Galatians 4:21-31
21: Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law?
22: For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman.
23: But the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise.
24: This is allegorically speaking, for these women are two covenants: one proceeding from Mount Sinai bearing children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar.
25 Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children.
26: But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother.
27: For it is written, “REJOICE, BARREN WOMAN WHO DOES NOT BEAR; BREAK FORTH AND SHOUT, YOU WHO ARE NOT IN LABOR; FOR MORE NUMEROUS ARE THE CHILDREN OF THE DESOLATE THAN OF THE ONE WHO HAS A HUSBAND.”
28: And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise.
29: But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also.
30: But what does the Scripture say? “CAST OUT THE BONDWOMAN AND HER SON,
FOR THE SON OF THE BONDWOMAN SHALL NOT BE AN HEIR WITH THE SON OF THE FREE WOMAN.”
31: So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, but of the free woman.
Paul asked those who wanted to be put under the Law if they even understand what it said. For even the Law said that righteousness is by faith through the promise, not through keeping the works of the Law. He told of Abraham’s two sons. Ishmael was of the flesh. He was born as a result of Sarah telling Abraham to bear a child with her maid Hagar because it seemed she would not be able to have a child. It was an attempt to obtain God’s promise of a son through the flesh, rather than the power of God. So, Ishmael was the son of the bondwoman, born according to the flesh.
Isaac was born of Abraham and Sarah. He was the son of promise, for God had promised them that they would have a son, and the promise of blessing to all nations would come through his bloodline. Paul explained that the two women—Hagar and Sarah—represent two covenants. The old, rocky and rugged Mt. Sinai, where the Law was given years later, brought bondage. But the new, heavenly Jerusalem, which is of promise by faith, brings freedom.
Paul quoted Isaiah 54:1 calling for the barren woman to rejoice. For those who could formerly not have children would now outnumber those who could. Meaning the Gentiles who at one time were not included in the promise, were now included and would eventually outnumber the ones with the “husband”—the Jews.
22: For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman.
23: But the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise.
24: This is allegorically speaking, for these women are two covenants: one proceeding from Mount Sinai bearing children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar.
25 Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children.
26: But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother.
27: For it is written, “REJOICE, BARREN WOMAN WHO DOES NOT BEAR; BREAK FORTH AND SHOUT, YOU WHO ARE NOT IN LABOR; FOR MORE NUMEROUS ARE THE CHILDREN OF THE DESOLATE THAN OF THE ONE WHO HAS A HUSBAND.”
28: And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise.
29: But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also.
30: But what does the Scripture say? “CAST OUT THE BONDWOMAN AND HER SON,
FOR THE SON OF THE BONDWOMAN SHALL NOT BE AN HEIR WITH THE SON OF THE FREE WOMAN.”
31: So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, but of the free woman.
***
Paul asked those who wanted to be put under the Law if they even understand what it said. For even the Law said that righteousness is by faith through the promise, not through keeping the works of the Law. He told of Abraham’s two sons. Ishmael was of the flesh. He was born as a result of Sarah telling Abraham to bear a child with her maid Hagar because it seemed she would not be able to have a child. It was an attempt to obtain God’s promise of a son through the flesh, rather than the power of God. So, Ishmael was the son of the bondwoman, born according to the flesh.
Isaac was born of Abraham and Sarah. He was the son of promise, for God had promised them that they would have a son, and the promise of blessing to all nations would come through his bloodline. Paul explained that the two women—Hagar and Sarah—represent two covenants. The old, rocky and rugged Mt. Sinai, where the Law was given years later, brought bondage. But the new, heavenly Jerusalem, which is of promise by faith, brings freedom.
Paul quoted Isaiah 54:1 calling for the barren woman to rejoice. For those who could formerly not have children would now outnumber those who could. Meaning the Gentiles who at one time were not included in the promise, were now included and would eventually outnumber the ones with the “husband”—the Jews.
Paul assured them they were, like Isaac, children of promise. He also noted that just as Ishmael persecuted Isaac (Genesis 21:9) even now those of the flesh persecute those of the Spirit. The Jews trying to get the Galatians to be circumcised were like Ishmael persecuting Isaac—flesh persecuting Spirit—trying to bring them into bondage. He quoted Genesis 21:10, 12 where it says to cast out the bondwoman and her son, for he shall not be heir with the son of the free woman. As children of the free woman, we are the heirs of the promise of God.
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