5:48: You shall therefore be perfect, as your Father in
heaven is perfect.
τέλειος
“perfect” = תָּמִים
or שָׁלֵם.—It
is said of Abraham that by circumcision he became perfect תמים like God.
Genesis Rabbah 46 (29A): R. Levi (ca. 300) said, “Like a
matron to whom the king said, ‘Pass me by!’ She passed him by, and her face
became discolored. She said (to herself), ‘Perhaps something reprehensible has
been found in me.’ The king said to her, ‘There is nothing reprehensible about
you, only the nail of your little finger is a little large; remove it and the
fault is removed!’ So God said to Abram our father, ‘There is nothing
reprehensible in you except this foreskin; remove it, and the fault is removed:
“walk before me, and you will be perfect תמים” (Gen 17:1).’ ” ‖ Genesis Rabbah 46
(29A): R. Judan (ca. 350) said, “As there is nothing reprehensible in a fig
except the stalk; remove it and the defect is removed—so also God said to
Abraham, ‘There is nothing reprehensible in you except the foreskin; remove it
and the defect is removed: “walk before me, and you will be perfect” (Gen
17:1).’ ” ‖ A baraita in b. Ned. 32A: Rabbi said, “Great is circumcision;
for you have no one who was so occupied with fulfilling the commandments as our
father Abraham, and (yet) it was only because of circumcision that he was
called perfect תמים
(see Gen 17:1f.).” ‖ TanḥumaB לך לך § 23 (40A): God said to Abraham, “It is
enough for the servant if he is like his master!” Like a king who had a friend
who was rich beyond measure. The king said, “What shall I give my friend? He
has silver and gold, slaves and female slaves, and livestock; but behold, I
will gird him with my belt (so Buber).” Likewise God said (to Abraham), “What
shall I give you? Silver and gold, slaves and bondwomen, and livestock have I
already given you (see Gen 13:2); what shall I give you therefore? Let it be enough
for you to be like me, as it says, ‘I will give my (circumcision) covenant
between you and me’ (Gen 17:2).” (Hermann L. Strack and Paul Billerbeck, A
Commentary on the New Testament from the Talmud & Midrash, 3 vols.
[trans. Andrew Bowden and Joseph Longarino; Bellingham, Wash.: Lexham Press,
2022], 1:430-31)
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