To be Bound or Free

(Galatians 4:1-31)

“Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; 2But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. 3Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: 4But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. 8Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. 9But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? 10Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. 11I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.12Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all. 13Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first. 14And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. 15Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.16Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth? 17They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them. 18But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you. 19My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, 20I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you. 21Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? 22For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. 23But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. 24Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. 25For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 26But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. 28Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. 29But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.

30Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. 31So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.”

a.  Sons and heirs

b.  Paul’s concern for the Galatians

c.  and the description of Hagar and Sarah in relation to being bound and Free

In this chapter Paul continues and concludes his defense of the gospel

of justification by faith in Christ, in contrast to seeking

justification by the works of the Law.  The previous chapter (3) ended with Paul making a practical argument, how that by faith they had become the sons of God, the true seed of Abraham and heirs of the promise, when they put on Christ in baptism.

The practical argument continues in the first part of chapter four as

Paul describes the condition of those under the Law prior to the coming of Christ.  They were "children", and really no different than slaves.

But when Christ came, He redeemed those under the Law and made it

possible for them to receive the adoption as "sons".  A special

blessing of this sonship was receiving the Spirit in their hearts, and

now they are no longer as a slave but as a son and a heir of God

through Christ (1-7).

Paul then argues along sentimental lines.  After having come to know

the true God and being recognized by Him, their observance of holy days is indicative of a desire to return to bondage.  That greatly concerns Paul, who would have them become like him.  He reminds them of their reception of him in the past, and he hopes that by telling them the truth he has not become their enemy.  Wishing he could be with them in person and use a different tone, he feels like a woman going through labor again as he seeks to ensure that Christ is formed in them.  All of this because he has doubts about them (8-20).

His final argument is an appeal to the Law itself, addressed directly

to those who desire to be under it.  He reminds them of Abraham's two

sons by Sarah and Hagar, and contends there are allegorical

implications concerning the two covenants.  Hagar, the bondwoman who

gave birth to Ishmael, represents the covenant given at Mt. Sinai, and

corresponds to physical Jerusalem and the bondage of those under the

Law.  Sarah, Abraham's wife who gave birth to Isaac, represents the new covenant and corresponds to the heavenly Jerusalem which offers freedom to all who accept it.  With a reminder that those born of the Spirit can expect persecution by those born according to the flesh, Paul concludes his defense of the gospel of justification by faith in Christ by proclaiming that those in Christ are of not of the bondwoman but of the free (21-31).

OUTLINE

I. JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH:  THE PRACTICAL ARGUMENT, cont. (1-7)

   A. THEY HAD BEEN AS CHILDREN, NO DIFFERENT THAN SLAVES (1-3)

      1. The illustration of an heir (1-2)

         a. While a child, is no different than a slave, even though a

            "master" (1)

         b. Under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by

            the father (2)

      2. In like manner, they had been as children, in bondage to the

         elements of the world (3)

   B. THEY'VE RECEIVED ADOPTION AS SONS, NO LONGER AS SLAVES (4-7)

      1. At the right time, God sent His Son, born of woman, born under

         the Law (4)

         a. To redeem those under the Law (5a)

         b. That they might receive the adoptions as sons (5b)

      2. Because they are now "sons" (and not just "children")...

         a. God sent the Spirit into their hearts, crying out "Abba,

            Father!" (6)

         b. No longer are they as "slaves", but as "sons", thus heirs

            of God through Christ (7)

II. JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH:  THE SENTIMENTAL ARGUMENT (8-20)

   A. PAUL'S FEAR OVER THEIR CONDITION (8-11)

      1. They had come to know God, and to be known by God (8-9a)

      2. But they seem to desire to be in bondage again, returning to

         weak and beggarly elements (9b)

      3. Their observance of holy days gives Paul fear that his labor

         was in vain (10-11)

   B. THEIR PAST AND PRESENT RELATIONS WITH HIM (12-20)

      1. A plea for them to be as he is (12)

      2. A reminder of their past relations with him (13-15)

         a. They had not allowed his physical infirmities to hinder

            their reception of him and his gospel (13-14)

         b. They were even willing to pluck out their own eyes for him

            (15)

      3. Has he become their enemy because he tells them the truth?

         (16)

      4. They are being zealously courted by others, but zeal is good

         only when for the right cause (17-18)

      5. He labors over them again, that Christ might be formed in

         them, wishing he could change his tone, but he has doubts

         about them (19-20)

III. JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH:  THE ALLEGORICAL ARGUMENT (21-31)

   A. AN ALLEGORY FOR THOSE WHO DESIRE TO BE UNDER THE LAW (21-24a)

      1. For those who wish to be under the law, will you hear what the

         law says? (21)

      2. For we read Abraham had two sons (22-23)

         a. One of a bondwoman (Hagar), born according to the flesh

            (Ishmael)

         b. The other of a freewoman (Sarah), born through promise

            (Isaac)

      3. These things are symbolic (24a)

   B. THE TWO COVENANTS (24b-31)

      1. The two women represent two covenants (24b-26)

         a. Hagar represents the covenant from Mount Sinai (the Law),

            physical Jerusalem, and the bondage shared with her

            children

         b. Sarah represents a new covenant from Jerusalem above

            (spiritual Jerusalem), which offers freedom to all

      2. As prophesied, the barren woman (Sarah) would have more

         children (27)

      3. Those under the new covenant are like Isaac, children of

         promise (28)

      4. Those born of the Spirit can expect animosity from those born

         of the flesh (29)

      5. But the Scripture says that the children of the free woman

         (Sarah, the Jerusalem above) will be the heir (30)

      6. We are not children of the bondwoman but of the free (31)