The apostle continues, “for it has been written: ‘Be glad, barren, the one not bearing, break forth and shout, the one not laboring; because many are the children of the desolate rather than of the one having the husband.’ But you, brothers, are children of promise according to Isaac” (Gal. 4:27-28).1
Here Isaiah 54:1 is quoted (presumably from the LXX),2 only one of the two scriptural citations in Galatians (also Hab. 2:4 in 3:11) that is not from the Pentateuch. This passage, in its original context, is far removed from the Sarah-Hagar story and might be regarded by some as an extraneous proof-text (cf. G. L. Borchert, Galatians CBC 312). However, Paul, instead of relating this passage to the Sarah-Hagar narrative, is rather augmenting his point of v. 26 that “the Jerusalem above is free, who is our mother.” In Isaiah 54:1 the Israelites in Babylonian exile, forsaken by God and separated from their homeland, are likened to a woman estranged from her husband and thus without children. The good news, according to the prophecy, is that Israel is to be redeemed, with her progeny ultimately surpassing that of her pre-exilic status.
The crux of Isaiah’s message, being adapted here by Paul, is that the assured prosperity of God’s people after captivity would not be the result of their own initiative and hard work. Their seemingly hopeless situation in exile was to be reversed by the grace, power, and providence of God, far exceeding anything that might be accomplished on their own. It is noteworthy that the book of Isaiah is replete with messianic prophecies, and chap. 54 immediately follows one of the clearest messianic sections of the entire book (52:10–53:12).3 If the Galatians want to receive the immeasurable blessings that God has in store for them, it will not be through some ill-advised allegiance to “the current Jerusalem” (symbolizing slavery under legalistic Judaism) but by participation in “the Jerusalem above” (the Christian’s focal point),4 “who is our mother” (see v. 26; cf. 4:19).
With the first person plural (“our”), Paul includes himself in this latter group. Then, making direct application to his readers with second person address (“you”) and the affectionate adelphoí (“brothers”), he reminds them of already being, without corporeal lineage or circumcision, “children of promise according to Isaac” (cf. 2:16-21; 3:7-14, 22-29; 4:1-7, 19). “The household of Abraham is the prototype of the church of God…. Ishmael’s and Isaac’s birth represent the two attitudes towards the promise: that of human self-vindication and that of faith” (H. N. Ridderbos, Epistle to Galatia NICNT 181).
Physical Vs. Spiritual Birth
“But even as then the one born according to flesh persecuted the one according to spirit, so also now. But what says the scripture? ‘Cast out the maidservant and her son; for by no means shall the son of the maidservant inherit with the son of the free woman.’ Therefore, brothers, we are not children of a maidservant but of the free woman” (Gal. 4:29-31).
Paul alludes to the account in Genesis 21:9 and then quotes Genesis 21:10.5 The one born “according to flesh” is Ishmael (cf. v. 23), whose birth was the consequence of human initiative as opposed to the purpose of God. The one “according to spirit” is Isaac, whose birth resulted from divine planning and intercession. There is a repeated contrast in Galatians between the spiritual and the physical (3:2-5, 14; 4:6-7, 23-31; 5:5, 13, 16-25; 6:1, 8, 12-15), and five times Paul explicitly makes a distinction between pneûma (“spirit”) and sárx (“flesh”)6 (3:3; 4:29; 5:16, 17; 6:8). In Galatians, the term sárx (“flesh”) is used with various interrelated nuances to convey that which is merely human (1:16; 2:16) or entirely physical (2:20; 4:13, 14; 6:12, 13), by extension what is done by human effort (3:3; 4:23, 29), and then in an ethical sense (5:13, 16, 17, 19, 24; 6:8). A connection to the meritorious observance of works of the law (3:3; cf. 5:13; 6:8), and circumcision in particular (6:12-13), is apparent.
In this new epoch Israel is less like Isaac (the child of promise) and more like Ishmael (the slave child). And by clear implication, the law belongs to the passé, fleshly column. Or to be more precise, the law which the Galatians wanted to be under (4.21) belongs to the inferior column. To want to be under the law is to want to go back to an incomplete and misunderstood phase of God’s purpose, to want to be a child kata sarka [‘according to flesh’] and not kata pneuma [‘according to spirit’]. (J. D. G. Dunn,Theology of Paul 147; cf. A. S. Kulikovsky, “Paul’s View of the Law” 4)
The one “according to flesh,” Paul says, “persecuted” the one “according to spirit.” The account in Gen. 21:9 suggests that Ishmael did little more than verbally deride young Isaac, and while Paul may have been aware of more sinister activity,7 he probably uses a stronger term to make the connection with the current situation he is addressing. “Because they were Christians, Paul showed the Galatians that they were already in the promise-tradition and were therefore subject to persecution or intimidation by those from the slave-tradition like Ishmael – a group that implicitly included the Judaizing teachers” (G. L. Borchert, Galatians CBC 312).
Genesis 21:10 is quoted to support what the apostle has been arguing all along,8 viz. that anyone characterized by human-centered, meritorious effort cannot share in the inheritance that has been promised to the ones exhibiting God-centered faith (see 3:10). While the admonition to “cast out the maidservant and her son” is part of the quoted text, Paul does not make particular application of these words here. It is probably reading too much into his argument to suggest that he is calling for the expulsion of the Judaizers,9 or the rejection of Judaism,10 or getting rid of the old covenant.11 The only explicit conclusion he draws from this passage is as follows: “Therefore, brothers, we are not children of a maidservant but of the free woman.”
Conclusion
The essence of Paul’s argument is aptly summarized by T. D. Gordon:
the curious allegory of Sarah and Hagar illustrates Paul’s redemptive-historical evaluation of the temporary role of Torah…. Both in the original patriarchal narrative and in Paul’s day, the issue is God’s extraordinary capacity to fulill his promises and the willingness of some to recognize when he has done so. Both in the original narrative and in Paul’s day, there is competition, even jealousy, regarding who has the rights of inheritance. When by God’s extraordinary working he fulfills his promise, the first child should graciously embrace and welcome the child born of promise…. The ‘present Jerusalem,’ which has enjoyed exclusive privileges until the age of promise has arrived, must now welcome the Gentiles or exclude herself from the blessings of co-inheritance. The problem for those who observe Torah is that Torah excludes the Gentiles by circumcision, calendar, and Kashrut [Jewish dietary laws, KLM]. It excludes those to whom the promise has now come. This is why it is so inadequate as an identity symbol in the age of fulfillment. (“Problem at Galatia” 41-42)
Whether or not we ever face the same kind of challenges as the first-century churches of Galatia, living for Christ in any age is not easy and being faithful to him is always expected. The lesson to learn from Paul’s enigmatic Hagar-Sarah Allegory is that God keeps his word and there will always be those who dismiss and challenge the ones striving to please him according to the full revelation of his will. Let us be among the faithful.
--Kevin L. Moore
Endnotes:
1 Unless otherwise noted, scripture quotations are the author’s own translation. The second person humeîs … esté has strong MSS support; the first person reading of the TR may have been influenced by vv. 26 and 31. See B. M. Metzger, Textual Commentary (2nd ed.) 528; G. L. Borchert, Galatians CBC 310.
2 See E. E. Ellis, Paul’s Use of the OT 119-20, 150-52. This quotation is in agreement with the LXX against the Hebrew text.
3 K. H. Jobes relates Paul’s use of Isa. 54:1 to the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which would transform Jerusalem (the barren one) into the faithful mother-city (see “Jerusalem, Our Mother” 313-15; cf. R. B. Hays, Echoes of Scripture 120).
4 “It is no mere change of status of which Paul speaks in such metaphors. It is a real deliverance from something which denies free play to the human will to good. Yet it is not the attainment of that ‘unchartered freedom’ which means bondage to ‘chance desires.’ On the other side, it means entering into a new allegiance” (C. H. Dodd, Meaning of Paul 117).
5 This quote is at variance with the LXX (slightly) and the Hebrew text where they agree (E. E. Ellis, Paul’s Use of the OT 150-52). Paul adapts the passage to the situation in Galatia by changing the words “my son Isaac” to “the son of the free woman” (see J. B. Lightfoot, Epistles of St Paul: Galatians 184; R. N. Longenecker, Galatians WBC 41:217).
6 Most standard English versions correctly render the term sárx as “flesh” (ESV, CSB, N/ASV, N/KJV, N/RSV, etc.). However, some translations betray a Calvinistic bias with interpretive renderings such as “sinful nature” (e.g., NIV, NLT). For a brief review of other idiomatic translation attempts, see R. N. Longenecker, Galatians WBC 41:239-40).
7 There was a later rabbinical tradition that Ishmael bore down on young Isaac with a bow and arrow, but it is doubtful this is what Paul has in mind (see H. N. Ridderbos, Epistle to Galatia NICNT 181 n. 12).
8 Paul attributes this passage to what “the scripture” says, even though the words in their original setting were spoken by Sarah. The Lord goes on to sanction this pronouncement (Gen. 21:12), which is then recorded in the sacred writings as an authoritative scriptural declaration (cf. H. N. Ridderbos, Epistle to Galatia NICNT 182). Gen. 21:10 may have already been introduced by the Judaizers to justify the exclusion of Gentiles and/or of Paul, so he turns it back on them to affirm that “legal bondage and spiritual freedom cannot coexist” (F. F. Bruce, Galatians NIGTC 225; cf. R. N. Longenecker, Galatians WBC 41: 217).
9 J. M. Boice, Galatians EBC 10: 485; G. L. Borchert, Galatians CBC 312; J. D. G. Dunn, Theology of Galatians 97; R. N. Longenecker, Galatians WBC 41: 217.
10 H. D. Betz, Galatians 251; E. D. W. Burton, Galatians 267-68.
11 D. J. Moo, R. P. Martin, and J. L. Wu, Romans Galatians 123-24; cf. J. B. Lightfoot, Epistles of St Paul: Galatians 184.
Related Posts: Hagar-Sarah Allegory (Part 1), Part 2
Image credit: Adriaen van der Werff, Die Verstoßung der Hagar, adapted from https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/Adriaen_van_der_Werff_020.jpg
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