Galatians 4:28-29 30But what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.” 31So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman.
Paul quotes Genesis 21:10 to support what the Galatians need to do. In the sad story of Hagar and Ishmael, Sarah wanted Abraham to send Hagar and Ishmael away because Ishmael was mocking the young boy, Isaac. Paul allegorizes this story to tell the Galatians that they are not children of slavery but children of promise. Paul changes the Old Testament verse to make his intended application clearer by substitution “free woman” for Sarah’s personal reference. Sarah and Isaac represent the freedom that comes by trusting by faith in God’s promise of salvation through Jesus Christ. Hagar and Ishmael represent attempting to gain righteousness by human effort, which only ends up in further slavery to sin.
Paul reminds the Galatians that they are not children of slavery but of promise. They experienced God’s salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, not by human effort. Legalism and works righteousness will not provide for our deepest need. These are empty human effort that only bring further emptiness. The Galatians need to recognize the futility of what they were being taught by the false teachers. They needed to return to the roots of their faith and experience the power of the Holy Spirit within them. All that Paul has written so far in the letter will be the focus of the next chapter where he brings the theology all together. Each part of this letter builds on the previous ones.
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