For again He speaks concerning the ears, how He circumcised our heart. The Lord says in the prophet: "In the hearing of the ear they hearkened to me." And again He says: "Those who are far off shall hear with hearing; they shall know what I have done." And: "Circumcise," says the Lord, "your hearts."
And again He says: "Hear, O Israel, for thus says the Lord your God." And again the Spirit of the Lord prophesies: "Who is he that desires to live forever? Let him hear with hearing the voice of my Servant."
And again He says: "Hear, O heaven, and give ear, O earth, for the Lord has spoken these things for a testimony." And again He says: "Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of this people." And again He says: "Hear, children, the voice of one crying in the wilderness." Therefore He circumcised our hearing, that hearing the word we ourselves might believe.
But the circumcision in which they trusted has been abolished. For He declared that circumcision was not to be of the flesh; but they transgressed, because an evil angel deceived them.
He says to them: "Thus says the Lord your God" (here I find a commandment): "Sow not among thorns, be circumcised to your Lord." And what does He say? "Circumcise the hardness of your heart, and stiffen not your neck." Take it again: "Behold, says the Lord, all the nations are uncircumcised in foreskin, but this people is uncircumcised in heart."
But you will say: Surely the people received circumcision as a seal. But so also does every Syrian and Arab and all the priests of the idols. Are they too, then, of their covenant? But the Egyptians also are in circumcision.
Learn, then, children of love, abundantly concerning all things, that Abraham, who first gave circumcision, foreseeing in the Spirit unto Jesus, circumcised, having received the decrees of three letters.
For it says: "And Abraham circumcised of his household eighteen men and three hundred." What, then, was the knowledge given to him? Learn that he says "the eighteen" first, and after making a pause says "three hundred." The eighteen is iota, ten, and eta, eight—you have Jesus. And because the cross was about to have grace in the tau, he says also "the three hundred." So he indicates Jesus by the two letters, and the cross by the one.