When both Judah and Israel had become very unfaithful, Jeremiah, contrasting fleshly and spiritual circumcision, reports Jehovah’s message: “I will hold an accounting with everyone circumcised [in the flesh] but still in uncircumcision,

Jer. 6:10; 9:25, 26.

8. When and how did Stephen review Israel’s history, leading to what accusation and outcome?

⁸ Centuries later, when Stephen, the Christian martyr, was giving his defense before the Sanʹhe·drin, he spoke of Abraham, saying that God “gave him a covenant of circumcision.” He then mentioned Moses, and that “to him our forefathers refused to become obedient, but they thrust him aside and in their hearts they turned back to Egypt, saying to Aaron, ‘Make gods for us to go ahead of us.’” Finally, linking those forefathers with the Jerusalem Sanʹhe·drin (his immediate hearers), Stephen said: “Obstinate men and uncircumcised in hearts and ears, you are always resisting the holy spirit; as your forefathers did, so you do.” Stephen spoke of the “righteous One [Jesus], whose betrayers and murderers you have now become.” What was the reaction of the Sanhedrin? “They felt cut [not as in circumcision, but “sawn through,” Kingdom Interlinear] to their hearts.” As for their ears, there was no excess of flesh, calling for literal circumcision, and so what did they do? They “put their hands over their ears and rushed upon him with one accord,” and stoned him to death.​—Acts 7:8, 39-43, 51-58.

9. Uncircumcision in heart and ears is due to what? With what results?

⁹ What a terrible indictment of those religious leaders! Uncircumcised hearts and ears signify those who are callous, obstinate, unyielding, and are connected with a bold, hard face, a hard heart, and a hardened neck. (Prov. 21:29; 28:14; 29:1) Pride is the root cause, leading one on from bad to worse, as Daniel said of Nebuchadnezzar: “His heart became haughty and his own spirit became hard, so as to act presumptuously.” The same was true of Pharaoh.​—Dan. 5:20; Ex. 7:22; 9:7; see also Hebrews 3:7-13.

10. (a) How can we distinguish between the mind and the heart? (b) How can the heart be circumcised?

¹⁰ How important, and how desirable, it is to have a circumcised heart! How can we do this? As distinct from the mind, that thinks and reasons on information taken therein, the heart is closely identified with affection and desire, and becomes the source, or seat, of motivation. It has a great emotional power, and can impel, or incite, to a certain course of action. (Ex. 35:21) It can easily sway the mind. The heart is the very center, or mainspring, of your whole makeup, your personality. It is the real, inner self, the “secret person of the heart,” “the man I am within.” (1 Pet. 3:4; Rom. 7:22) How can the heart be circumcised? We can be guided by what happens in literal circumcision. When this becomes necessary, because of a hazard to health, the flesh that is cut off is viewed as excessive, or as an obstruction, standing in the way of maintaining a clean and healthy condition. Thus circumcision of the heart means getting rid, or making a clean cut, of anything in our desires or motives, that is contrary to Jehovah’s desires. It means a complete removal of anything that is acting as an obstruction, such as pride, causing one to become unresponsive to Jehovah, to his appeals and to his Word.

11. (a) What fine example is recorded of circumcised heart and ears? (b) How can this spiritual operation be performed?

¹¹ A fine example of circumcised heart and ears was shown, as Luke reports, by a “certain woman named Lydia, . . . a worshiper of God, [who] was listening, and Jehovah opened her heart wide to pay attention to the things being spoken by Paul.” (Acts 16:14)