ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Monite Sune 5, 2023

Circumcision  and Golgotha  גלל

KO E KAMU MO KOLOKOTA

JOSHUA 5:8-9

WHEN THE CIRCUMCISING OF THE WHOLE NATION WAS FINISHED. THEY REMAINED IN THEIR PLACES IN THE CAMP UNTIL THEY WERE HEALED. AND THE LORD SAID TO JOSHUA, "TODAY I HAVE ROLLED AWAY THE REPROACH OF EGYPT FROM YOU." AND SO THE NAME OF THAT PLACE IS CALLED GILGAL TO THIS DAY.

SIOSIUA 5:8-9

8 Pea ‘i he faifai pea ‘osi ‘a e pule‘anga hono kamu, pea nau nofo ai pe ‘i honau ngaahi tangutu‘anga ‘i he ‘apitanga, kae‘oua ke nau mā‘u‘ui. 9 Pea folofola ‘a e ‘Eiki kia Siosiua, Ko e ‘aho ni kuo u fakateka meiate kimoutolu ‘a e ma‘anga faka-‘Isipite. Ko ia na‘e ui ai ‘a e hingoa ‘o e feitu‘u ko ia ko Kilikali (Teka) ‘o a‘u ki he ‘aho ni.

(Liliu Faka-Tonga)

Ko e ha ‘a e fekau’aki ‘a e kamu, Kilikali mo Kolokota? Ko e kamu ‘o e fanau tangata ‘isileli na’e ‘ikai fai ‘i he toafa, ka na’e toki fai ‘i he’enau a’u ki Kenani (Siosiua 5:2-9). Ko e fo’i lea ki ai, ko e “kalala” (galal) - "teka’i" ‘a e mā’anga ‘o e nofo ‘Isipite. Na’a nau ui ‘a e potu ko ia ko Kilikali (Gilgal) ‘a ia ko “Teka.” Pea ‘i Kilikali, na’e fou ‘i he kamu, ‘a hono “teka’i” ‘e he ‘Otua ‘a e kovi mo e mamahi ‘o e nofo hopoate ‘a hono kakai. Na’e mole kotoa ‘a e ngaahi ‘ata ‘o e mo’ui popula na’a nau mo’ua ai. 

Ko e kalala, ‘oku ma’u mei ai ‘a e lea ki ha me’a ‘oku fuopotopoto pe ko ha me’a ‘oku ngaue. ‘Oku ma’u mei ai ‘a e fo’i lea ko e “kuikoleti” Because the root galal refers to round things or actions, galal is also the root of guigolet guigolet ("’ulu poko"), ‘o kainga mo e lea faka-’Alamea ko e “Kolokota”, Potu ‘o e ‘Ulupoko. ‘I he mo’unga Kolokota, na’e teka’i ai ‘e Sisu ‘a e kotoa hotau ma’anga. Na’a ne ‘ai kiate Ia ‘a e kotoa ‘o ‘etau hia mo e mamahi ‘o ‘etau angahala mo ‘etau popula. Ko e Kalala (Galal) ‘oku toe ngaue’aki ki he teka’i ‘o ha maka (Sios 10:18). ‘I he hengihengi koula ‘o e Toetu’u, ‘i he taimi na’e Kalala ai ‘a e maka ‘o e fonualoto ‘o Sisuu, ko ‘ene toki kakato ia ‘a hono to’o hotau fakamaa’anga. Ko e ongo fo’i lea Hepelu loua ko eni ki he “teka’i” mo e “fakamaa” ‘oku ha ‘ia Siosiua 5:9, ‘oku naue’aki ‘e he Saame 119:22;

“Tatala meiate au ‘a e manuki mo e lau‘ikovi; He Kuo u tauhi ho‘o ngaahi fakamo‘oni.”

What do circumcision, Gilgal, and Golgotha have in common? Because Israelites boys were not circumcised in the wilderness, this ceremony was performed when Israel reached Canaan (Josh. 5:2-9). This circumcision galal ("rolled away") the reproach of Egypt. They therefore named this place Gilgal (the "rolling away" place). At Gilgal, through circumcision, God rolled away all the stain and pain of his people's slavery. Every vestige of their past captivity was gone.

Because the root galal refers to round things or actions, galal is also the root of guigolet ("skull"), paralleled by the Aramaic word Golgotha, "the place of the skull." On Golgotha, Jesus rolled away all our reproach. He took on himself all the stain and pain of our sin and slavery. Galal also refers to the rolling of a stone (Josh. 10:18). On Easter morning, when the stone was galal from Christ's tomb, the removal of reproach was complete. Every hint of our past shame and guilt is gone. Both Hebrew words for "roll away" and "reproach" from Joshua 5:9 are used in Psalm 119:22, which we pray:

"Take away from me scorn and contempt, for I have kept your testimonies."