Galatians 4:30-31 NASB
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.
If you read Genesis 21:5-10 with the previous blog, you should recognize this quote from Genesis 21:10.
Genesis 21:10 NASB
Therefore she said to Abraham, "Drive out this maid and her son, for the son of this maid shall not be an heir with my son Isaac."
In Genesis 21:12, God verifies for Abraham that what Sarah said is true--his descendants would be named through Isaac, not Ishamael. This is restating a promise that God made to Abraham in Genesis 17:19.
In the case of Paul and the Galatians, who is representing "the bondwoman and her son"?
What is Paul telling the Galatians to do to those who represent her and her son?
Why should they do that?
Who is the heir? What had Paul previously told them in Genesis 4:4-7?
Who is their mother?
Have they been born into freedom or slavery?
In my NASB version, John 8:35 is listed as a cross reference for Genesis 4:30. Read a bit more than that--read and think about what Jesus said in John 8:31-36.
How is what Jesus is saying similar to what Paul is telling the Galatians?
Friday, July 3, 2009
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Persecution
Galatians 4:29 NASB
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.
This verse mentions two different persons, he who was born according to the flesh and he who was born according to the Spirit.
In lights of what we've just been studying, who are these two guys?
Let's check our cross references to see what we learn. My cross references are Gal. 4:23, Gen. 21:9, and Gal. 5:11.
Galatians 4:23 NASB
But the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and the son of the free woman through the promise.
Who is the bondwoman?
Who is her son? Use your cross references for this verse if you don't know.
Who is the free woman?
Who is her son?
Instead of just reading Genesis 21:9, read Genesis 21:5-10.
What happened? Who mocked whom?
Read Galatians 5:11.
Who is being persecuted?
Who is doing the persecuting?
With which son, Isaac or Ishmael, would you compare Paul?
With which son would you compare those who were causing problems for Paul and his followers?
Reread Galatians 4:29.
Is this statement true today?
Do those who believe that a person obtains righteousness with God only through his or her own effort persecute those who believe that it is only through God's intervention that a person obtains righteousness?
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.
This verse mentions two different persons, he who was born according to the flesh and he who was born according to the Spirit.
In lights of what we've just been studying, who are these two guys?
Let's check our cross references to see what we learn. My cross references are Gal. 4:23, Gen. 21:9, and Gal. 5:11.
Galatians 4:23 NASB
But the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and the son of the free woman through the promise.
Who is the bondwoman?
Who is her son? Use your cross references for this verse if you don't know.
Who is the free woman?
Who is her son?
Instead of just reading Genesis 21:9, read Genesis 21:5-10.
What happened? Who mocked whom?
Read Galatians 5:11.
Who is being persecuted?
Who is doing the persecuting?
With which son, Isaac or Ishmael, would you compare Paul?
With which son would you compare those who were causing problems for Paul and his followers?
Reread Galatians 4:29.
Is this statement true today?
Do those who believe that a person obtains righteousness with God only through his or her own effort persecute those who believe that it is only through God's intervention that a person obtains righteousness?
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Galatians 4:27-28 NASB
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.
In the NASB, a quote all in caps indicates that it came from the Old Testament. Using the cross references for Galatians 4:27, we find that this quote came from Isaiah 54:1.
Isaiah 54:1 NASB
"Shout for joy, O barren one, you who have borne no child;
Break forth into joyful shouting and cry aloud, you who have not travailed;
For the sons of the desolate one will be more numerous
Than the sons of the married woman," says the LORD.
If you were to continue reading chapter 54, you would soon realize that the barren one to whom the Lord is speaking is Israel. Paul has taken that verse and is now applying it in this situation with Hagar and Sarah.
Who was the barren woman for a long time--Hagar or Sarah? See Genesis 11:30, 15:2, 16:1, and 17:17.
What promise did God make to Abraham concerning Sarah? See Genesis 17:15-19 and 15:4-6.
Who was Abraham and Sarah's child?
In verse 28, how does Paul refer to the Galatians, his brethren?
Whom are they like in this regard?
So, what could you call Isaac?
Isaac's birth was made possible by God's intervention, which God had promised to Abraham.
How are the sons of a married woman made possible?
Once again, Paul is making a contrast. What is that contrast?
According to this quote, how should we react to knowing that God intervenes and brings forth numerous children of promise?
In telling the allegory about the two women and in giving this quote, what does Paul hope to accomplish in the lives of the Galatians?
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.
In the NASB, a quote all in caps indicates that it came from the Old Testament. Using the cross references for Galatians 4:27, we find that this quote came from Isaiah 54:1.
Isaiah 54:1 NASB
"Shout for joy, O barren one, you who have borne no child;
Break forth into joyful shouting and cry aloud, you who have not travailed;
For the sons of the desolate one will be more numerous
Than the sons of the married woman," says the LORD.
If you were to continue reading chapter 54, you would soon realize that the barren one to whom the Lord is speaking is Israel. Paul has taken that verse and is now applying it in this situation with Hagar and Sarah.
Who was the barren woman for a long time--Hagar or Sarah? See Genesis 11:30, 15:2, 16:1, and 17:17.
What promise did God make to Abraham concerning Sarah? See Genesis 17:15-19 and 15:4-6.
Who was Abraham and Sarah's child?
In verse 28, how does Paul refer to the Galatians, his brethren?
Whom are they like in this regard?
So, what could you call Isaac?
Isaac's birth was made possible by God's intervention, which God had promised to Abraham.
How are the sons of a married woman made possible?
Once again, Paul is making a contrast. What is that contrast?
According to this quote, how should we react to knowing that God intervenes and brings forth numerous children of promise?
In telling the allegory about the two women and in giving this quote, what does Paul hope to accomplish in the lives of the Galatians?
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Paul's Allegorical Point
Galatians 4:22-26 NASB
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.
To whom do the phrases in italics refer--Hagar or Sarah?
What do we call the covenant associated with Mount Sinai?
To whom do the bolded phrases refer--Hagar or Sarah?
What covenant is associated with her?
Her child, Isaac, was the promised child, the child who would be the ancestor of the promised Seed of the Abrahamic covenant.
According to Galatians 3:16, who is that Seed?
Those who were troubling the Galatians were telling them that the Mosaic covenant had superceded the Abrahamic covenant, that's why they needed to follow the Law, not just believe in Christ's resurrection for their salvation.
So, in using this allegory about the two women, what point do you think Paul is trying to make for the Galatians? What does he want them to know?
What does Abraham's covenant with God teach us about how we are to relate to God?
Is our relationship with God something we earn?
If we're trying to earn a relationship with God, if we try to build our relationship on human effort, then whose children are we--Hagar's or Sarah's?
If we want to be Sarah's children, children of the promise, free children, then what should our relationship with God be based on?
Read Galatians 3:7.
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.
To whom do the phrases in italics refer--Hagar or Sarah?
What do we call the covenant associated with Mount Sinai?
To whom do the bolded phrases refer--Hagar or Sarah?
What covenant is associated with her?
Her child, Isaac, was the promised child, the child who would be the ancestor of the promised Seed of the Abrahamic covenant.
According to Galatians 3:16, who is that Seed?
Those who were troubling the Galatians were telling them that the Mosaic covenant had superceded the Abrahamic covenant, that's why they needed to follow the Law, not just believe in Christ's resurrection for their salvation.
So, in using this allegory about the two women, what point do you think Paul is trying to make for the Galatians? What does he want them to know?
What does Abraham's covenant with God teach us about how we are to relate to God?
Is our relationship with God something we earn?
If we're trying to earn a relationship with God, if we try to build our relationship on human effort, then whose children are we--Hagar's or Sarah's?
If we want to be Sarah's children, children of the promise, free children, then what should our relationship with God be based on?
Read Galatians 3:7.
Monday, June 29, 2009
The Jerusalem Above
Galatians 4:26 NASB
But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother.
With what word does verse 26 begin?
Does that indicate a comparison or a contrast?
Read the first part of the verse to the semicolon.
What is the subject of this part of the sentence?
What does Paul mean by "the Jerusalem above"?
How could you figure that out?
One way would be to look in an exhaustive concordance such a Strong's to see if Paul used that phrase in one of his other letters and then read all those references. He didn't. Another way is to read the cross-references provided in a study Bible for this section of the verse. Here are the cross-references provided in my NASB study Bible: Hebrews 12:22, Rev. 3:12; 21:2, 10.
Look up one or more of these verses.
So, what do you think Paul is referring to when he says "the Jerusalem above"?
What is Paul contrasting it with? (Read Galatians 4:25.)
What did he say about the present Jerusalem?
So, what is the contrast?
What does he say about "the Jerusalem above" in the second part of Galatians 4:26?
In Galatians 4:24, Paul starts this allegory, and he mentions two women.
Who are they?
Which one represented the present Jerusalem?
So, which one is left to represent the Jerusalem above?
So, which one is the mother of the Galatian churches to whom Paul was writing?
If she's their mother then are they slave children or free children?
Free from what? Free for what?
Read Galatians 4:1-7.
But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother.
With what word does verse 26 begin?
Does that indicate a comparison or a contrast?
Read the first part of the verse to the semicolon.
What is the subject of this part of the sentence?
What does Paul mean by "the Jerusalem above"?
How could you figure that out?
One way would be to look in an exhaustive concordance such a Strong's to see if Paul used that phrase in one of his other letters and then read all those references. He didn't. Another way is to read the cross-references provided in a study Bible for this section of the verse. Here are the cross-references provided in my NASB study Bible: Hebrews 12:22, Rev. 3:12; 21:2, 10.
Look up one or more of these verses.
So, what do you think Paul is referring to when he says "the Jerusalem above"?
What is Paul contrasting it with? (Read Galatians 4:25.)
What did he say about the present Jerusalem?
So, what is the contrast?
What does he say about "the Jerusalem above" in the second part of Galatians 4:26?
In Galatians 4:24, Paul starts this allegory, and he mentions two women.
Who are they?
Which one represented the present Jerusalem?
So, which one is left to represent the Jerusalem above?
So, which one is the mother of the Galatian churches to whom Paul was writing?
If she's their mother then are they slave children or free children?
Free from what? Free for what?
Read Galatians 4:1-7.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Mount Sinai and the Present Jerusalem
Galatians 4:25 NASB
Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children.
In the first metaphor Paul used in verse 24, Hagar was the covenant that proceeded from Mount Sinai. In verse 25, Paul uses another metaphor for Hagar.
What's the second metaphor for Hagar?
Read the portion of the verse between the commas.
Who or what corresponds to the present Jerusalem?
Since Hagar is the subject of the sentence, she is the one who corresponds to the present Jerusalem.
What does "corresponds to" mean?
In the King James version, it reads "answereth to." If you were to look up "answereth" for this verse in Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, you would find that it means "to file together as soldiers in ranks." (G#4960)
What does Hagar correspond to?
Is this a comparison or a contrast?
How is the present Jerusalem of Paul's day related to the Mosaic (or Sinaitic) Covenant, represented by Hagar?
How are people who are represented by Hagar trying to achieve righteousness?
And what does Paul say about those who are like Hagar?
Is this what Paul would desire for his readers, the Galatians?
Read Galatians 1:6-8 and Galatians 3:1 and Galatians 4:1-7.
Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children.
In the first metaphor Paul used in verse 24, Hagar was the covenant that proceeded from Mount Sinai. In verse 25, Paul uses another metaphor for Hagar.
What's the second metaphor for Hagar?
Read the portion of the verse between the commas.
Who or what corresponds to the present Jerusalem?
Since Hagar is the subject of the sentence, she is the one who corresponds to the present Jerusalem.
What does "corresponds to" mean?
In the King James version, it reads "answereth to." If you were to look up "answereth" for this verse in Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, you would find that it means "to file together as soldiers in ranks." (G#4960)
What does Hagar correspond to?
Is this a comparison or a contrast?
How is the present Jerusalem of Paul's day related to the Mosaic (or Sinaitic) Covenant, represented by Hagar?
How are people who are represented by Hagar trying to achieve righteousness?
And what does Paul say about those who are like Hagar?
Is this what Paul would desire for his readers, the Galatians?
Read Galatians 1:6-8 and Galatians 3:1 and Galatians 4:1-7.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Achieving Righteousness
Galatians 4:22-24 NASB
For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman.
But the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise.
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.
Which woman does Paul use to represent this covenant bearing children who are to be slaves?
How is Abraham getting a son through Hagar similar to people trying to achieve righteousness through the Law? (See Galatians 3:2.)
Read John 3:1-18.
How is what Jesus is telling Nicodemus similar to what Paul is telling the Galatians?
For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman.
But the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise.
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.
Which woman does Paul use to represent this covenant bearing children who are to be slaves?
How is Abraham getting a son through Hagar similar to people trying to achieve righteousness through the Law? (See Galatians 3:2.)
Read John 3:1-18.
How is what Jesus is telling Nicodemus similar to what Paul is telling the Galatians?
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