Ep. 20 | Paul's Example of Isaac and Ishmael

Speaker: Jesse Turkington

Summary: We need to be careful with this passage. Allegories are dangerous when misused because it allows personal interpretation to replace God's intended meaning.

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Music created by Chad Hoffman
Artwork created by Anthony Kuenzi

Jesse’s Personal Notes:

Galatians 4:21-31

Introduction

Hey, welcome to Pickled Parables! My name’s Jesse - I’m the host for this podcast. 

Right off the bat, I just want to take a minute and express my delight. I absolutely love teaching the Bible. It can difficult to teach people that I’m not able to interact with or even see, but! I cherish the study, the preparation and the sharing of my findings. 

 My hope is that this has been beneficial for you. My prayer is that this has edifying for you. And my desire is that this has been uplifting for you. 

 Parable Ministries purpose is to provide biblical teaching, biblical counsel and encouragement that comes from the Bible to Christians in an effort to foster spiritual growth. And this podcast in particular, is our outreach of biblical teaching. 

So, I want you to do something for me. I want you to find one person this week who has not heard of this podcast and I want you to share it with them. 

I want this podcast to be a genuine outreach for people to receive biblical teaching. So that’s your mission this week, share this podcast with one person.

Allegorizing

Today, we are back in Galatians chapter four. And this passage is super easy to abuse. If you remember our Do Nots Series that we did a while ago, this could be a passage that we put in there.

So our approach this week needs to be careful. We need to be intentionally aware of the textual context as well as the historical context. 

 We’re specifically looking at Galatians chapter four, verses twenty-one through thirty-one. So it’s just ten verses today, but boy, are they a doozy. 

 So let me remind you, to help set this passage up, this letter was written by the apostle Paul to the churches within region of Galatia. 

And to help you visualize where that is think of modern-day Turkey. It was right in the middle of Asia Minor. 

So Paul wrote this letter in order to correct some false rumors and even some accusations that were put against him. AND, he wanted to correct some false teachings that the Galatians were struggling with. So this letter, summarized, is a letter of correction and clarification. 

Which is why we’re going through it, because I wanted to offer a solid foundation for you that is presented through “clear correction” in order to communicate some ministry values that we have and help everyone just be on the same page. 

So everything that’s led up to this passage (the passage that we’re going to look at today) it’s been about correction and clarification. 

So this passage, is the pinnacle of that goal. We need to realize this before we enter it, because this content is the capstone of Paul’s clarification.  

So I’m going to read through these ten verses and then we’ll start dissecting it and we’ll explore it’s meaning. 

So, Galatians chapter four, verses twenty-one through thirty-one:

Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman. But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise. Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. 

 For it is written,

“Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear;
    break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor!
For the children of the desolate one will be more
    than those of the one who has a husband.”

 Now you, brothers (and sisters), like Isaac, are children of promise. But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now. But 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.” So, brothers (and sisters), we are not children of the slave but of the free woman. (Galatians 4:21-31 ESV)

 The reason we need to be careful with this passage, is because it can easily be misunderstood. Especially, since we are so far removed from the immediate context. 

Allegories are dangerous when misused. Because it allows personal interpretation to replace God’s intended meaning. 

Here, I’ll give an example: Jesus’ parables are commonly allegorized. One more famous allegory is that of Augustine’s interpretation of Jesus’ parable about the good Samaritan. 

If you haven’t heard of this parable, I’ll read it for you here quickly. It’s from Luke chapter ten.

And behold, a lawyer stood up to put (Jesus) to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”

But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 

 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ 

Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 

 (The lawyer) said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.” (Luke 10:25-27 ESV)

 Now the meaning of this parable is not a hidden feature. 

The lawyer, I guess, just think of like a prestigious bible scholar. He knew the biblical texts very well. 

 He wanted to test Jesus, meaning he wanted to try to beat Jesus at his own game, because Jesus was known to be an incredible teacher. 

So the lawyer comes and he says, “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?” 

And Jesus asks, “Well, what do you think? You know the Bible really well. I’m sure you have an idea.”

 And the Bible scholar essentially answers his own question so Jesus was like, “Yeah, why did you ask that question if you already knew the answer?”

 But it says, “desiring to justify himself,” he asked a clarifying question. “Who exactly is my neighbor?” Now, this question had been debated by a lot of people for a long time. So this guy was trying to bate Jesus into a debate. 

And then Jesus tells this extravagant story about this guy who gets beat up, he gets passed by by respectable people and then someone who was culturally hated came and went above and beyond in caring for this beaten man. 

Then Jesus asks the defining question, “Who proved to be a neighbor to this man?”

The answer was plainly obvious to anyone who listened and the lawyer confessed, “The man who showed mercy.” 

So the purpose of this parable was not only to deflate a tense situation but it was a method that Jesus used to reach into this lawyer’s heart and point out his sin. 

However, this parable has been taken and meaning has been put into it. An example is that of Augustine’s interpretation of this passage. He took details of the story and gave each one a meaning.

• He said that the man going down from Jerusalem to Jericho represented Adam.

• Jerusalem was the heavenly city of peace, from which Adam fell.

• Jericho represented the moon which signified Adam’s mortality.

• The robbers represented the devil and his angels

• They stripped him, meaning they stole his immortality 

• They beat him, meaning they persuaded him to sin

• And they left him half dead. As a man lives but is spiritually dead.

• The priest and the Levite represent the priesthood and ministry of the Old Testament

• The bandaging of the beaten man’s wounds reflect the binding restraints of sin.

• The oil represented the comfort of good hope

• Wine was the exhortation to work with a fervent spirit

• The donkey or animal which the Samaritan put the beaten man onto represented the flesh of Christ’s incarnation

• The inn represented the church

• The next day represented the resurrection

• The two coins represented the promise of this life and the life to come

• And finally, the innkeeper signified the apostle Paul. 

 This is what I mean when I say, we need to be careful with parables and analogies. Especially, when a teacher is using them. Because a teacher is using them for a specific purpose. So, we need to understand the original purpose rather than seeking to understand some hidden meaning.  

Colossians is a great book to read if you want to look at that more. The church in Colossae was struggling with Gnosticism which focused a lot on hidden knowledge. And so Paul plays into that and talks a lot about the mystery of Christ. It’s a great book, one of my favorites. 

But back to Galatians! Paul gives an analogy, an example, to communicate a specific thought. So, let’s look at what he’s trying to communicate rather than what each detail might mean. 

Paul’s Example

We’ll approach this passage thought-for-thought so that it’s a little more digestible. So, starting with verse twenty-one:

Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman. (Galatians 4:21-21 ESV)

So, this is the set up. Paul is using a historical example to drive home his point. 

This isn’t the first time that Paul has mentioned Abraham or sonship so this is being built off of previous content. 

The setup is two sons. One was born by a slave woman and the other was born by a free woman. So that’s the distinction, slavery and freedom. 

Now this has already been covered by previous episodes, but as a reminder, Paul explained in chapter three that the Old Testament law was like a guardian because it established a standard that mankind couldn’t reach and so they became imprisoned by their own sinfulness. 

But when Christ came, He fulfilled the law and now through Christ, mankind is able to walk in sonship before God.

So with this in mind, you can kind of see where Paul’s going. We have an example about slavery and freedom.

Verse twenty-three:

… Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman. But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise. (Galatians 4:22b-23 ESV)

Now, historically speaking, God made a covenant with Abraham and promised him an heir that would become a great nation. 

However, Abraham was getting old and his wife was physically unable to have children. So his wife gave him one of her servants, her name was Hagar, and so Abraham, in an attempt to accomplish God’s promise on his own terms, had a child with Hagar. 

But God made a clear distinction saying, “This child will not be your heir. But your own son through your wife will be your heir.” 

God then did fulfill His promise and a very old Abraham had a son with his barren wife Sarah. It was something only God was able to accomplish. 

So again, we have a distinction: the son of slavery was born according to man’s will and practice and the son of freedom was born according to God’s will and purpose. 

Now we move on to the development of Paul’s example. Verse twenty-four: 

Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. 

 For it is written,

“Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear;
    break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor!
For the children of the desolate one will be more
    than those of the one who has a husband.” (Galatians 4:24 ESV)

This is where things can get a little confusing, so hold on. I’ll explain this step by step. 

Paul is using a historical account as an example to help explain the thought that he’s communicating. So what’s the thought that he’s trying to communicate? 

Let me read a couple verses from Galatians chapter three that will explain it in his own words. Let’s start with verse seven.

Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. (Galatians 3:7 ESV)

Now, verse twenty-two:

But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. (Galatians 3:22 ESV)

And lastly, verses twenty-eight and twenty-nine:

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise. (Galatians 3:28-29 ESV)

So, the thought that Paul is trying to communicate to the churches in Galatia, is that anyone - through Jesus Christ - can be adopted into God’s family. It doesn’t matter your ethnicity, your social status or even your gender, anyone who believes in Jesus Christ is Abraham’s spiritual offspring, heirs according to promise.

So back to this distinction of sons of slavery and sons of freedom. Verse twenty-four:

Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. (Galatians 4:24-25 ESV)

So Paul uses Hagar, the slave that Abraham had a son with, as an illustration of the people in Jerusalem. The very place where Jesus was killed. The people of Jerusalem were still trapped by their sin because of the law which came from Mount Sinai. As Paul said, “She is in slavery with her children.” 

So to be very clear let me draw a line for you: in this example, Hagar the slave relates to the covenant made at Mount Sinai which entrapped mankind under a holy standard, which then goes to the earthly Jerusalem and points to those enslaved under the law.

Then we have the contrast of the free woman. Verse twenty-six:

But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. (Galatians 4:26 ESV)

So if I were to draw a straight line again, this one would be Sarah the free woman relates to the covenant of promise which then goes to the Jerusalem above and points to those born free in Christ. 

The distinction this time, in the example, is between the earthly legalistic system represented by Palestinian Jerusalem, AND the spiritual regeneration and freedom which comes from above. 

Paul then quotes from the prophet Isaiah in verse twenty-seven just to add an extra punch: 

“Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear;
    break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor!
For the children of the desolate one will be more
    than those of the one who has a husband.” (Galatians 4:27 ESV)

This prophetic declaration is based on the death and resurrection of the Suffering Servant talked about in Isaiah chapter fifty-three. Just one chapter before this was statement was written. 

Paul understood the fulfillment of this statement as the inclusion of everyone who received salvation by faith and this included the Gentiles as the spiritual seed of Abraham. 

“Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear;
    break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor!

 Because we are children of promise. It’s not according to human tradition or practice. It’s not according to man’s will; it is through the faithful promise of God our Father. 

The Example Finalized

Just four more verses. This is Paul’s conclusion.

Now you, brothers (and sisters), like Isaac, are children of promise. But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now. But 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.” So, brothers (and sisters), we are not children of the slave but of the free woman. (Galatians 4:28-31 ESV)

So, this is Paul’s conclusional statement for this example. He reinforces the distinction between slavery and freedom and he goes a step further this time, saying that one will receive inheritance and one will not. 

He even quotes from the historical narrative of Isaac and Ishmael recorded in Genesis chapter twenty-one. 

 In this account, Ishmael, the son of Hagar, mocks Isaac, the son of Sarah. And Sarah told Abraham:

So she said to Abraham, “Cast out this slave woman with her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac.” (Genesis 21:10 ESV)

And then later God supports this decision in verse twelve:

But God said to Abraham, “Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named.(Genesis 21:12 ESV)

So it becomes evident that the son of slavery will not join with the son of freedom’s inheritance. 

 This example fit the situation for the Galatians because they were being coerced to adopt and observe these ritualistic practices and ordinances that came from the Old Testament law. 

 But as Paul already made clear, they were not bound to that system because Jesus Christ accomplished all of the law’s purpose and gave them freedom as sons and daughters of God. 

So, in this example, they were considered children of promise; or sons of freedom. 

They didn’t earn this position through self-effort or good works; it was given to them through their belief. 

Now the Judaizers in this example are called sons of slavery because they wanted to stay under the guardianship of the law and they wanted to keep people there with them.

But as Paul concluded, only one of these metaphorical sons would receive inheritance. 

 And as he said in verse thirty-one:

So, brothers (and sisters), we are not children of the slave but of the free woman.

Conclusion

Hopefully, this wasn’t too confusing. If it helps, this was very timely for the Galatians and it would have carried significant weight for them. 

But even though this was purposed for the Galatians, its timeless truth is still beneficial for us today. And its good practice to uncover Biblical meaning that’s covered up with context. 

Always be careful with parables and analogies. We don’t want to replace God’s meaning with our own. 

Well, next week, Paul moves to talk about living in the freedom that we are given through Jesus Christ. It’s a transition from this analogy to another warning for the Galatians.

We’ll look at Galatians chapter five, verses one through twelve. It’ll be great.

 But until then, I’ll catch you later!