LETTER TO THE GALATIANS
The True Sons and Daughters of Abraham
THE TRUE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF ABRAHAM (4:21-5:1)
Introduction
At this point, we come to an usual passage in Paul’s writings. Allegories are statements or stories in which each person or place or thing in the story actually represents something else. For example, in the movie The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, the lion definitely represents Jesus Christ. Paul uses this literary device here in Galatians to illustrate that Christians of faith are the true sons of Abraham to illustrate that true people of faith should expect persecution from those who are not of faith and finally to illustrate that the inheritance, that is the blessing promised to Abraham, goes only to the people of faith.
| 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 contains an allegory, 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 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. 1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. |
Commentary
In this allegory, Paul is going to contrast 2 of Abraham's sons, Isaac, the son born to Abraham's wife Sarah and Ishmael, the son born to Abraham's slave, Hagar. Now Isaac, according to Genesis, was the recipient of the promise God had given Abraham in Gen. 12:1-3, whereas Ishmael, who was loved by Abraham, did not receive the promise. Now what was true about Isaac should be true of all of Abraham's children.
We shall see that Isaac, the recipient of the promise, was conceived miraculously. Because the old adage is true (like father, like son) those who are descendants of Abraham, that is those who receive the promise of the blessing (salvation), should be born miraculously. This is exactly what does happen; the true spiritual descendants of Abraham are born miraculously. Two examples of this. First, we who are Christians are born miraculously at the second birth, birth by the Holy Spirit (John 3:3-5). Second, Jesus who is THE SEED, THE DESCENDANT of Abraham, WAS born miraculously by means of the virgin birth.
Crucial to Paul’s point here is the difference in the way that Isaac was conceived and the way Ishmael was conceived. Ishmael was conceived by ordinary means, no miracle being needed. Abraham had sexual relations with the fertile Egyptian slave Hagar, and she almost immediately had a son, Ishmael. There was nothing special about Ishmael’s birth. Isaac, on the other hand, was conceived by special intervention on the part of God, by means of a miracle. If God had not moved upon the body of Sarah especially, if God had not raised life (Isaac) from death (the barren womb of the elderly Saran), then Isaac would have never been born. Ishmael was born strictly according to the flesh, requiring no special intervention on God’s part. Isaac was the result first of God’s promise to Abraham and second of God’s performing a miracle by means of His Spirit upon the body of Sarah.
| CATEGORIES | ISHMAEL | ISAAC |
| Mother | Fertile Hagar | Barren Sarah |
| Response | Works | Faith |
| Birth | Natural Means | Supernatural Means (God’s Spirit) |
| Promise | No Promise | Promised by God |
| Inheritance | No Inheritance | Inheritance of the blessing promised to Abraham |
It is easy to contrast Ishmael with Isaac. Paul goes further though and compares Ishmael with the giving of the Law at Mt. Sinai and Isaac with the gospel of grace from the heavenly Mt. Zion.
What are the implications of this application, of comparing us to the birth of Isaac and the Judaizers to the birth of Ishmael? Ishmael, the son of a slave, really should have been nothing more than a slave unless Sarah had intervened. Isaac, on the other hand, being born of the free woman, was destined for freedom. In the same way, just as Isaac was the product of a resurrection--life from the dead [bodies of Abraham and Sarah], so we too are children of resurrection, of life from the dead; like Isaac, we too as God’s sons/daughters are destined to freedom, even freedom from the slavery of the Law. THEREFORE, if my life is produced by natural means alone, if I follow the Law, then I am nothing more than a slave, a descendant of Abraham's slave, Ishmael; on the other hand, if my life is the result of a miracle (a divine, spiritual rebirth) and if I live by faith, I am a descendant of Abraham's son, Isaac.
Such a view of the Law seems strange to us; however, this has been a dominant view since the time of Paul. One of the great Christian classics is Pilgrim’s Progress, the adventures of Pilgrim/Christian fleeing from the City of Destruction for the Celestial City. Twice along the way to the Celestial City, Christian turns to the Law for guidance. The results both times are disastrous. First, Christian climbs up Mt. Sinai to the home of Mr. Legality. Lightning is shooting forth from the top of the mountain. The burden on Christian’s back almost plunges him down the mountain to his doom. Later, a rider on a horse wielding a club beats Christian on the head. The rider wheels the horse around and beats Christian with the club again. This happens repeatedly UNTIL Christian realizes that the rider beating him on the head is Moses. Moses with his Law was never meant to give life; rather, he and the Law are the agents of death. Listen to the way Paul compares the Law with the Gospel of Grace:
“{He, Jesus] also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not
of the __________ but of the ________; for the LETTER __________, but the
SPIRIT __________ _________. 7 But if the ministry of ___________, in letters en-
graved on __________, came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not
look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fad-
ing as it was, 8 how will the MINISTRY OF THE ______________ fail to be
even more with glory? 9 For if THE MINISTRY OF _____________________
has glory, much more does the MINISTRY OF ___________________
abound in glory” (2 Cor. 3:6-9).
Law is meant for slaves, not for sons, not for free men. Jesus highlights this in John 8:31-36. Christ makes us free because He makes us sons by virtue of our relationship with Him, THE Son!
DIRE WARNINGS (5:2-12)
Introduction
In these next 11 verses Paul reaches the climax of his argument regarding observing the rite of circumcision and keeping the Law as a means of growing “spiritually,” of growing in the Christian life. In chapter 1 Paul distinguished between his gospel and the gospel of the Judaizers. They were claiming that their gospel was just another, better, new and improved version of Paul’s. Using the Greek words he does (heteros versus allo), Paul actually claims that their gospel was no gospel at all. Instead of bringing life, theirs brought death. Instead of bringing the blessing, theirs brought the curse. Paul concludes his defense by returning to those warnings.
| 2 Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. 3 And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. 4 You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love. 7 You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough. 10 I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will adopt no other view; but the one who is disturbing you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is. 11 But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished. 12 Would that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves. |
Commentary
Paul starts this section with a major attention-getting device: “Behold, I, Paul.” When Paul wants to get our attention in other places in his letters, he will write either “I, Paul” or “Behold I,” never “Behold I Paul.” Here he combines both devices: “Behold I Paul.” Paul for all practical purposes is saying: “Guys, listen up! What I am saying is deadly serious.”
At this point, the Galatians have not submitted to the rite of circumcision. Paul warns them, though, that if they do, they will face dire circumstances:
This is serious indeed. Do I truly want to stand before God on Judgment Day apart from Christ? Do I want to stand before the Father and Christ benefit me NOT ONE THING?
Once you start down the path of Law-keeping, there is no end. The Law is not like a buffet from which you can choose which law to keep and which one to break. You either keep ALL of it as a means of salvation or you find another path to salvation.
On the other hand, "we through the Spirit _______ ____________ are waiting for the hope of righteousness." Our faith brings us into a right relationship with God. At the present time, the Spirit is beginning to produce a righteous life in us—in HIS might, in HIS strength, and in HIS power. Our hope is based upon the belief that when Christ returns, He will finish making us righteous; He will return and transform us completely into His image. Now THAT is righteousness.
Paul joins together some disconnected statements. The fact that they are disconnected demonstrates the emotions he is experiencing as he writes. He is so passionate about this because he knows that if the Galatians continue on the path they have set out on, they are going to destroy themselves spiritually.
On the other hand, what is going to happen to the Judaizers?
Finally, Paul expresses a wish which shocks us even today (v. 12). "Would that those who are troubling you would even ____________ themselves." Paul basically states this:
“The Judaizers want us to be circumcised in order to
make us holy, to make us right with God? Then let’s be logical and consistent. If cutting
off a small piece of skin from the male genitals makes a person spiri-
tual, let’s become really spiritual by cutting off the entire male sex or-
gan! Forget circumcision. Let’s go for castration, full emasculation!”
If Dr. J.W. MacGorman is right in his commentary on Galatians (The Broadman Bible Commentary), then Paul is implying something even more shocking. The churches of Galatia were situated in the old Pisidian region of Asia Minor, home to the Cybele mystery cult. Since Cybele was a goddess (female), males had to undergo the rite of emasculation in order to become one of her priests. The males would work themselves up into a state of ecstasy, probably drugged induced, and then at the height of their ecstasy would take out their knives and emasculate themselves. Why mention this? Because if Dr. MacGorman is right, then Paul was essentially equating this form of Judaism with the pagan Cybele mystery cult.
Is Paul being crass or crude? Maybe he is; maybe he isn’t. Whatever he is doing, he is showing us that he is deadly serious about this topic. Parents of children panic and will almost say anything whenever their children are in danger. Paul is no different from those caring, panicking parents. If we cared for our flock like Paul did, we would probably say some things just as bad or even worse.