Genre:
4:24 These things may be treated as an allegory, for these women represent two covenants.
(NET) Paul is not saying the OT account is an allegory, but rather that he is constructing an allegory based on the OT account.
Therefore, the meaning in Galatians were not in Genesis. When we read Genesis we should understand that with the plain meaning of the text. Paul only used that "storyline."
Repeated phrases:
(1) Son of slavery and Son of free woman
The Son of slavery means those who put themselves under the Law v.24, 25 and the son of free woman are the one who believe in free grace like Paul v.28, 31, 5:1.
The reason why people would put themselves under the law again might be because the free grace believers were being persecuted v.29, but Paul said the Law keeping believers would be thrown out for they could not share the inheritance with the son v.30-31.
Reflection: Why is the Law the slavery? I think it is because it is a merit system. We have to abide to it if we want to be righteous. We are free now in Christ 2:4 because we are saved by grace not because of what we did. We are free from the Law, and in Christ, we are also free from the bondage of sin. Shall we who are free from the Law put ourselves to be bonded by sin? To what sin do you put yourselves under as a salve?
(2) Jerusalem v.25, 26
In the "present" Jerusalem church, some false brothers tried to push for circumsion of the Gentiles believers 2:1-4, and therefore they were under the slavery of the Law v.25. However, Paul pointed out that there were 2 women representing covenants.
4:26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.
(NET) The meaning of the statement the Jerusalem above is free is that the other woman represents the second covenant (cf. v. 24); she corresponds to the Jerusalem above that is free. Paul’s argument is very condensed at this point.
Reflection: The reality of the Galatians church told them that they had to follow the false doctrine. They were persecuted and the one who preached that teaching came from the prestige Jerusalem. That was tremendous pressure for them. However, that was not the whole reality. There was another Jerusalem. In the future the slave woman will be thrown out. The inheritance will belong to the son of the free woman only.
Do you live in a situation where people force you to think that there is only 1 choice? Or you are seeking the approval of the people that make you their slave? They tell you that you have to work hard to gain money. There is no other way to live. Or they tell you that you have to be beautiful, smart, fun-loving etc...
Thank God who free us from slavery, and we should not put ourselves again to the yoke of slavery again 5:1!
5:1 For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be subject again to the yoke of slavery.
The freedom is only found in Christ. I saw a quote from Christopher Yeung this morning from his FB, "Instead of us hoping that our children would just be happy, I think that we would hope that our children would just fully surrender their lives to Christ." From 5:1, our freedom in Christ requires us to stand firm. It will easily be subject again to the yoke of slavery.
Audrey
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