We ended last week with Paul telling the Galatians that he was perplexed with them. I could envision him just shaking his head as he wrote. He just couldn’t understand why they kept reverting back to the Law after receiving grace. For four chapters he has been beating the same drum! Remember, he had already called them foolish for reverting back to the Law at the beginning of chapter 3. In chapter 2, he said they had fallen into hypocrisy in the way they were treating the Gentile Christians. And in chapter 1, he was amazed that they were so quickly deserting the Gospel. So, Paul asks the Jewish believers a question in verse 21:
Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law?
He continues with an illustration from verses 22-31:
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. Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother. For it is written, ’Rejoice, barren woman who does not bear; Break forth and shout, you who are not in labor; For more numerous are the children of the desolate than of the one who has a husband.’ And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise. 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. 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.’ So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, but of the free woman.
Notice, Paul says that he is speaking allegorically . He uses a factual Old Testament event to make an analogy of what was happening in Galatia. If you remember the story, Abraham and Sarah were promised a child. However, they became impatient and brought in Sarah’s slave girl and allowed her to “sleep” with Abraham. (Have you ever become impatient with God?) She became pregnant with Ishmael. However, Ishmael was not the promised child. He was the son of the slave, Hagar. God fulfilled his promise to Abraham and Sarah when Sarah had Isaac. He was the child of promise!
Paul makes the analogy “And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise.” Paul goes back to the Book of Genesis: “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.” What did that mean to the Galatians? Paul uses this verse as an analogy and basically means “Cast out those false teachers who are trying to make you follow the Law.” Paul actually says it like this: “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.” Ishmael (the son of the slave) was persecuting (mocking or making fun of) Isaac (the son of God’s promise). Paul uses the verse as an analogy to mean that the false teachers were persecuting the Galatian Christians just as Ishmael was persecuting Isaac. So, Paul is saying “Cast them out!”
You are not a slave. You are free, so live as a free man or woman in Jesus Christ! Let Scripture be your guide not false teachers. You see, His grace is what should motivate you to live for Him. When you realize and understand what Christ has done for you and how much He loves you, this is what should motivate you to live a life worthy of His calling. The cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ should always be in the forefront of our minds. If you try to follow a set of rules in your own power, you will fail and fail miserably. Let’s live from His freedom! It is not a license to sin. It is grace that motivates us to live the abundant life!