BIBLE STUDY MANUALS: GALATIANS CHAPTER THREE

GALATIANS CHAPTER FOUR

I) [Gal 4:1-2]:

(v. 1) "What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate.

(v. 2) He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by His father."

A) PAUL REFERS BACK TO WHAT HE WAS JUST SAYING:

******EXCERPTS FROM GALATIANS CHAPTER 3 *******

[Gal 3:21-22]:

(v. 21) '''Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law.

(v. 22) But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.'''

[BKC, p. 599]:

"Another question was raised: Is there conflict between the Law and the promises of God?'Perish the thought' (me genoito), declared the apostle. God gave both the Law and promises, but for different purposes. And it was not the purpose of the Law to give life. Theoretically salvation could have come by the Law if people had been capable of keeping it perfectly, but they could not (Rom 8:3-4). The life promised to those who sought to obey the Law refers to temporal blessing on earth (Deut 8:1).

But if the Law is not opposed to the promises, if there is no conflict between them, how can their harmony be demonstrated? By recognizing that while the Law could not justify or give life, it did prepare the way for the gospel. What part then did Law play in this respect? It declared the whole world... a prisoner of sin. Referring perhaps to Psalm 143:1-2 or Deuteronomy 27:26, Paul declared that the whole world is trapped and under the dominion of sin (cf. Rom 3:9, 23). When people recognized this and give up attempts to please God by their own works, the way is prepared for them to receive the promise of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.

[Gal 3:23-25]:

(v. 23) "Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed.

(v. 24) So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.

(v. 25) Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law."

A) SUMMARY OF THIS SECTION

[The Expositors Bible Commentary, Vol 10, Frank E Gaebelien Editor, Galatians, by James Montgomery Boice, Zondervan Publishing, Grand Rapids, Mi, 1976, pp. 466-7]:

"The closing section of chapter 3 follows directly upon what Paul has said, regarding the true purpose of the Law. Still, a change has taken place, and this change justifies our taking these verses as a new step in Paul's argument. Before, he has been concerned with the Law's true purpose, which is to lead men to Christ. Now, though he begins with this point, he soon moves on to the idea of a change of status for those who have passed from being under the bondage of the Law to being sons in Christ. Before, we were prisoners, shut up under the Law as under a guardian. Now we are sons, being reconciled to God and being made one with another and with all who throughout history have been justified on the basis of God's promise.

[BKC, pp. 599-600]:

"Continuing to comment on the purpose of the Law, Paul used two figures of speech, likening the Law to a prison and to a child-custodian relationship. Before this faith came means before the advent of faith in Jesus Christ (see v. 22). Justifying faith was operative in the Old Testament but faith in the person and work of Christ did not come until He was revealed. Before that, Israel was under the protective custody of the Law God thus shielding His people from the evil heather rites surrounding them. Further, the Law served as a 'tutor' (NASB). The word paidagOgos is difficult to render into English since there is no exact parallel to this position in modern society. Phillips suggests 'a strict governess.' The pedagogue here was not a 'schoolmaster' (KJV) but a slave to whom a son was committed from age six or seven to puberty. These slaves were severe disciplinarians and were charged with guarding the children from the evils of society and giving them moral training. This was like the Law's function until Christ came and people could be justified by faith in Him. It is better then to understand that the Law did not lead us to Christ but that it was the disciplinarian until Christ came. Thus the reign of Law has ended for faith in Christ has delivered believers from the protective custody of the prison and the harsh discipline of the pedagogue."

XVI cont.) [Gal 3:23-25 cont.]:

(v. 23) "Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed.

(v. 24) So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.

(v. 25) Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law."

B) BEFORE THE CHRISTIAN FAITH CAME, WE WERE PRISONERS OF THE LAW

"Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed." =

No one made it into heaven until after the cross because sins were not paid for. Thus OT saints were kept 'prisoner' by the Law in Paradise/Hades with the promise of future redemption until their sins were paid for and they could be taken to heaven, by our Lord Himself.

Detailed exposition:

1) [Compare Jn 3:13]:

"No one has ever gone up into heaven except the One Who came from heaven - the Son of Man."

a) At The Time Of Our Lord's Encounter With Nicodemus No Man Was In Heaven Yet - Until Our Lord Paid The Penalty For The Sins Of The Whole World

i) God's Justice Must Be Satisfied Before He Can Permit Sinful Man To Be With Him In Heaven

i_a) [Ro 3:24-26 NAS]:

(v. 24) "[all] being justified as a gift by His [God’s] grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;

(v. 25) Whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins [of believers of OT times] previously committed;

(v. 26) for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."

"God presented Him [Jesus Christ] as a sacrifice of atonement' =

God the Father presented, i.e., put forward before the eyes of men, His Son in an act of sacrifice which was done to satisfy God for the sins of the whole world.

i_a_1_jn2v2) [Compare 1 Jn 2:2]:

"and He Himself [Jesus Christ] is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world."

"propitiation" = "hilasmos" = satisfaction, satisfactory payment for.

i_a_cont.) [Ro 3:24-26 NAS cont.]:

(v. 24) "[all] being justified as a gift by His [God’s] grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;

(v. 26) for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."

"forbearance" = "anoche" =

[Vine's Expository Dictionary]:

"a holding back...denotes forbearance, a delay of punishment.... His forbearance is the ground not of His forgiveness, but of His pretermission [suspension of the punishment] of sins, His withholding punishment. It is connected with the passing over of sins in times past.....It is connected with the passing over of sins in times past, previous to the atoning work of Christ, [Cp Heb 9:9-15]."

Those in Old Testament times who trusted alone in God's future provision of salvation through a coming GodMan Messiah had judgment of their sin postponed even after they died. As a matter of fact, O.T. saints went to Paradise in Hades when they died, awaiting transfer to heaven, (Lk 16:19-31).

Once Christ died on the cross, the sins of the whole world being completely paid for, (1 Jn 2:2), having already received as a result of a moment of faith in a coming Messiah through the seed of Abraham, the gift of God's Perfect Righteousness, (Gen 15:6; Ro 4:3),

the Old Testament period believers were immediately brought out of Paradise in Hades into heaven to be with God for the rest of eternity.

"For the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, that He might be just" =

In the past there was some question as to whether God was a perfectly just and righteous God. Men like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David were justified - accounted righteous - by their faith in God's future plan of salvation and they were received into the Paradise compartment of Hades when they died, (Lk 16:19-31). These men were sinners with their sins not having been paid for as indicated in Scripture:

i_a_2) [Psalm 50:16-23]:

This passage indicates that men were accusing God of overlooking the sins of men which God forgave on credit in the past:

(Ps 50:21) "These things [sins] you [evil men] have done and I [God] kept silent; you thought I was altogether like you. But I will rebuke you and accuse you to your face."

"you thought I was altogether like you" =

God says to evil men 'You thought I was evil like you because men saw that I forgave some men for trusting in Me but without punishment for those sins which those men were known to have committed. Evil men thought that God was 'winking' at sins and would not really hold men accountable for any wrong doing.

So God's foremost purpose in the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ was to demonstrate to the universe that His justice is satisfied by the atonement with respect to the sins of the past which were forgiven on credit. His holiness - His perfect righteousness - is not impugned for covering the sins of believers in the past until the atonement was completed by Jesus Christ on the cross. God's justice is upheld by His fulfillment to Abraham, (Gen 12:1-3; 15:1-6) - and the world - of a plan of salvation through Abraham's seed, God's Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, (Gal 3:16).

ii) Old Testament Saints Occupied Hades - Paradise - Until Our Lord Paid The Price For Sins, Descended Into Hades - Paradise And Brought Them With Him To Heaven

[Dr. Robert A. Morey, 'Death and the Afterlife', Bethany House Publishers, Minneapolis, Mn, 1984, p. 72-93]:

"Before Christ's ascension, believers as well as unbelievers were said to enter Sheol or Hades. After Christ's ascension, the New Testament pictures believers after death as entering heaven to be with Christ...(Phil 1:23), which is far better than Hades."

More details

ii_a) [Compare Jn 3:13]:
"No one has ever gone into heaven except the One Who came from heaven - the Son of Man."

Notice that "No one has ever gone into heaven"= No Old Testament saint had as yet occupied heaven after they died, yet there is evidence in Scripture that O.T. saints did occupy some place after they did die. After the cross, Scripture indicates that believers occupied heaven:

ii_b) [Phil 1:23-24]:

(v. 23) "I [Paul] am torn between the two: [duty on earth or going to be with the Lord in heaven, (vv. 21-22)]: I desire to depart and be with Christ [Who is at this moment in heaven], which is better by far;

(v. 24) but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body."

[Morey, cont.]:
"[So believers] are present with the Lord (2 Cor 5:6-8), worshipping with the angelic hosts of heaven (Heb 12:22, 23) at the altar of God (Rev 6:9-11). Thus believers do not now enter Hades but ascend immediately to the throne of God....

[ on the believer's immediate destiny in heaven when he dies]

...That Christ went to Hades, i.e., the world beyond death, is clear from Acts 2:31."

ii_c) [Compare Acts 2:31]:

"He [David, (v. 29) looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was neither abandoned to Hades ["hadou" = Hades], nor did His flesh see decay.

[Notice that this indicates that our Lord did go to Hades]

To Jews at that time it was on the 4th day that corruption set in thus revealing most unequivocally that our Savior’s human soul was in Hades while His body lay in the sepulcher, He ascending out of Hades to receive His body instead of descending down from heaven. Ephesians 4:8-10 vividly describes the descension of our Lord "into the lower parts of the earth," which never could mean the sepulcher or grave in which He was deposited. It is not in the lower parts of the earth, but on the surface, excavated out of a great rock in the mountain side, and entered horizontally. No grave is in the "lower parts of the earth," much less our Savior’s sepulcher.

Furthermore, Paradise was not in heaven before the cross, for Jesus testified to the women on the morning He was resurrected that He had not yet gone up to His Father, (Jn 20:15-18), whereas He had met the thief in Paradise on the preceding Wednesday."

ii_d) [Compare Jn 20:15-18]:
(v. 15) ''' "[Jesus said] 'Woman,' He said, 'why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?' Thinking He was the gardener, she [Mary Magdalene] said, 'Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have put Him, and I will get Him.'
(v. 16) Jesus said to her, 'Mary.' She turned toward Him and cried out in Aramaic, 'Rabboni!' (which means Teacher).
(v. 17) Jesus said, 'Do not hold on to Me, for I have not yet returned to the Father [in heaven]. Go instead to My brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.' " '''

(Note: our Lord was crucified on the Passover Sabbath Wednesday:.. on the crucifixion/resurrection chronology)"

ii_e) [Compare Luke 23:43]:

"Jesus answered him [the thief on the cross, (v. 40)], 'I tell you the truth, today [Wednesday the Passover Sabbath] you will be with Me in paradise.' "

[Morey, cont.]: )
"While 'paradise' in the gospel account (Luke 23:43) referred to the section of Hades reserved for the righteous [before the cross], by the time Paul wrote 2 Cor 12:2-4 paradise had been taken out of Hades and was now placed in the third heaven.

ii_f) [Compare 2 Cor 12:2-4]:
(v. 2) "I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know that this man - whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows -
(v. 4) was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell.

ii_g) [Lk 16:19-31]:

(v. 19) "[Jesus said, (v. 15)] Now there was a certain rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, gaily living in splendor every day.

(v. 20) And a certain poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores,

(v. 21) and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man's table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores.

(v. 22) Now it came about that the poor man died and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham's bosom.

[Abraham's bosom was an expression which referred to the paradise compartment in Hades, the place where those who had the faith of Abraham dwelled until they were to occupy the kingdom of heaven]; and the rich man also died and was buried.

(v. 23) And in Hades he lifted up his eyes,

[Notice that our Lord is indicating here in this account that there is a fully functioning consciousness after death, a bliss for those who are declared righteous and torment for those who are not. And the rest of the passages confirms this]:

being in torment, and saw Abraham far away, and Lazarus in his bosom.

(v. 24) And he cried out and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue; for I am in agony in this flame.'

(v. 25) But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony.

(v. 26) And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, in order that those who wish to come over from here to you may not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.' "

What is important for us to grasp is that Christ used the mental images conjured up by this rabbinic parable to teach that, in the hereafter, the wicked experience torment and the righteous bliss. This is clear from the rabbinic sources from which he drew this parable.

ii_g) [Ps 68:17-18 NAS]:

(v. 17) "The chariots of God are myriads, thousands upon thousands; The LORD is among them as at Sinai, in holiness.

[NIV: The chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands; the LORD has come from Sinai into His sanctuary]

(v. 18) Thou hast ascended on high, Thou hast led captive Thy captives; Thou hast received gifts among men, even among the rebellious also, that the LORD God may dwell there."

ii_h) [Compare Eph 4:7-10]:

(v. 7) "But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift.

(v. 8) Therefore it says, [cf. Ps 68:18]

'When He ascended on high [to heaven],

He led captive a host of captives,

[O.T. saints were held 'captive' in the Paradise compartment in Hades who were saved on credit, (Ro 3:25-26). They were held 'captive' there awaiting our Lord's atonement for them so that He could then lead them 'captive', i.e., in a group, into heaven]

And He gave gifts to men.

[Refers to spiritual gifts, (ref. Eph 4:11-14)]

(v. 9) (What does 'He ascended' mean except that He also descended to the lower, earthly regions"

['descended to the lower, earthly regions' = descended to where Hades/Paradise is located - in order to take 'captive' the O.T. saints held their in 'captivity' until our Lord came for them to ascend with them to heaven]:

(v. 10) He Who descended is the very One Who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe).

"He led captive a host of captives" = lit. "He led captive captivity", i.e., he went to those in Hades/Paradise who were captive in the sense of being restricted to Paradise and led them in a captive group to heaven with Him. Since the verb in the Greek, "EchmalOteusen" = [str. # 162] = led captive, [Pershbacher] then this is best interpreted as an actual leading of a specific group of individuals who were already in captivity in a captive group from one destination to another. This is preferred to the concept of interpreting it as the setting free [different verb] of all mankind from Satan's captivity by redeeming them from the slave market of sin. (Although Scripture indeed teaches the latter as a truth, it is not in view here in Eph 4:7-10).

Paul reflects on Psalm 68 of which verses 17-18 are quoted above - which passage indicates that a military victor such as the LORD God over His and Israel's enemies, gives gifts to those who are identified with him in His victory. This time it is about our Lord's victory over sin through His redemptive work on the cross as a result of which He set the specific captives free in Paradise/Hades by redeeming them from the slave market of sin and then leading them in a captive group to heaven where He ascended to. The parenthetical statement in verses 9 & 10 indicate our Lord's descent into the depths of the earth, i.e., Hades/Paradise where He led them captive to Heaven. The OT saints from Paradise were captive in the sense of being confined there under the promise of Abraham of eternal life until they could be released for entrance into heaven when that promise was fulfilled through the Seed of Abraham via our Lord's sacrificial atonement for the sins of the whole world. So our Lord ascended with the 'captives' into heaven, having fulfilled the promise.

ii_i) [Compare Mt 8:11]:

"I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven."

Notice that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all OT saints who occupied Paradise/Hades after they died, are destined for the kingdom of heaven.

ii_j) [Compare Rev 20:14-15]:

(v. 14) "Then death and Hades were thrown into the Lake of Fire. The Lake of Fire is the second death.

(v. 15) If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the Lake of Fire."

[The Ages Digital Library Holiness Commentary on the New Testament Vol 2 Hebrews - Jude

"On Sunday morning begins that wonderful ascension (Ephesians 4:8-10), in which He leads captive all the occupants of Abraham’s Bosom, now that the Abramic covenant has been verified, and sealed with His blood, thus opening heaven to all the blood-washed. Wonderful is the rapture of that triumphant ascension, accompanied by all the Old Testament saints. He comes up to the sepulcher and receives His body on the third morn. As this mighty host of Old Testament saints were all disembodied, of course they were invisible to mortal eyes. Jesus, the only one seen, because He only had His body. Meanwhile this mighty host accompany Him in His abiding forty days with His disciples, and constitute His triumphal procession when from Mount Olivet He ascended up to the glorified home of His Father in heaven. Jesus must be the first fruits of them that slept. His glorified body, the eternal confirmation of the redemptive scheme, must first of all enter heaven. Though a number of others were raised from the dead before Christ, we have no evidence that their bodies were transfigured. Hence Jesus was the first one to raise from the dead, receiving the resurrection body. It was pertinent that all the Old Testament saints should be detained in that Intermediate Paradise till the plan of salvation was literally consummated by the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. David (Psalms 24) catches a prophetic vision of this wonderful ascension. Having risen from Mount Olivet with the velocity of lightning, they sweep through ethereal space, passing rolling worlds, glittering sphere, luminous comets and flaming suns, till now the celestial metropolis, in its ineffable glory, bursts upon their enraptured vision.

ii_k) [Ps. 24:7-10]:

(v. 7) "Lift up your heads, O you gates;

be lifted up you ancient doors,

that the King of glory may come in.

(v. 8) Who is this King of glory?

The LORD strong and mighty,

the LORD mighty in battle.

(v. 9) Lift up your heads O ye gates,

lift them up, you ancient doors,

that the King of glory may come in.

(v. 10) Who is He, this King of glory?

The LORD Almighty - He is the King of glory."

The celestial portals all open wide, while millions of angels pour out to greet them with loud shouts: "Welcome home, ye blood-washed." Now the King of glory entered amid the enraptured songs of the seraphim, the thrilling paeans of the cherubim, the golden harps of the archangel and the tremendous hallelujahs of the heavenly hosts, accompanied by the innumerable procession of the Old Testament saints, on and on they sweep around the clarion jubilations of countless millions, till halting before the effulgent throne, the Son salutes the Father: "Behold, I and the children whom Thou hast given me." Such a testimony meeting as heaven has never seen now follows. Father Abraham leads the way, followed by Job, Moses, Joshua, Daniel, the prophets, patriarchs, saints and martyrs, to the ravishing delight of the angels."

[Expositors, cont.]:

"The proper understanding of the phrase 'before this faith came' is found in the fact that the definite article occurs before the word 'faith', a fact obscured by the KJV. It is true that Paul can refer to faith generically as that on which every successful approach to God is founded. But this is not his meaning here. By 'this faith' he means 'the Christian faith,' that faith he has just spoken of in v. 22 - faith in Jesus Christ as Savior (cf. 1 Tim 4:1 for a similar usage). This faith is like the faith exercised by Abraham. But it is different in that it relates to the explicit revelation of Christ in time and to the distinct Christian doctrines concerning Him. Faith waited for this complete revelation. Paul's point is that the Law was intended to function only during this 1,500-year period of anticipation.

[Thus those that were of the faith of Abraham which was before the Cross was based on a promise of a Messiah to come and then salvation until 'the faith' of Christianity came which was based on the fact of our Lord's payment for our sins on the Cross and then our Lord delivered on that promise to those under the Law (and before the Law) by setting the captives free from Paradise in Hades and bringing them to heaven. ]

[Expositors, cont.]:

"While the Law was here, however, it did serve a purpose; and that purpose was to hold us prisoner, locking us up [some, literally in Paradise, Hades when they died before Christ came] until Christ should be revealed. The second of these two words (sunklEiO) has already occurred in v. 22. It means 'to confine.' The first word (phrourEO) is similar. It means 'to hold in custody' (cf. 1 Peter 1:5). Most likely Paul is thinking here that the Law, like a jailer, has kept men locked up and therefore out of trouble till Christ, the liberator, should come to set them free. However, it is also possible that he intends the reference more generally, inasmuch as the next verse speaks of a different kind of confinement entirely."

[Gal 3:26-27]:

(v. 26) "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus,

(v. 27) for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ."

A) SUMMARY

[BKC, p. 600]:

"Paul's vindication of the doctrine of justification by faith reached a climax in this section as he contrasted the position of a justified sinner with what he had been under the Law. Three changes are noted.

B) ALL BELIEVERS BECOME SONS OF GOD

"You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus" =

1) [Compare Jn 1:12-13]:

(v. 12) "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God--

(v. 13) children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God."

[BKC, cont.]:

"First, all who believe in Christ become sons of God. The change in person from the first to the second (you) indicates that Paul turned from looking at Israel as a nation to address the Galatian believers. Under the dispensation of Law, as seen in verse 24, the Law was a discipling pedagogue, and those under its supervision were regarded as children. However, now that Christ had come, the Galatian believers were adult sons through faith and were no longer under a Jewish slave-guardian. Why should they seek to revert to their inferior status?"

C) ALL BELIEVERS HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST AND HAVE CLOTHED THEMSELVES WITH CHRIST

"for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." =

"who were baptized" = "ebaptisthEte" = V_API2P = passive voice points to Holy Spirit baptism as opposed to water baptism which demands middle voice.

The only time this clothing with Christ occurs is when one is baptized with the Holy Spirit. Water baptism does not accomplish this. Holy Spirit baptism includes one in Christ when one believes in the gospel:

1) [Compare Eph 1:13-14]:

(v. 13) "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,

(v. 14) who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory."

a) Having Believed One is Included In Christ Forever

"And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him [Christ] with a Seal, the Holy Spirit of promise" =

At the point of having believed the gospel of your salvation the promised Holy Spirit "included" the believer "in Christ". Notice that being placed into Christ is an eternally secure picture of Holy Spirit baptism. There are passages throughout the New Testament that picture the building up of the Church, the Body of Christ by believers being included in Christ but never the losing of parts of that body by the loss of believers and then the reinstating of them - especially over and over again as each believer sins and repents and sins again and repents again. Thus one who is placed into Christ, i.e., the Body of Christ, the Church is eternally secure in the church and thus destined to heaven.

[BKC, cont.]:

"The exalted position of 'sons of God' is explained in verse 27 to involve a living union with Christ brought about by being baptized into Christ. This is the baptism of (or in) the Holy Spirit, which according to Paul (1 Cor 12:12-13) joins all believers to Christ and unites them within the church, Christ's body.

b) Having Believed One Is Clothed With Christ Forever

i) [Compare Jn 1:12-13]:

(v. 12) "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God--

(v. 13) children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God."

Once one believes in His name, i.e., expresses a moment of faith alone in Christ alone unto eternal life, one receives the right to become a child of God, born into the family of God.

[BKC, cont.]:

"This union with Him means being clothed with Christ. In the Roman society when a youth came of age he was given a special toga which admitted him to the full rights of the family and state and indicated he was a grown-up son. So the Galatian believers had laid aside the old garments of the Law and had put on Christ's robe of righteousness which grants full acceptance before God. Who would want to don again the old clothing?"

[Gal 3:28]:

"There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

A) THERE IS NEITHER JEW NOR GREEK, SLAVE NOR FREE, MALE NOR FEMALE DISTINCTIONS MADE RELATIVE TO THE BELIEVER'S SPIRITUALITY IN THE BODY OF CHRIST

1) [Compare Ro 10:12-13]:

(v. 12) '''For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,

(v. 13) for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." '''

2) [Compare Col 3:11]:

"Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all."

[BKC, cont.]:

"Second, believers are all one in Christ Jesus. Since all believers became one with each other, human distinctions lose their significance. None is spiritually superior over another, that is, a believing Jew is not more privileged before God than a believing Gentile (Greek, in contrast to Jew, suggests all Gentiles; cf Col 3:11); a believing slave does not rank higher than a believing free person; a believing man is not superior to a believing woman. Some Jewish men prayed, 'I thank God that Thou hast not made me a Gentile, a slave, or a woman.' Paul cut across these distinctions and stated that they do not exist in the body of Christ so far as spiritual privilege and position are concerned. Elsewhere, while affirming the coequality of man and woman in Christ, Paul did nonetheless make it clear that there is a headship of the man over the woman (cf. 1 Cor 11:3) and that there are distinctions in the area of spiritual service (cf. 1 Tim 2:12)."

[Gal 3:29]:

"If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

[BKC, cont.]:

"Third, believers in Christ are Abraham's seed. As Paul previously stated, Christ is the Seed of Abraham (vv. 16, 19); therefore being in Christ makes a believer a part of that seed and an heir of the promise to Abraham. Any discussion of the seed of Abraham must first take into account his natural seed, the descendants of Jacob in the 12 tribes. Within this natural seed there is a believing remnant of Jews who will one day inherit the Abrahamic promises directed specifically to them (cf. Rom 9:6, 8). But there is also the spiritual seed of Abraham who are not Jews. These are the Gentiles who believe and become Abraham's spiritual seed. They inherit the promise of justification by faith as Paul explained earlier (cf. Gal 3:6-9). To suggest, as amillenarians do, that Gentile believers inherit the national promises given to the believing Jewish remnant - that the church thus supplants Israel or is the 'new Israel' - is to read into these verses what is not there."

*****************************************************

I cont.) [Gal 4:1-2 cont.]:

(v. 1) "What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate.

(v. 2) He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by His father."

B) PAUL PRESENTS TO THE GALATIANS ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE OF V. 25: ('BEFORE THIS FAITH CAME, WE WERE HELD PRISONSER BY THE LAW, LOCKED UP UNTIL FAITH SHOULD BE REVEALED'):

PAUL NOW ADDRESSES THE GALATIANS DIRECTLY: WHY WOULD AN HEIR SUBMIT HIMSELF AS A CHILD INTO SLAVERY SUBJECTING HIMSELF TO THE LAW, I.E., TO GUARDIANS AND TRUSTEES UNTIL THE TIME SET FOR FAITH TO BE REVEALED WHEN THAT FAITH HAD ALREADY BEEN REVEALED AT CALVARY!

Paul retates his theme from verse 25 indicating that up until the time of our Lord's adding to Himself humanity, (Phil 2:5-6), to die on the cross for our sins to provide justification to all who believe; all believers before the cross were held prisoner under the Law until the promise of such justification was fulfilled at the cross in history. They were held prisoner, Paul explained earlier because OT saints in history under the Law before the cross, remained under the condemnation = the guardianship and trusteeship of the Law, (v. 4:1); i.e., "were held prisoners by the Law, locked up until faith should be revealed.", (v. 3:23). Their inability to keep the Law was a constant reminder of their shortcoming before God to be justified by any human doing.

Paul's now asks the Galatians why they would go back in history - (which is impossible) - to an enslavement to the Law awaiting the fulfillment of the promise of Christ when Christ had already come and they have already been freed from condemnation under the Law or any law when they believed?

[Bible Knowledge Commentary, Walvoord and Zuck, Eds, Victor Books, USA, 1988, p. 601]:

"To illustrate the spiritual immaturity of those who lived under the Mosaic Law, Paul reminded the Galatian believers of certain characteristics of an heir as a minor child (nepios, 'infant, young child'; in contrast with huios, 'son,' in 3:7, 26). Though by birthright he owned the whole estate, nevertheless he was kept in subservience like a slave in that he enjoyed no freedom and could make no decisions. In fact the heir as a child was under guardians (epitropous, different from the paidagOgos in 3:24-25) who watched over his person, and trustees who protected his estate. This was true until he came of age as a son, an age that varied in the Jewish, Grecian, and Roman societies. Under Roman law the age of maturity for a child was set by His father and involved a ceremonial donning of the toga virilis and his formal acknowledgement as son and heir."

III) [Gal 4:3]:

"So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world."

A) PAUL THEN APPLIES HIS POINT TO THE GALATIANS WHO BEFORE THEIR PERSONAL DECISION TO TRUST IN CHRIST WERE IN SLAVERY TO THEIR RELIGIOUS SYSTEM

[BKC, cont.]:

"Paul applied the illustration in order to show the contrast between the believer's former position and what they now enjoyed. Formerly, in their state of spiritual immaturity (when we were children, nepioi), they were like slaves. The scope of that slavery was described as being under the basic principles (stoicheis, 'elements') of the world. Though often interpreted as a reference to the Mosaic Law, this view does not fit the Galatians, most of whom were Gentile pagans before conversion and were never under the Law. It seems better to understand the 'basic principles' to refer to the elementary stages of religious experience, whether of Jews under the Law or Gentiles in bondage to heathen religions (cf. 'weak and misereable principles' in v. 9, and 'basic principles of this world' in Col 2:20) Thus all were enslaved until Christ emancipated them."

IV) [Gal 4:4]:

"But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under law"

[BKC, p. 600]:

"But....God marks the fact that divine intervention brought hope and freedom to mankind. As a human father chose the time for his child to become an adult son, so the heavenly Father chose the time for the coming of Christ to make provision for people's transition from bondage under Law to spiritual sonship. This 'time' was when the Roman civilization had brought peace and a road system which facilitated travel; when the Grecian civilization provided a language which was adopted as the lingua franca of the empire; when the Jews had proclaimed monotheism and the messianic hope in the synagogues of the Mediterranean world. It was then that God sent His Son, the preexistent One, out of heaven and to earth on a mission. The 'Son' was not only Deity; He was also humanity as the expression born of a woman indicates. The exclusive reference to His mother harmonizes with the doctrine of the virgin birth as taught in the Gospels (cr. Matt 1:18). Further, Christ was born under Law as a Jew. He kept the Law perfectly, fulfilled it (cf. Matt 5:17), and finally paid its curse (cf. Gal 3:13)."

V) [Gal 4:5]:

"What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate."

[BKC, cont.]:

"The reasons 'God sent His Son' are two fold (again both reasons are introduced by hina, 'in order that'; cf. 3:14). First, He came to redeem (exagorase) those under Law. This is not a redemption from the curse of the Law (as in 3:13), but from a slavery to the entire Mosaic system. The emphasis is not on the penalty of the Law as in 3:13, but on its bondage. Since Christ redeemed and set free those who were under the Law, why should Gentile converts now wish to be placed under it? Second, Christ's Incarnation and death secured for believers the full rights of sons ('the adpotion of sons,' KJV). All the enjoyments and privileges of a mature son in a family belong to those who have entered into the benefits of Christ's redemptive work."

VI) [Gal 4:6]:

"Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, 'Abba, Father.' "

[BKC, cont.]:

"God the Father not only 'sent His Son'; He also sent the Spirit. Thus the full Trinity is involved in the work of salvation. The Holy Spirit is a gift of God to every believer because of sonship. No sons or daughters lack the Spirit. Further, He is present within each believer's heart to give evidence of that one's position in God's family. The Spirit moves the believer to pray to God, addressing Him as Abba, Father (cf. Rom 8:15). The word 'Abba' is the Aramaic word for 'Father.' It is the diminutive form used by small children in addressing their fathers. It is appropriate to see its similarity to the English word 'Daddy.' Used by Christ (cf. Mark 14:36), this familiar form indicates intimacy and trust as oposed to the formalism of legalism."

VII) [Gal 4:7]:

"So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir."

[BKC, cont.]:

"To conclude, Paul declared that the Galatians were no longer slaves, but were sons and heirs. The plural forms in verse 6 were replaced by the singular forms in verse 7 thus making the application to the reader direct and personal. In God's family, sonship carries with it heirship (cf. Rom 8:17)."

VIII) [Gal 4:8-11]:

(v. 8) "Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.

(v. 9) But now that you know God--or rather are known by God--how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?

(v. 10) You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!

(v. 11) I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you."

A) PAUL BEGINS A PERSONAL PLEA IN VV. 8-20

[BKC, cont.]:

"A PERSONAL PLEA (4:8-20)

The apostle turned from a formal argument to a personal appeal for the Galatians not to return to a slavery similar to their former bondage in paganism.

B) PAUL APPEALS TO THE GALATIANS NOT TO TURN TO LEGALISM VV. 8-11

(1) PAUL REFERS TO THE GALATIANS' FORMER LIFE WHEN THEY WERE SLAVES TO PAGAN 'GODS' ASKING WHY THEY WOULD WANT TO BE ENSLAVED ALL OVER AGAIN TO THE LAW

(v. 8) "Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.

(v. 9) But now that you know God--or rather are known by God--how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?" =

[BKC, cont.]:

"Prior to conversion the Galatians, in their ignorance of the one true God, were in bondage to false gods such as Zeus and Hermes (cf. Acts 14:11-13).

[Compare Acts 14:11-13]:

(v. 11) '''When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in human form!"

(v. 12) Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker.

(v. 13) The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.'''

[BKC, cont.]:

"But a great change took place and they came to know God (salvation from the perspective of man), or to be known by God (salvation from God's perspective). Yet having come to know gnontesfrom ginOskO, lit., 'to know intimately and on a personal level') the true God, the Galatians were turning back. Paul was amazed and dismayed. Did they understand that they would be going back to a state of religious slavery? Was this their desire? If so, why would they be attracted to a system that was weak (it could not justify or energize for godly living) and miserable (it could not provide an inheritance). The principles (stoicheia) of that system are 'of the world,' as Paul had already said in verse 3."

VIII cont.) [Gal 4:8-11 cont.]:

(v. 8) "Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.

(v. 9) But now that you know God--or rather are known by God--how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?

(v. 10) You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!

(v. 11) I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you."

B cont.) PAUL APPEALS TO THE GALATIANS NOT TO TURN TO LEGALISM VV. 8-11, cont.

2) PAUL INDICATES THAT THE GALATIANS WHO WERE NOT EVEN JEWISH WERE NOW OBSERVING SPECIAL JEWISH DAYS, MONTHS, SEASONS AND YEARS IN FUTILITY

(v. 10) "You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! =

[BKC, cont.]:

"Under the influence of the Judaizers the Galatians had a least begun to observe the Mosaic calendar. They kept special days (weekly sabbaths), and months (new moons), and seasons (seasonal festivals such as Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles), and years (sabbatical and jubilee years)."

[Compare Col 2:13-17]:

(v. 13) "When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,

(v. 14) having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.

(v. 15) And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

(v. 16) Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.

(v. 17) These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ."

[BKC, cont.]:

"They observed these special times, thinking that they would thereby gain additional merit before God. But Paul had already made it clear that works could not be added to faith as grounds for either justification or sanctification."

Note that this is a direct exclusion of observance of such things like the Sabbath in order to gain merit from God unto salvation.

3) PAUL EXPRESSES FEAR AND CONCERN FOR THE GALATIANS - THAT HIS EFFORTS WERE WASTED ON THEM RELATIVE TO PREACHING THE GOSPEL

(v. 11) "I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you." =

[BKC, cont.]:

"Reflecting concern for the Galatians, Paul expressed the fear that his efforts (kekopiaka, lit., 'I have labored to the point of exhaustion') would be wasted (eike, 'in vain'; cf. the same word rendered 'for nothing' in 3:4, 'Have you suffered for so much for nothing?') if their attachment to legalistic practices continued. The apostle's words disclosed his strong antipathy toward legalistic religion."

IX) [Gal 4:12-16]:

(v. 12) "I plead with you, brothers, become like me, for I became like you. You have done me no wrong.

(v. 13) As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you.

(v. 14) Even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself.

(v. 15) What has happened to all your joy? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.

(v. 16) Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?"

A) PAUL APPEALS TO THE GALATIANS TO REMEMBER THEIR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP TO HIM ESTABLISHED DURING HIS TIME SPENT WITH THEM (4:12-16)

1) PAUL PLEADS TO HIS GENTILE BROTHERS IN CHRIST TO BECOME LIKE HIM ONCE AGAIN FOR HE BECAME LIKE THEM IN THE SENSE OF THEM NEVER BEING UNDER THE LAW SO HE WAS FREED FROM HAVING TO KEEP THE LAW TO BE SAVED BY BECOMING LIKE THEM AS GENTILES

(v. 12) "I plead with you, brothers, become like me, for I became like you. You have done me no wrong." =

[BKC cont.]:

"Intensifying his appeal, Paul challenged the Galatians, Become like me, for I became like you, that is, 'Become free from the Law as I am, for after my conversion I became like the Gentiles, no longer living under the Law.' The irony, however, was that the Galatian Gentiles were putting themselves under the Law after their conversions."

2) PAUL REFERS TO HIS VISIT WITH THE GALATIANS WHEN HE HAD AN ILLNESS YET THE GALATIANS WELCOMED PAUL AS IF HE WERE CHRIST HIMSELF

(v. 13) "As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you.

(v. 14) Even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself." =

[BKC, cont.]:

"The last clause of verse 12 belongs with these and the following verses in which Paul related how he was received by the Galatians on his first visit to them (cf. Acts 13-14). At that time he labored under the handicap of an illness but remained until he had preached the gospel to them. Whatever his infirmity, the Galatians did not treat Paul with contempt or scorn as a weak messenger but rather received him as one would receive an angel or even Christ Jesus Himself."

3) PAUL REFLECTS THAT THE GALATIANS HAD RECEIVED HIM WITH JOY AND SELF-SACRIFICE; AND NOW THEY ACT LIKE HE IS THE ENEMY BECAUSE HE WAS TELLING THEM THE TRUTH

(v. 15) "What has happened to all your joy? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me."

(v. 16) Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?" =

[BKC, cont.]:

"They had received Paul with joy, contratulating themselves that the apostle had preached in their midst. Their appreciation knew no limits; they would even have made the sacrifice of their eyes for Paul. While some think this is an indication that Paul had a disease of the eyes (his 'thorn' in his 'flesh,' 2 Cor 12:7), the evidence is not conclusive. This may simply be a bold figure of speech ot convey teh high esteem the Galatians had had for the apostle - they would have given him their most precious possession.

But that had all changed. They no longer contemplated his presence among them with 'joy'. Rather, they now acted as though he had become their enemy, for the simple reason that he had been telling them the truth. How fickle were these Galatians! They were turning against the Lord, the gospel of grace, and the messenger who brought them the news of justification by faith."

X) [Gal 4:17-20]:

(v. 17) "Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may be zealous for them.

(v. 18) It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always and not just when I am with you.

(v. 19) My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,

(v. 20) how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you!"

A) PAUL APPEALS TO THE GALATIANS TO CONSIDER HIS ATTITUDE TOWARD THEM

1) PAUL INDICATES THAT THE JUDAIZERS WERE ZEALOUS TO WIN THE GALATIANS OVER TO THEM AND AGAINST PAUL, THUS FOR NO GOOD REASON

(v. 17) "Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may be zealous for them.

(v. 18) It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always and not just when I am with you." =

[BKC, cont.]:

"While Paul's attitude toward the Galatians was guileless, the legalists had improper motives. The apostle spoke the truth (cf. v. 16); the Judaizers used flattery. They wanted to alienate (ekkleisai, lit., 'to lock out') the Galatians from Paul and his teaching so that they would be shut up instead to the false teachers and their influence. In an interesting double use of the verb 'be zealous' Paul said that the Judaizers were zealous to win... over the Galatians so that the latter would be zealous for the Judaizers! Acknowledging that it was good for anyone to be sought after, Paul nonetheless insisted that the intention must be honorable, but int he case of the Judaizers it was not."

2) PAUL REFERS TO THE GALATIANS AS MY DEAR CHILDREN HAVING BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN THEIR BECOMING BORN AGAIN CHILDREN OF GOD BUT HE IS NOW PERPLEXED AT THEIR ARRESTED SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT

(v. 19) "My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,

(v. 20) how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you!" =

[BKC, cont.]:

"The apostle, on the other hand, had always had good motives regarding the Galatians. Addressing them tenderly as my dear children (tekna mou, an expression found only here in Pauls epistles), Paul compared himself to a mother in the throes of birth pangs. He had experienced this once for their salvation; he was in travail again for their deliverance from false teachers.

But a sudden change in metaphors occurred with the expressoin until Christ is formed in you. Paul longed for these believers to be transformed into (morphOthE, lit., 'take on the form of'; cf. morphE in Phil 2:6-7) the image of Christ. This expression describes the Christian life as a kind of reincarnation of Christ in a believer's life. this is in fact God's ideal and purpose - for Christ to live His life in and then through each believer (cf. Gal 2:20). Yet the apostle was perplexed about the Galatians because he felt their spiritual development was being arrested. He had a deep desire to be with them so that he could speak gently, though firmly, concerning his grave concerns."

XI) [Gal 4:21-31]:

(v. 21) Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says?

(v. 22) For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman.

(v. 23) His son by the slave woman was born in the ordinary way; but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a promise.

(v. 24) These things may be taken figuratively, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar.

(v. 25) Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children.

(v. 26) But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother.

(v. 27) For it is written: "Be glad, O barren woman, who bears no children; break forth and cry aloud, you who have no labor pains; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband."

(v. 28) Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.

(v. 29) At that time the son born in the ordinary way persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now.

(v. 30) But what does the Scripture say? "Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman's son."

(v. 31) Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman."

A) PAUL PROVIDES A BIBLICAL ILLUSTRATION OF ABRAHAM AND HIS RELATIONSHIPS WITH HAGAR AND SARAH RELATIVE TO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LAW AND GRACE AND THE PREFERENCE FOR THE LATTER

[Expositors, Ibid, p. 482]:

"Commentators are sometimes embarrassed because Paul's doctrinal argument in the central two chapters of Galatians concludes with an allegory based on what they consider an unjustified use of an OT story. But this is an unnecessary embarrassment, as is also the thought that the allegory was somewhat of an afterthought for Paul, who had, in fact, actually concluded his argument early in the fourth chapter. In one sense, the formal argument did conclude there. What follows (from 4:8 on) is mostly an appeal to the Galatians to remain in that freedom to which God has called them.

However, one may just as well feel that Paul has deliberately saved precisely this argument for his capstone. The advantages are these; (1) The allegory allows Paul to end on a final citataion of the law and, in particular, on a passage involving Abraham, who has been his primary example;

(2) it allows him to use a method of argument which, we may assume, had been used by the legalizers, thus turning their own style of exegesis against them;

(3) it illustrates and reviews all his main points - the radical opposition between the principle of law and the principle of faith, the fact that life under law is a life of bondage and the life of faith is freedom, that the life of faith is a result of the supernatural working of God by means of the Holy Spirit;

(4) the story contains an emotional overtone suited both to a wrap-up of the formal argument and to a final personal appeal; and

(5) it gives Paul a base upon which to suggest what he had undoubtedly thought but had apparently been reluctant to say previously - that the Galatians should obey God by casting out the legalizers (v. 30). Therefore, the allegory effectively ties together both the doctrinal section of the letter and the appeal based onit, while at the same time leading into the ethical section that begins in chapter 5.

Paul introduces the facts of the story itself (vv. 21-23), develops the allegory (vv. 24-27), and then applies the allegory to the Galatians and indeed to all believers (vv. 28-31). The latter section speaks of hte supernatural basis of the new life in Christ, the inevitablility of persecution for those who stand by the gospel, and the need to so stand."

[BKC, cont.]:

"In a masterful stroke the apostle turned to a scriptural illustration to conclude his theological defense of justification by faith. An Old Testament story from the life of Abraham enabled Paul to review what he had already declared about contrasts between the Mosaic Law and grace, between works and faith. It also provided an opportunity for him to verbalize the pointed charge to the Galatians that they should cast out the legalizers (cf. v. 30)."

B) PAUL REVIEWS SOME HISTORICAL FACTS OF ABRAHAM'S LIFE

1) PAUL PREFACES HIS REVIEW WITH A QUESTION, 'ARE YOU NOT AWARE OF WHAT THE LAW SAYS?'

(v. 21) "Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says?" =

[Expositors, cont.]:

"Paul has already appealed to statements of the law to show that the law brings a curst to those who desire to be under it (3:10-14). But that was both indirect and negative. Now he appeals directly and demnds that those desiring to be under law hear what the law actually says and retreat from their folly. He does not yet consider that the Galatians have actually rejected the gospel, only that they are desiring to reject it for law."

[BKC, cont.]:

"The Galatians had not yet submitted to the bondage of the Law but they desired to. Paul desperately wanted to stop them and turn them back to a life under grace. As a transition to what would immediately follow, he challenged the Galatians to be aware of or to understand what the Law really said."

2) ABRAHAM HAD TWO SONS, ONE BY A SLAVE WOMAN AND THE OTHER BY A FREE WOMAN

(v. 22) "For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman." =

[Expositors, cont.]:

'''Now Paul turns for the final time to the case of Abraham upon whom the legalizers had undoubtedly based a large part of their argument. Jews derived much satisfaction from their physical descent from Abraham and in many cases certainly considered the promises and blessing of God to be theirs because of it. This outlook had evoked John the Baptist's comment, "Do not think you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham" (Matt 3:9), and had become the subject of the extended debate between Jesus and the Pharisees recorded in John 8. In that debate Jesus had denied that the Pharisees were descended from Abraham spiritually. The present passage deals with the same issue, only Paul's method of attack is slightly different. Instead of denying outright their descent from Abraham, Paul simply reminds his opponents that Abraham had two sons (Ishmael and Isaac are meant, though Abraham did have other sons later) and askes, in effect, which of these two children the legalizers take after."

[BKC, cont.]:

"By turning again to Abraham (Gen, as one of the Books of Moses, was considered a part of the Law) Paul was appealing to the founder of the Jewish nation from whose physical descent the Jews traced their blessings. John the Baptist and Jesus declared that physical descent from Abraham was not enough, however, to guarantee spiritual blessing (cf. Matt 3:9; John 8:37-44). Paul reminded his readers that Abraham had two sons (those born later are not important to his illustration), and that they should consider which of the two they were most like. One son, Isaac, was born of Sarah, the free woman; the other, Ishmael, was born of Hagar, the slave woman. According to ancient law and custom the status of a mother affected the status of her son."

3) ONE SON WAS BORN IN THE ORDINARY WAY, BUT THE SON BY THE FREE WOMAN WAS BORN SUPERNATURALLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROMISE OF GOD

(v. 23) "His son by the slave woman was born in the ordinary way; but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a promise. " =

[Expositors, cont.]:

"There were two main differences between these sons. The first is that they were born of different mothers (v. 22). One was a free woman, the other a slave. This, according to ancient law, also affected the sons' status. The second difference was in the manner of their conception. Ishmael's was entirely by natural means. Abraham was elderly at the time, about eighty-six years old, but still the conception was natural. In Isaac's case the conception was by means of a miracle; for by this time Abraham had passed the age at which it was normally poissible to engender children - he was ninety-nine years old - and Sarah was long past the age of conceiving them

The preposition 'through' in Paul's phrase 'as the result of [or through] a promise' indicates that the promise of God called life into being. Moreover, in v. 29 the phrase 'through a promise' becomes 'by the power of the Spirit,' and this makes the supernatural character of the birth even clearer.

It is apparent that this contrast lends itself well to the very distinction Paul is trying to make between natural or man-made and supernatural or God-made religion. The religion of works and law corresponds to the natural birth of Ishmael. The religion of the Spirit, which is Christianity, corresponds to the supernatural birth of Isaac."

[BKC, cont.]:

"A second contrast concerned the manner in which the sons were conceived. Ishmael was born in the ordinary way, that is, in the course of nature and requiring no miracle and no promise of God. Isaac, on the other hand, was born as the result of a promise. Abraham and Sarah were beyond the age of childbearing, but God miraculously fulfilled His promise in bringing life out of the deadness of Sarah's womb (cf. Rom 4:18-21)."

[Compare Ro 4:18-21]:

(v. 18) '''Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be."

(v. 19) Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead--since he was about a hundred years old--and that Sarah's womb was also dead.

(v. 20) Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,

(v. 21) being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.'''

B) PAUL THEN PICTURES AN ALLEGORY COMPARING HAGAR AND SARAH AND THEIR TWO SONS IN ORDER TO EMPHASIZE THE CONTRAST BETWEEN LAW AND GRACE FOR THE GALATIANS AND THE SUPERIORITY OF GRACE

(v. 24) "These things may be taken figuratively, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar." =

[BKC, cont.]:

"In order to emphasize the contrast between Law and grace Paul next used the historical events above as an allegory, that is, he treated those two mothers figuratively (allegoroumena). He did not in any sense deny the literal meaning of the story of Abraham, but he declared that the story, especially the matters relating to the conception of the two sons, had an additional meaning. Thus he compared the narrative to the conflict between Judaism and Christianity.

(This 'allegorizing' is a far cry from the practice of 'allegorical interpretation' - followed by Origen, Augustine, and many others down through the ages and into the present day - in which the historical facts are relegated to a lower, less significant level and fanciful, hidden meanings unrelated to the text, are considered vastly more important.)

[Expositors, cont.]:

"This basic distinction between the two sons and in the manner of their conception and birth Paul now carries out in more complete spiritual terms, using the historical account as an allegory. This does not mean that Paul's exegesis is fanciful, as some have implied, but only that he uses the story for the sake of its major principle, which he then quite properly appies to the struggle between Judaism and Christianity.

The best way to understand the allegory is to carry it through in parallel columns. Lightfoot argues that the need to do this is suggested by the text itself, for the word "sustoichei" in v. 25 (translated 'corresponds') refers to things that are in the same column - letters of the alphabet, for instance, or soldiers at attention. Thus we have:

The Law	Grace
Hagar, the bond woman	Sarah, the free woman
Ishmael, a natural birth	Isaac, a supernatural birth
The old covenant	The new covenant
Earthly Jerusalem	Heavenly Jerusalem
Judaism	Christianity

In this arrangement Hagar, the slave woman, stands for the old covenant enacted at Sinai, while her son, Ishmael, stands for Judaism with her center at earthly Jerusalem. This is one form of religion. On the other hand, Sarah, the free woman, stands for the new covenant enacted on Calvary through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, and her son, Isaac, stands for all who have become part of the church of the heavenly Jerusalem through faith in Christ's sacrifice. On the most superficial level, Isaac and Ishmael were alike in that both were sons of Abraham. But on a more fundamental level they were entirely different. In the same way, Paul argues, it is not enough merely to claim Abraham as one's father. Both Christians and Jews did that. The question is: Who is our mother and in what way were we born? If Hagar is our mother, then we were born of purley human means and are still slaves. If our mother is Sarah, then the birth was by promise, and we are free men.

It is significant that when Paul contrasts 'the present city of Jerusalem' with 'the Jerusalem that is above' he is mixing two metaphors so as to enrich his meaning. Strictly speaking, the phrase 'the present city of Jerusalem' should be matched with 'the Jerusalem that is to come,' and the phrase 'the Jerusalem that is above' should be matched with 'earthly Jerusalem,' These connotations are more or less evident, though unexpressed. But that Paul did not actually say 'the Jerusalem that is to come' may be significant; for while it is true that there is a Jerusalem to come (Rev 21:2), it is also true, though in another sense, that this Jerusalem is now present in those born again by God's Spirit."

1) THE FIRST CONTRAST IN PAUL'S ALLEGORY IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE COVENANT OF THE MOSAIC LAW REPRESENTING HAGAR THE SLAVE AND THE FREEDOM OF THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT REPRESENTING SARAH THE FREE WOMAN

(v. 24 cont.) "These things may be taken figuratively, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar." =

[BKC, cont.]:

"First, the apostle pointed to two covenants. One, the Mosaic, had its origin at Mount Sinai. Those under this legal covenant were slaves. As Hagar brought forth a slave, so does the Law. At this point the reader is expected to understand and supply the implicit reference to the Abrahamic Covenant, a gracious system represented by Sarah which through its messianic promise brought forth children who are free."

XI cont.) [Gal 4:21-31 cont.]: