Galatians 4:24 NASB
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.
What does Paul say that this Mount Sinai covenant is bearing?
Does that fit everything Paul has told us so far in Galatians about the Law--that those who follow it are in bondage?
Was there a purpose for this bondage? (Galatians 3:23-24)
The NASB version says they were "kept in custody under the law." The KJV uses "kept under the law." If you look up "kept under" in Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, you find that "kept under" corresponds to #G5432, meaning "to be a watcher in advance, to mount guard as a sentinel, to hem in, protect, keep as with a garrison."
Read Galatians 4:1-7. What do we learn about this slavery? Is there hope for those who are in this slavery?
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Mount Sinai
Genesis 4:24 NASB
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.
From where does Paul say one of the covenants proceeds?
What happened there? (Exodus 19-24)
What did God give Moses?
Read Exodus 19:5-6. What did God make with His people there?
What responsibility did the people have?
What did Moses tell God's people about this experience in Exodus 20:20?
In Exodus 24:12, what did God tell Moses He was giving him?
Why did God say that He had written these things for His people?
From these passages, what do you learn about God's desire for His people? What does He want them to be? What is His desire for them? What gets in the way of their being all that He desires? How can God help them to realize what gets in the way?
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.
From where does Paul say one of the covenants proceeds?
What happened there? (Exodus 19-24)
What did God give Moses?
Read Exodus 19:5-6. What did God make with His people there?
What responsibility did the people have?
What did Moses tell God's people about this experience in Exodus 20:20?
In Exodus 24:12, what did God tell Moses He was giving him?
Why did God say that He had written these things for His people?
From these passages, what do you learn about God's desire for His people? What does He want them to be? What is His desire for them? What gets in the way of their being all that He desires? How can God help them to realize what gets in the way?
Friday, May 29, 2009
Two Covenants
Galatians 4:24a
This is allegorically speaking: for these women are two covenants
What is the first metaphor in this allegory?
Has Paul mentioned two covenants previously in Galatians? (Galatians 3:13-18)
What two covenants are mentioned in those verses?
Which of those covenants came first?
Who is mentioned in relation to that covenant?
What repeated word do you see associated with that covenant?
What is the role of faith in that covenant?
What do you learn about the inheritance?
Which covenant came 430 years later?
What is its effect on that which is associated with the earlier covenant?
Paul compares the bondwoman and the free woman to these two covenants. Think about what you know about these two women. If you've forgotten, I included some passages for review.
Which woman would you pick to go with the earlier covenant, the one that has to do with an inheritance and promise? (Gen. 17:1-8, 19; 18:9-14; 21:1-3)
Which woman would you pick to go with the later covenant? Did anything related to her and her activity nullify the promise made originally to the other woman? (Gen. 16:1-4, 15-16; 17:20-22; Gen. 21:6-13)
Where do you see faith and inheritance playing a role in the lives of these two women?
This is allegorically speaking: for these women are two covenants
What is the first metaphor in this allegory?
Has Paul mentioned two covenants previously in Galatians? (Galatians 3:13-18)
What two covenants are mentioned in those verses?
Which of those covenants came first?
Who is mentioned in relation to that covenant?
What repeated word do you see associated with that covenant?
What is the role of faith in that covenant?
What do you learn about the inheritance?
Which covenant came 430 years later?
What is its effect on that which is associated with the earlier covenant?
Paul compares the bondwoman and the free woman to these two covenants. Think about what you know about these two women. If you've forgotten, I included some passages for review.
Which woman would you pick to go with the earlier covenant, the one that has to do with an inheritance and promise? (Gen. 17:1-8, 19; 18:9-14; 21:1-3)
Which woman would you pick to go with the later covenant? Did anything related to her and her activity nullify the promise made originally to the other woman? (Gen. 16:1-4, 15-16; 17:20-22; Gen. 21:6-13)
Where do you see faith and inheritance playing a role in the lives of these two women?
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Two Women/Two Covenants
Galatians 4:24-26 NASB
This is allegorically speaking:
Paul is telling us what's coming next--an allegory. Paul doesn't use many allegories in his letters. This is the only one in Galatians.
So, what's an allegory? A simple definition is that it's an extended metaphor? From English class you might remember that a metaphor is a comparison between two things where you don't use "like" or "as" in the comparison. "God is a rock" would be a metaphor. The writer would be comparing qualities of God to the qualities of a rock. The writer doesn't want you literally thinking that God is actually a rock, otherwise you might start worshiping stone idols! Since an allegory is an extended metaphor, that means that you will find more than one metaphor in it.
As you read Paul's allegory, be thinking: what are the metaphors? We'll discuss these metaphors in a future blog.
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. Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to the present Jerusalmen, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother.
Who are the two women? One is named by Paul in this allegory; the other is mentioned, but not named. From what you previously read, who would she be?
What metaphors can you find? Why do you think Paul is making these comparisons?
This is allegorically speaking:
Paul is telling us what's coming next--an allegory. Paul doesn't use many allegories in his letters. This is the only one in Galatians.
So, what's an allegory? A simple definition is that it's an extended metaphor? From English class you might remember that a metaphor is a comparison between two things where you don't use "like" or "as" in the comparison. "God is a rock" would be a metaphor. The writer would be comparing qualities of God to the qualities of a rock. The writer doesn't want you literally thinking that God is actually a rock, otherwise you might start worshiping stone idols! Since an allegory is an extended metaphor, that means that you will find more than one metaphor in it.
As you read Paul's allegory, be thinking: what are the metaphors? We'll discuss these metaphors in a future blog.
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. Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to the present Jerusalmen, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother.
Who are the two women? One is named by Paul in this allegory; the other is mentioned, but not named. From what you previously read, who would she be?
What metaphors can you find? Why do you think Paul is making these comparisons?
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
According to the Flesh/Through the Promise
Galatians 4:23
But the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh,
Who was the bondwoman? Who was her son?
What does it mean that he was "born according to the flesh"?
To check our definition, let's look at a few other places where Paul uses this same phrase:
Romans 8:1, 4, 5, 13
So, what does it mean that he was "born according to the flesh"?
and the son of the free woman through the promise.
Who was the free woman? Who was her son?
What does it mean that he was born "through the promise"?
Where else does Paul mention a promise in this letter? (Galatians 3:13-14, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 29)
So, what does it mean that he was born "through the promise"?
How long has it been since God spoke to Abram in Genesis 3:12:1-4 and the birth of this son "through the promise" that we can read about in Genesis 21:1-5?
Do you think sufficient time had passed for Abraham and Sarah to both realize that they weren't going to have a child "according to the flesh"?
So, when they finally had a child, what did they have to realize?
In the next verses, we'll be thinking about why Paul was making this point for the Galatians.
Read Galatians 3:1-6. Think about your spiritual birth. Was it "according to the flesh" or "through the promise"?
But the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh,
Who was the bondwoman? Who was her son?
What does it mean that he was "born according to the flesh"?
To check our definition, let's look at a few other places where Paul uses this same phrase:
Romans 8:1, 4, 5, 13
So, what does it mean that he was "born according to the flesh"?
and the son of the free woman through the promise.
Who was the free woman? Who was her son?
What does it mean that he was born "through the promise"?
Where else does Paul mention a promise in this letter? (Galatians 3:13-14, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 29)
So, what does it mean that he was born "through the promise"?
How long has it been since God spoke to Abram in Genesis 3:12:1-4 and the birth of this son "through the promise" that we can read about in Genesis 21:1-5?
Do you think sufficient time had passed for Abraham and Sarah to both realize that they weren't going to have a child "according to the flesh"?
So, when they finally had a child, what did they have to realize?
In the next verses, we'll be thinking about why Paul was making this point for the Galatians.
Read Galatians 3:1-6. Think about your spiritual birth. Was it "according to the flesh" or "through the promise"?
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
The Bondwoman and the Free Woman
Galatians 4:22 NASB
For it is written that Abraham had two sons . . .
Actually, did you know that Abraham had more than two sons? (Genesis 25:1-2)
But for the purposes of this illustration, we're concerned with his first two sons, the ones he had after a long time of no children. Who were these two sons?
What were the circumstances of the birth of the first son?
Was this the son that God had talked about when He spoke to Abraham in Genesis 15:4?
one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman.
Who was the bondwoman? Who was her son?
Who was the free woman? Who was her son?
If you were to look up "free," you'd learn that it means unrestrained, as a citizen in contrast to a slave. When you hear the word "unrestrained," what does it remind you of that we read in Galatinas 3:23?
Why do you think Paul used the terms "bondwoman" and "free woman" instead of their names?
Now, reread Galatians 3:2-6. Do you see any relationship between Galatians 4:22 and these verses?
What has God promised you? Will God's promise to you be fulfilled by the Spirit (divinely) or by works of the Law (humanly)? How will knowing the answer to that question help you to live your life?
For it is written that Abraham had two sons . . .
Actually, did you know that Abraham had more than two sons? (Genesis 25:1-2)
But for the purposes of this illustration, we're concerned with his first two sons, the ones he had after a long time of no children. Who were these two sons?
What were the circumstances of the birth of the first son?
Was this the son that God had talked about when He spoke to Abraham in Genesis 15:4?
one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman.
Who was the bondwoman? Who was her son?
Who was the free woman? Who was her son?
If you were to look up "free," you'd learn that it means unrestrained, as a citizen in contrast to a slave. When you hear the word "unrestrained," what does it remind you of that we read in Galatinas 3:23?
Why do you think Paul used the terms "bondwoman" and "free woman" instead of their names?
Now, reread Galatians 3:2-6. Do you see any relationship between Galatians 4:22 and these verses?
What has God promised you? Will God's promise to you be fulfilled by the Spirit (divinely) or by works of the Law (humanly)? How will knowing the answer to that question help you to live your life?
Thursday, May 14, 2009
The Saga of Sarah and Hagar #1A
In how many ways can Paul say it? What do you get if you put yourself under the Law? Let's see--the curse of the Law, bondage to the elemental things of this world, slavery to those things which by nature are no gods . . . What person in his or her right mind would want that? It's easy to see why Paul was so puzzled by their behavior.
Yet, is it any different today? Christ offers us exactly what He offered the Galatians. And what was that? Let's see--redemption from the curse of the Law, adoption as sons of God and heirs of God's promised inheritance, the Holy Spirit, justification by faith in Christ, God's love and deliverance, etc., etc., etc. Who wouldn't want all that?
Our next couple of studies will focus on Hagar and Sarah. Be thinking about what their saga teaches us about faith and Law, slavery and freedom . . . what other contrasts come to mind?
Do you have any questions or comments that you'd like to share? Post them here.
If you have ideas for how I could improve lessons or discussions, e-mail me with those. Thanks!
God bless you as you seek His will and share His love!
Carolyn
Carolyn
Yet, is it any different today? Christ offers us exactly what He offered the Galatians. And what was that? Let's see--redemption from the curse of the Law, adoption as sons of God and heirs of God's promised inheritance, the Holy Spirit, justification by faith in Christ, God's love and deliverance, etc., etc., etc. Who wouldn't want all that?
Our next couple of studies will focus on Hagar and Sarah. Be thinking about what their saga teaches us about faith and Law, slavery and freedom . . . what other contrasts come to mind?
Do you have any questions or comments that you'd like to share? Post them here.
If you have ideas for how I could improve lessons or discussions, e-mail me with those. Thanks!
God bless you as you seek His will and share His love!
Carolyn
Carolyn
Monday, May 11, 2009
A Prayer As We Begin
Oh, Lord,
Watch over us as we continue our study in Galatians and as I learn how to guide others in Bible study over the computer. Help us to keep our focus on You and what You want us to gain from this study. Let your Holy Spirit be our guide as we continue through the book of Galatians, and show us to apply these truths to our lives. We commit this study to Your glory.
In Your Name,
Amen
Watch over us as we continue our study in Galatians and as I learn how to guide others in Bible study over the computer. Help us to keep our focus on You and what You want us to gain from this study. Let your Holy Spirit be our guide as we continue through the book of Galatians, and show us to apply these truths to our lives. We commit this study to Your glory.
In Your Name,
Amen
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