GALATIANS 4
OPENS WITH HEIRS OF GOD: THE CHILDREN OF PROMISE IN JESUS
PAUL'S TELLS CHRISTIANS, JEWS AND GENTILES ALIKE, WHO HAVE REPENTED, BEEN SAVED AND REDEEMED BY CHRIST JESUS YOU ARE NO LONGER ((UNDER)) BONDAGE TO THE BASIC ELEMENTS, WE ARE NOW GOD'S CHILDREN ALSO.
Verses 1-3 tells us an illustration and application comparing a child and slave.
"Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world."
The heir, as long as he is a child...
WE KNOW the word "child" has the idea of a minor. It does NOT suggest a specific age, but someone who is not yet legally recognized as an adult.
WE KNOW TOO, In both Jewish and Greek cultures, there were definite "coming of age" ceremonies, where a boy stopped being a child and started being a man, with legal rights as an heir.
In the Roman custom, there was no specific age when the son became a man. It happened when the father thought the boy was ready, when he thought the time was right. When Paul uses the phrase until the time appointed by the father, he shows that he has the Roman "coming of age" custom more in mind than the Jewish custom.
BOICE tells us, "A Roman child became an adult at the sacred family festival known as the Liberalia, held annually on the seventeenth of March. At this time the child was formally adopted by the father as his acknowledged son and heir and received the toga virilis in place of the toga praetexta which he had previously worn."
BARCLAY tells us, "There was a Roman custom that on the day a boy or a girl grew up, the boy offered his ball, and the girl her doll, to Apollo to show that they had put away childish things."
As long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all...
Think of a wealthy ancient household, with a young boy who is destined to inherit all that his father has. When the boy is just a child, he actually has less day-to-day freedom and authority than a high ranking slave in the household. Yet, he is destined to inherit everything, and the slave is not.
Even so...
Now Paul gives the comparison to our own spiritual condition.
1. We are sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:26).
2. We are heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:29).
3. The law was our guardian (Galatians 3:24-25), to watch over us when we were still "children." The law's effect on our corrupt nature was to bring us into bondage under the elements of the world.
Elements of the world...
Paul uses an interesting phrase here.
To describe it Paul uses the word "stoicheia".
A "stocheion" was originally a line of things; for instance, it can mean a file of soldiers. But it came to mean the ABC, and then any elementary knowledge."
The idea of the "ABC of the universe" is important.
WHY?
If there is any "ABC of the universe" (elementary principle) that we must break free from, and that is stressed in pagan religion just as much as Jewish law, it is the principle of cause and effect. Call it karma, call it "you get what you deserve," or whatever, it rules nature and the minds of men. We live under the idea that we get what we deserve; when we are good, we deserve to receive good; when we are bad, we deserve to receive bad.
SO, Paul tells the Galatians to go beyond this "ABC of the universe" into an understanding of God's grace.
WHY?
Grace contradicts this "ABC of the universe," because under grace God does NOT deal with us on the basis of what we deserve.
Our good can NOT justify us under grace; our bad need NOT condemn us.
WHY?
God's blessing and favor is GIVEN on a principle completely apart from the "ABC of the universe." His blessing and favor is given for reasons that are completely IN Him, and have nothing to do with us.
MAKE NO MISTAKE...The "ABC of the universe" is NOT bad in itself. We do and must use it in life, and God has a proper place for it. But we must NOT base our relationship to God on this principle.
WHY?
God does NOT deal with us, US=MEANING THOSE OF US WHO ARE SAVED AND REDEEMED BY THE GRACE, LOVE, MERCY OF JESUS CHRIST AND IN HIM ALONE.
God does NOT deal with us on the principle of earning and deserving.
Because this is such an elementary principle, it is so hard for us to shake this kind of thinking. But it is ESSENTIAL if we will walk in grace. When we live on the principle of earning and deserving before God, we live in BONDAGE under the elements of the world.
False teaching is according to these elemental principles, and not according to Jesus in Colossians 2:8.
In Jesus, we die to the elemental principles of the world in Colossians 2:20.
Verses 4-5 tells us the liberation of heirs from their bondage.
"But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons."
But when the fullness of time had come...The idea behind the phrase the fullness of time is "when the time was right." Jesus came at just the right time in God's redemptive plan, when the world was perfectly prepared for God's work.
The time was also right because the 483 years prophesied by Daniel were drawing to a close in Daniel 9:24-26.
God sent forth His Son, born of a woman...
Jesus came not only as God's Son, but also as one born of a woman, born under law. The eternal Son of God in heaven added humanity to His deity and became a man, born of a woman, born under law.
To redeem those who were under the law...
Because Jesus is God, He has the power and the resources to redeem us.
Because Jesus is man, He has the right and the ability to redeem us. He came to purchase us out of the slave market, from our bondage to sin and the elements of the world.
That we might receive the adoption as sons...
It would be enough that we are purchased out of the slave market. But God's work for us does NOT end there; we are then elevated to the place of sons and daughters of God by adoption!
Are we all children of God? Yes and no. Every human being is a child of God in the sense of being His offspring (Acts 17:28-29).
Genesis tells us ALL mankind was created in His image.
Yet NOT every human being is a child of God in the sense of this close, adoptive relationship Paul writes of here.
In this sense, there are children of God and children of the devil, told to us in John 8:44.
Paul probably has in mind the Roman custom of "adoption", where adopted sons were given absolutely equal privileges in the family and equal status as heirs.
There is a sense in which this is a totally unnecessary blessing that God has given in the course of salvation, and a demonstration of His true and deep love for us. We can picture someone helping or saving someone, but not going so far as to make them a part of the family - but this is what God has done for us.
We receive the adoption of sons; we do not recover it.
In this sense, we gain something in Jesus that is FAR GREATER than what Adam ever possessed. Adam was never adopted as a son of God in the way believers are. So we are mistaken when we think of redemption as merely a restoration of what was lost with Adam. We are granted more in Jesus than Adam ever had.
Verses 6-7 tells us celebrating our sonship.
"And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ."
Because you are sons … "Abba, Father!" It is fitting that those who are in fact sons have the Spirit of the Son in their hearts. This gives us both the right and the ability to cry out "Daddy!" to God our Father, even as Jesus did to His Father.
We have access to the same intimacy with God the Father that God the Son, Jesus Christ had. Jesus addressed God the Father as "Daddy" when He prayed, Abba, Father as recorded in Mark 14:36.
We get to call God the Father, the Sovereign Lord of eternity, Daddy! It is possible to address God disrespectfully this way; but we should never deny ourselves the intimacy and affection that it expresses.
Crying out, "Abba, Father!" We don't whisper "Daddy" as if we were hesitant to speak so affectionately. Instead, we cry it out!
God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts...
We know that we are the sons and daughters of God by the witness of the Holy Spirit within us. As Paul wrote in Romans 8:16: "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God."
We also can NOT miss the way the truth of the Trinity is woven into the text...God the Father sends God the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of God the Son, into our hearts to give us an assurance that we are the sons and daughters of God.
The Spirit of His Son...
The Holy Spirit can be called the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, or linked to God the Father. This is because the nature of God is consistent among the persons of the Trinity. Here, the Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of His Son because the idea of our sonship is based on Jesus' sonship.
Our sonship is based on who we are in Jesus, yet there are important distinctions between our sonship and Jesus' sonship.
Jesus is the only begotten Son (John 3:16) making Him a Son by essential nature.
We are adopted sons and daughters of God, made children by a legal decree of God.
Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son...
Sons are never slaves, and slaves are never sons in their father's house. Jesus illustrated this in the parable of the prodigal son, where the son was determined to return to his father as a slave - but the father refused, and would only receive him as a son.
And if a son, then an heir...
There is a beautiful progression. First we are set free from slavery. Then we are declared sons and adopted into God's family. Then, as sons, we are made heirs.
Heirs inherit something, and what do we inherit? Paul makes it clear: an heir of God through Christ. We inherit God Himself.
For some, this might seem like a paltry inheritance. But for those who are really in Christ, who really love God, to be an heir of God is the richest inheritance of all.
Through Christ...
1. Our release from slavery
2. Our sonship
3. The Spirit of Jesus in our hearts.
4. Our status as heirs of God are all birthrights given to us in Jesus. We receive them through Christ. These are things we should be living in and enjoying every day of our Christian life.
Verses 8-11 tells us there is a decision to make: A choice between living under the elements of the world or as a son and daughter of God.
"But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods. But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? You observe days and months and seasons and years. I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain."
Then, indeed, when you did not know God...
The bondage is natural when we did not know God and when we served those things that are not gods. But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is that you turn again: But why would someone who knows the true God, and has been set free, place themselves under bondage? This is what the Galatians are doing!
Or rather are known by God...
Paul makes an important point when he says "or rather are known by God"; it is REALLY FAR MORE important that God knows us (in the sense of an intimate, accepting relationship) than it is that we know God.
WHY?
Remember the terrible words of judgment in Matthew 7:21-23: "I never knew you."
How is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements...
In turning to LEGALISM=OUR OWN EARN BASED SALVATION, the Galatians were not turning to a new error, but coming back to an old one - the idea of a works relationship with God.
As Christians, we can place ourselves under the bondage of a works based, "cause and effect" relationship with God - but this is moving backward, not forward. By writing turn again, Paul shows that the Galatians were not turning to a new error, but coming back to an old one - the idea of a works relationship with God.
Weak and beggarly...
These elements of the world are weak because they offer NO strength; they are beggarly because they bestow NO riches. All they can do is bring us again into bondage.
You observe days and months and seasons and years...
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
The false teachers among the Galatians DEMANDED the observance of days and months and seasons and years and other such legalistic matters acted as if this would lead them into a higher plane of spirituality. But all these weak and beggarly elements of legalism did was bring them BACK into bondage.
Paul seems amazed that someone would turn from the liberty of Jesus to this kind of bondage.
But legalism caters to and recognizes our flesh by putting the focus on what we achieve for God, not on what Jesus did for us.
The liberty of Jesus gives us status as sons and a rich inheritance, but it WILL NOT cater to our flesh.
ROBERTSON clarifies this, "Paul does not object to these observances for he kept them himself as a Jew. He objected to Gentiles taking them as a means of salvation."
I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain...
Paul's fear is that this attraction to legalism will mean that his work among the Galatians will amount to nothing and end up being in vain.
Labored is literally "to labor to the point of exhaustion." Paul worked hard among the Galatians, just like he always worked hard (1 Corinthians 15:10). Paul never thought that his gospel of free grace meant laziness in serving God.
In vain...
At the end of this section, Paul puts A CLEAR CHOICE before the Galatians, and before us. We can have a living, free, relationship with God as a loving Father based on what Jesus did for us and who we are in Him.
Or we can try to please God by our best efforts of keeping the rules, the rituals, living in bondage as slaves, not sons. Living that way makes the whole gospel in vain.
i. A good example of this is John Wesley. Before his conversion:
- He was the son of a clergyman and a clergyman himself.
- He was orthodox in belief, faithful in morality, and full of good works.
- He did ministry in prisons, sweatshops, and slums.
- He gave food, clothing, and education to slum children.
- He observed both Saturday and Sunday as the Sabbath.
- He sailed from England to the American colonies as a missionary.
- He studied his Bible, prayed, fasted, and gave regularly.
Yet all the time, he was bound in the chains of his own religious efforts, because he trusted in what he could do to make himself right before God instead of trusting in what Jesus had done.
Later, he came to "trust in Christ, in Christ only for salvation," and came to an inner assurance that he was now forgiven, saved, and a son of God. Looking back on all his religious activity before he was truly saved, he said: "I had even then the faith of a servant, though not that of a son."
Verse 12 tells us Paul appeals: "Become like me."
"Brethren, I urge you to become like me, for I became like you. You have not injured me at all."
I urge you to become like me...
For many of us and Bible commentators then and now, these are strange words from Paul. How could he ever urge them to become like him? Should he only point them to Jesus? In what way should the Galatian Christians become like Paul?
Paul knew well that he WAS NOT sinlessly perfect. He WAS NOT standing before the Galatian Christians, saying "Look at how perfect I am. Do not worry about following Jesus, just follow me." He simply wanted them to follow him as he followed Jesus.
Instead, Paul knew the Galatian Christians should imitate his consistency. The Galatians started out with the right understanding of the gospel, because Paul led them into the right understanding. But some of them did NOT STAY there like Paul did, and in that way, they should become like Paul.
Paul knew the Galatian Christians should imitate his liberty. Paul was free in Jesus, and he wanted them to know the same freedom. In that way, they should become like Paul. Be as I am is an exhortation to the Galatians to become Christians in the same sense as Paul is a Christian, one who is not bound by the Jewish law.
Can we say to others, "become like me"?
If we can not, then why not?
If Christianity is true, should not it be true in my life and your life? "All Christians should be able to say something like this, especially to unbelievers, namely that we are so satisfied with Jesus Christ, with His freedom, joy and salvation, that we want other people to become like us."
For I became like you...
Paul can say to the Galatian Christians, "When it comes to legalism, I know where you are at. I used to live my whole life trying to be accepted by God because of what I did. In that regard, I became like you and saw that it was a dead end. Take it from someone who knows where you are coming from."
AND Paul may have ALSO had in mind the idea that he became as a Gentile when he was among them, according to the philosophy expressed in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23. In this thinking, he became "One who lives free from the restrictions imposed by the law. This means he had thrown off his Jewish shackles and come to be like a Gentile; he beseeches his converts not to become like Jews."
You have not injured me at all...
Paul has used pretty strong words with the Galatians. It would be easy for them to think he spoke just out of a sense of personal hurt. Paul assures them that this WAS NOT the case at all. Paul wants them to get this right, but for their own sakes, NOT for his.
We can REALLY feel Paul's heartfelt emotion in these verses.
As Stott puts it, "In Galatians 1-3 we have been listening to Paul the apostle, Paul the theologian, Paul the defender of the faith; but now we are hearing Paul the man, Paul the pastor, Paul the passionate lover of souls."
Verses 13-16 tells us Paul appeals: "Remember how you used to respond to me."
"You know that because of physical infirmity I preached the gospel to you at the first. And my trial which was in my flesh you did not despise or reject, but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. What then was the blessing you enjoyed? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me. Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?"
Apparently, Paul was compelled to travel into the region of Galatia because of some type of physical illness he suffered while on his first missionary journey. The book of Acts does NOT tell us as much about this as we would like to know, but we can piece together a few facts.
According to Acts 13, Paul came to the region of Galatia - specifically, the city of Pisidian Antioch - from the city of Perga in the region of Pamphylia. We know a few things about Perga - first, it was the place where John Mark abandoned Paul and Barnabas (Acts 13:13), and the trials related to the physical infirmity may have had something to do with it. Second, Perga was in a lowland, marshy area. The Galatian city of Pisidian Antioch was some 3,600 feet higher than Perga. It has been suggested that Paul's physical illness at that time was a type of malaria common to the lowlands of Perga. William Barclay describes this malaria as producing a terrible pain that was like "a red-hot bar thrust through the forehead."
My trial that was in my flesh you did not despise or reject: Even though Paul was not a great example of strength and power because of his physical infirmity, the Galatians still received him, and they received him honorably. They embraced Paul so generously that they would have plucked out [their] own eyes and given them to Paul if that could somehow meet his need.
This leads some to believe that Paul's physical infirmity had something to do with his eyes. Noted Greek scholars such as Wuest, Rendall, and Robertson believe that the nuances of the Greek text indicate that Paul's physical infirmity as an eye problem. Galatians 6:11 - where Paul makes reference to large letters written with his own hand - may also support this idea.
But the real point here is that despite whatever Paul's infirmity was, the Galatians did not despise or reject him. "As physical infirmity and illness were regarded by Jews and Gentiles alike as a symbol of divine displeasure or punishment, there would have been a natural temptation for the Galatians to despise Paul and reject his message." (Fung) This is exactly what the Galatians did not do. Even though Paul seemed weak and afflicted, they embraced him and responded to his message of grace and God's love.
Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth? In light of the great love and honor the Galatians had shown towards Paul, and in light of the great blessing they received from God when they showed such to him, the Galatians should not think that Paul has now become their adversary when he confronts them with the truth. They needed the truth more than they needed to feel good about where they were at.
Verses 17-18 tells us Paul appeals: "Beware of the affection the legalists show you."
"They zealously court you, but for no good; yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them. But it is good to be zealous in a good thing always, and not only when I am present with you."
They zealously court you, but for no good...
Paul will admit that the legalists zealously court the Galatians; and legalism often comes wrapped in a cloak of "love." But the end result is for NOTHING good.
Many cults then and now, use a technique informally known today as "love bombing." They overwhelm a prospective member with attention, support, and affection. But it is NOT really a sincere love for the prospect; it is really just a technique to gain another member. Christians - and legalistic groups among Christians - can WRONGLY use the same technique in some way or another.
They want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them...
Paul's legalistic opponents wanted to draw the Galatian Christians away into their own divisive group. They actually wanted to exclude the Galatians from other Christians, and to bring them into the "super-spiritual" group of the legalists.
The zeal cultivated by legalism is often MORE ZEAL FOR THE GROUP, THE ORGANIZATION, THE RELIGIOSITY itself than for Jesus Christ. Though they name the name of Jesus, in practice the group itself is exalted as the main focus, and usually exalted as the last refuge of the true "super-Christians."
Exclude is literally "lock you up." For now, the legalists are courting the Galatians, but once they have alienated them from Jesus and from Paul, the legalists will demand that the Galatians serve them. Legalism is almost always associated with some kind of religious bondage.
It is good to be zealous in a good thing always...
Paul certainly is NOT against zeal. He WANTS Christians to be zealous in a good thing always. But it is important to make sure that our zeal is in a good thing, because zeal in a bad thing is dangerous and destructive.
The Galatian Christians were no doubt impressed by the zeal of the legalists. They were so sincere, so passionate about their beliefs. Paul will agree that it is good to be zealous - but only in a good thing always. Zeal in the service of a lie is a dangerous thing!
AND WE KNOW Paul CERTAINLY knew this well, because before he became a Christian, he had plenty of zeal, even persecuting the church (Acts 7:58-8:4). Later, Paul looked back at that time of great zeal in the service of a lie and deeply regretted it (1 Corinthians 15:9, 1 Timothy 1:15).
And not only when I am present with you...
Paul wanted the Galatians to be zealous for JESUS CHRIST, and zealous for what is good when he was absent, not only when he was present among them.
Verses 19-20 tells us Paul appeals: "I love you like a father, please listen to me."
"My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you, I would like to be present with you now and to change my tone; for I have doubts about you."
My little children...
Paul rightly considers himself to be a father to the Galatians. Yet this challenge has made him feel as if he must bring them to Jesus all over again (for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you). Paul knew that his work of forming Christ in them was NOT complete until they STAYED in a place of trusting Jesus.
AND HAVING STUDIED ROMANS, we remember the idea of Christ is formed in you is similar to the idea of Romans 8:29: "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son."
It would be wrong for Paul to seek to form himself in the Galatians. That is NEVER to be the job of the pastor. He is right to seek to form Christ in them.
Through this section, Paul masterfully mixes metaphors to give a powerful picture.
1. Paul likens himself to a "mother" who gave spiritual "birth" to the Galatians (my little children).
2. Something unnatural has happened - the Galatians are drifting away from Jesus and to the law. So Paul has to labor in birth again, and this is unnatural to have labor pains a second time.
3. Paul has the labor pains, but Christ is formed in them. Paul will keep laboring until Jesus is formed in them!
I would like to be present with you now and change my tone...
Paul wished two things. First, that he could be present with the Galatians. But he also wished that he did not need to speak to them in such strong words, that he could change his tone. But their danger of leaving the true gospel has made such strong words necessary, and has made Paul's doubts necessary to address.
This section, Galatians 4:12-20, shows us, gives us the PRINCIPLES for the attitude for people in the church toward their pastor.
1. Their attitude must NOT be determined by his personal appearance or personality.
2. Their attitude must NOT be determined by their own theological whims.
3. Their attitude SHOULD be determined by his loyalty to the apostolic message in the Bible.
This section, Galatians 4:12-20, shows us PRINCIPLES for the attitude for the pastor towards the people in his church.
1. He must be willing to serve and sacrifice for his people.
2. He must tell them the truth.
3. He must love his people deeply, but never for a selfish motive.
4. He must desire to see more than mere excitement, but zeal for good things of Jesus.
5. He must desire to form Jesus in them, not himself in them.
Using the Old Testament, Paul shows that the systems of grace and law CAN NOT EVER exist together as principles in our lives as Jesus loving Christians.
Verse 21 tells us Paul will appeal to the law to those who claim the law.
"Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law?"
Tell me, you who desire to be under the law...
Now Paul writes directly, BOTH to those who PROMOTED legalism and to those who SUCCUMBED to legalism. He writes to those who desire to be under the law, living under law keeping as the basis for their relationship with God.
Who would ever desire to be under the law?
Many people.
There are many advantages to being under the law as your principle of relating to God.
HOW?
First, you always have the outward certainty of a list of rules to keep.
Second, you can compliment yourself because you keep the rules better than others do.
Third, you can take the credit for your own salvation, because you earned it by keeping the list of rules.
Under the law, it is what you do for God that makes you right before Him.
Under the grace of God, it is what God has done for us in Jesus Christ that makes us right before Him.
Under the law, the focus is on my performance.
Under the grace of God, the focus is on who Jesus is and what He has done.
Under the law, we find fig leaves to cover our nakedness.
Under the grace of God, we receive the covering, won through sacrifice, that God provides.
Do you not hear the law?
Paul senses that he HAS NOT made his point yet, so he will now approach the matter with another illustration from the Old Testament.
Essentially, Paul says "Let's have a Bible study. Open your Bibles to Genesis chapter 16."
Paul took it for granted that his readers knew the Bible. He explains his point from the story of Abraham, Hagar, and Sarah in Genesis 16 without a lot of detail from the story. He assumes that they knew the story.
It is important that Paul refer back to the Scriptures again and again.
The legalists among the Galatians presented themselves as the "back to the Bible" bunch.
Yet Paul will show that they are not handling the Old Testament Scriptures correctly, and he will show that a true understanding of the Law of Moses will support the true gospel he preaches.
Verses 22-23 tells us The Old Testament shows the CONTRAST between the two sons of Abraham: ISAAC and ISHMAEL.
"For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise."
The legalists who troubled the Galatians protested that they were children of Abraham, and therefore blessed. Paul will admit they are children of Abraham, but they forget that Abraham had two sons!
The one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman...
Abraham's first son was named Ishmael. He was born not from his wife, but from his wife's servant (the bondwoman), from a misguided surrogate mother scheme to "help God out" when it Abraham's wife Sarah could not become pregnant.
The first contrast Paul draws between real Christianity and legalism is the contrast between freedom and slavery.
One son of Abraham was born by a freewoman, and one was born by a bondwoman. Which son of Abraham illustrates your life with God?
Born according to the flesh...
Ishmael was Abraham's son, but he was the son according to the flesh and unbelief and trying to make your own way before God.
It often does NOT look like it, but legalism is living according to the flesh. It denies God's promise and tries to make your own way to God through the law. This is living like a descendant of Abraham - but it is living like Ishmael.
He of the freewoman through promise...
Abraham's second son was named Isaac. He was born, miraculously, through Abraham's wife Sarah (the freewoman). Isaac was Abraham's son, and he was the son of God's promise and faith and God's miracle for Abraham.
The second contrast Paul draws between Christianity and legalism is the contrast between a work done by God's promised miracle and a work done by the flesh.
Paul asks, then and now, Is our relationship with God based on our own works, or the work of God's promised miracle?
Verses 24-27 tells us the Old Testament shows the contrast between MOUNT SINAI and MOUNT ZION.
"Which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar; for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children; but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all. For it is written: "Rejoice, O barren, You who do not bear! Break forth and shout, You who are not in labor! For the desolate has many more children Than she who has a husband."
Which things are symbolic...
Paul wants it UNDERSTOOD that he speaks using pictures from the Old Testament. His reference to Hagar and Ishmael were pictures, meant to illustrate his point. Now he will bring in another picture.
Paul was clearly guided by the Holy Spirit here. For us, we must be careful about reading allegorical or symbolic things into the Scriptures.
For these are the two covenants...
In the Bible, a covenant is a "contract" that sets the rules for our relationship with God. Paul brings it right down to the issues confronting the Galatian Christians. The legalists wanted them to relate to God under one set of rules, and Paul wanted them to relate to God under the "rules" presented by the gospel.
IT IS IMPORTANT AND WORTH reminding ourselves of the extreme relevance of all this.
Many people today look at the issues Paul is passionate about here and they just yawn. They say, "Paul, you are dealing with theological speculation. I have other problems. My marriage is in trouble. I can not pay my bills. I have a lot of personal problems. You would do me much more good by teaching me about those things than going on and on with your theology about being right with God." But Paul would respond, "The most important thing in your life is being right with God. If that is NOT right, than nothing else really matters. If that is right, God will bless you and teach you about your marriage, your money, and your personal problems. Regarding the solutions to our day-to-day problems, Jesus said seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." in Matthew 6:33.
The one from Mount Sinai...
One covenant is associated with Mount Sinai, the place where Moses received the Law in Exodus 19-20.
1. This covenant gives birth to BONDAGE. Since it is all about what we MUST DO for God to be accepted by Him, it does NOT set us free. It puts us on a perpetual treadmill of having to PROVE ourselves and earn our way before God.
2. This covenant is associated with Hagar, the "surrogate mother" who gave birth to Ishmael. It is therefore, if used wrongly, a covenant according to THE FLESH in Galatians 4:23.
3. This covenant corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, that is, EARTHLY Jerusalem which was the capital of religious Judaism. This was the way most Jewish people in Paul's day tried to be right with God - by trusting in their ability to please God by keeping the law.
Paul emphasizes the point again: this covenant is in bondage!
But the Jerusalem ABOVE...
The other covenant is associated with Jerusalem, with Mount Zion - but not the Mount Zion of this earth. Instead, it is associated with the Jerusalem above - God's own New Jerusalem in heaven.
The third contrast Paul draws between Christianity and legalism is the contrast between heaven and earth.
Is our relationship with God a matter of heaven coming down to earth, or is it like earth reaching up to heaven?
The Jerusalem ABOVE IS FREE:
Paul will now tell us more about the covenant represented by the HEAVENLY Jerusalem.
This covenant brings freedom - it is free. It is free because it recognizes that Jesus paid the price, and we do NOT have to pay it ourselves.
Paul is not talking about the Jerusalem in Palestine that was the chief city of the Jewish nation at that time, for that city was not free. It was under the rule of the Romans. But the spiritual or heavenly Jerusalem is not in bondage; it is free.
Which is the mother of us all...
This covenant has many children; it is the mother of us all. Every Christian through the centuries belongs to this NEW COVENANT, the covenant of the heavenly Jerusalem.
And every birth under this covenant is a MIRACLE, like the fulfillment of the prophecy from Isaiah 54:1, "Rejoice, O barren, you who do not bear! Every one is born because of a miracle by God."
The desolate has many more children...
The quotation from Isaiah 54:1 also suggests that there will soon be more Christians that Jews - a promise that WAS fulfilled.
The fourth contrast Paul draws between Christianity and legalism is the contrast between many more and many. The abundance and glory of the New Covenant is shown by the fact that it would soon have more followers than the Old Covenant.
The "Ishmaels" - Legalism The "Isaacs" - True Christianity
Slavery and bondage Freedom
Ishmael: born according to the flesh Isaac: born by God's promised miracle
Coming from the earthly Jerusalem...Coming from the heavenly Jerusalem
Many children...Many more children
Persecuting...Persecuted
Inheriting nothing...Inheriting everything
Relationship based on law-keeping ...Relationship based on trusting God
Verses 28-31 tells us Paul applies the contrasts between the TWO SYSTEMS.
"Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now. Nevertheless what does the Scripture say? "Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman." So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free."
Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise...
As Christians, we do NOT identify with Ishmael. We DO identify with Isaac, as children OF A PROMISE that was received BY faith.
But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now...
Ishmael and his descendants PERSECUTED Isaac and his descendants. So we should not be surprised that the modern day people who follow God in the flesh persecute those who follow God in faith through the promise.
The fifth contrast Paul draws between Christianity and legalism is the contrast between PERSECUTED AND PERSECUTING.
The legalists - represented by Ishmael - have ALWAYS persecuted true Christianity, represented by Isaac.
As we walk in the glory, in the freedom, in the miraculous power of this New Covenant, we SHOULD expect to be mistreated by those who don't.
There is NO specific mention of Ishmael persecuting Isaac, though Genesis 21:9 says that Ishmael did mock Isaac. Paul may be referring to this mocking, he may be recalling a Jewish tradition, or he may be adding something by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that we did NOT know before.
BOICE says it well, "The persecution Christians face "will not always be by the world but also and indeed more often by their half-brothers - the unbelieving but religious people in the nominal church. This is the lesson of history … Today the greatest enemies of the believing church are found among the members of the unbelieving church, the greatest opposition emanating from pulpits and church hierarchies."
Nevertheless what does the Scripture say? "Cast out the bondwoman and her son"...
The answer to this problem is clear, though NOT easy. We must cast out the bondwoman and her son. Law and grace CAN NOT live together as principles for our Christian life.
1. Hagar and Sarah could NOT live together in the same house (Genesis 21:8-14). We could argue all day long whose fault it was, but that IS NOT the point.
SO WHAT IS THE POINT?
The point is that God told Abraham to send Hagar away.
So also every Christian MUST send away the idea of relating to God on the principle of law, the principle of what we do for Him instead of what He has done for us in Jesus Christ.
Significantly, Sarah COULD live with Hagar and Ishmael UNTIL the son of promise was born.
But once Isaac was born, then Hagar and Ishmael had to go.
In the same way, a person could relate to the law one way BEFORE the promise of the gospel was made clear in Jesus Christ. But now that it has been made clear, there is nothing to do but TO CAST OUT the bondwoman and her son.
For the son of the bondwoman SHALL NOT be heir with the son of the freewoman...
Ishmael was not necessarily a bad man, or a cursed man. But neither was he blessed with the promise of inheriting the glorious covenant of God given to Abraham and his descendants. That was the inheritance of one heir - Isaac, the son of the freewoman.
The sixth contrast Paul draws between Christianity and legalism is the contrast between inheriting all and inheriting nothing.
While the "Isaacs" of this world may be persecuted, they also have a glorious inheritance that the "Ishmaels" of this world will NEVER know. We are heirs of God through the principle of grace, not works!
So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free...
For Paul, one of the great issues in this was freedom. He knew the bondage of trying to earn his own way before God, because he lived that way for decades. Now he knew the freedom of living as a son of God, free in Jesus Christ.