgression of the law. the sentence of the judge was going to be passed against them. a letter from the king came down from heaven. rather, the king himself came. without examination, without exacting an account, he set all men free from the claims of their sin
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