In this allegory of Sarah and Hagar, it is important to notice that Paul is not dealing with the principle of evil within our hearts, but with the attempt to mingle two dispensations or methods of religious experience-the Law and the Gospel.
He says that the poor slave girl, Hagar, whom Abraham bought as a personal attendant for his wife, stands for Mount Sinai, the mountain of the Law, in the district of Arabia, from which she may have originally come. Hagar also stands for the Judaizers, whose headquarters were at Jerusalem, while their emissaries everywhere dogged the Apostle's movements, insisting that his converts must come under the old Levitical ceremonialism. Paul says that the Galatians must choose between their slavish observance of outward ritual and a simple faith in the finished work of Jesus; and exhorts them to cast out Hagar and Ishmael, which savor of the flesh, and to give themselves to the service of the Spirit, which stands for freedom, peace, and joy in God. Let us also guard against a religious scrupulosity and subservience to the outward, and cultivate a quick sensitiveness to the Holy Spirit. [source]
Chapter Summary: Galatians 4
1We were under the law till Christ came, as the heir is under the guardian till he be of age 5But Christ freed us from the law; 7therefore we are servants no longer to it 14Paul remembers the Galatians' good will to him, and his to them; 22and shows that we are the sons of Abraham by the freewoman
Greek Commentary for Galatians 4:22
By the handmaid [εκ της παιδισκης] From Genesis 16:1. Feminine diminutive of παις pais boy or slave. Common word for damsel which came to be used for female slave or maidservant (Luke 12:45) or doorkeeper like Matthew 26:29. So in the papyri. [source]
For [γάρ] Your determination to be under the law is opposed by Scripture, if you will understand it, for it is written, etc. [source]
A bondmaid [τῆς παιδίσκης] The bondmaid, indicating a well known character, Hagar, Genesis 16:3. The word in Class. means also a free maiden; but in N.T. always a slave. So almost always in lxx; but see Rth 4:12 ; Judith 12:13. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Galatians 4:22
John 8:33We be Abraham‘s seed [Σπερμα Αβρααμ εσμεν] “We are Abraham‘s seed,” the proudest boast of the Jews, of Sarah the freewoman and not of Hagar the bondwoman (Galatians 4:22.). Yes, but the Jews came to rely solely on mere physical descent (Matthew 3:9) and so God made Gentiles the spiritual children of Abraham by faith (Matthew 3:7; Romans 9:6.). And have never yet been in bondage to any man Perfect active indicative of δουλευω douleuō to be slaves. This was a palpable untruth uttered in the heat of controversy. At that very moment the Jews wore the Roman yoke as they had worn that of Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Alexander, the Ptolemies, the Syrian (Seleucid) kings. They had liberty for a while under the Maccabees. “These poor believers soon come to the end of their faith” (Stier). But even so they had completely missed the point in the words of Jesus about freedom by truth. [source]
Hebrews 1:5 [] d The writer proceeds to establish the superiority of the Son to the angels by O.T. testimony. It is a mode of argument which does not appeal strongly to us. Dr. Bruce suggests that there are evidences that the writer himself developed it perfunctorily and without much interest in it. The seven following quotations are intended to show the surpassing excellence of Christ's name as set forth in Scripture. The quotations present difficulty in that they appear, in great part, to be used in a sense and with an application different from those which they originally had. All that can be said is, that the writer takes these passages as messianic, and applies them accordingly; and that we must distinguish between the doctrine and the method of argumentation peculiar to the time and people. Certain passages in Paul are open to the same objection, as Galatians 3:16; Galatians 4:22-25. [source]
1 Peter 3:9Reviling for reviling [λοιδοριαν αντι λοιδοριας] Allusion to 1 Peter 2:23 (Christ‘s own example).But contrariwise blessing (τουναντιον δε ευλογουντες tounantion de eulogountes). Adverbial accusative and crasis (το εναντιον to enantion) of the neuter article and the adjective εναντιος enantios (εν αντιος enευλογουντες antios opposite, Matthew 14:24), “on the contrary.” For ευλογεω eulogountes (present active participle of ευλογειτε eulogeō) see Luke 6:28; Romans 12:14 (imperative οτι εις τουτο εκλητητε eulogeite).For hereunto were ye called See note on 1 Peter 2:21 for this verb and use of ινα ευλογιαν κληρονομησητε eis touto (pointing to the preceding argument).That ye should inherit a blessing (ινα hina eulogian klēronomēsēte). Purpose clause with κληρονομεω hina and the first aorist active subjunctive of klēronomeō a plain reference to Esau, who wanted “to inherit the blessing” (Hebrews 12:17) after he had sold his birthright. Christians are the new Israel (both Gentiles and Jews) and are the spiritual descendants of Isaac (Galatians 4:22.). [source]
1 Peter 3:9For hereunto were ye called [εις τουτο] See note on 1 Peter 2:21 for this verb and use of ινα ευλογιαν κληρονομησητε eis touto (pointing to the preceding argument).That ye should inherit a blessing (ινα hina eulogian klēronomēsēte). Purpose clause with κληρονομεω hina and the first aorist active subjunctive of klēronomeō a plain reference to Esau, who wanted “to inherit the blessing” (Hebrews 12:17) after he had sold his birthright. Christians are the new Israel (both Gentiles and Jews) and are the spiritual descendants of Isaac (Galatians 4:22.). [source]
1 Peter 3:9That ye should inherit a blessing [ινα] Purpose clause with κληρονομεω hina and the first aorist active subjunctive of klēronomeō a plain reference to Esau, who wanted “to inherit the blessing” (Hebrews 12:17) after he had sold his birthright. Christians are the new Israel (both Gentiles and Jews) and are the spiritual descendants of Isaac (Galatians 4:22.). [source]
What do the individual words in Galatians 4:22 mean?
It has been writtenforthatAbrahamtwosonshadoneoftheslave womanandfree
Greek Commentary for Galatians 4:22
From Genesis 16:1. Feminine diminutive of παις pais boy or slave. Common word for damsel which came to be used for female slave or maidservant (Luke 12:45) or doorkeeper like Matthew 26:29. So in the papyri. [source]
Your determination to be under the law is opposed by Scripture, if you will understand it, for it is written, etc. [source]
The bondmaid, indicating a well known character, Hagar, Genesis 16:3. The word in Class. means also a free maiden; but in N.T. always a slave. So almost always in lxx; but see Rth 4:12 ; Judith 12:13. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Galatians 4:22
“We are Abraham‘s seed,” the proudest boast of the Jews, of Sarah the freewoman and not of Hagar the bondwoman (Galatians 4:22.). Yes, but the Jews came to rely solely on mere physical descent (Matthew 3:9) and so God made Gentiles the spiritual children of Abraham by faith (Matthew 3:7; Romans 9:6.). And have never yet been in bondage to any man Perfect active indicative of δουλευω douleuō to be slaves. This was a palpable untruth uttered in the heat of controversy. At that very moment the Jews wore the Roman yoke as they had worn that of Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Alexander, the Ptolemies, the Syrian (Seleucid) kings. They had liberty for a while under the Maccabees. “These poor believers soon come to the end of their faith” (Stier). But even so they had completely missed the point in the words of Jesus about freedom by truth. [source]
d The writer proceeds to establish the superiority of the Son to the angels by O.T. testimony. It is a mode of argument which does not appeal strongly to us. Dr. Bruce suggests that there are evidences that the writer himself developed it perfunctorily and without much interest in it. The seven following quotations are intended to show the surpassing excellence of Christ's name as set forth in Scripture. The quotations present difficulty in that they appear, in great part, to be used in a sense and with an application different from those which they originally had. All that can be said is, that the writer takes these passages as messianic, and applies them accordingly; and that we must distinguish between the doctrine and the method of argumentation peculiar to the time and people. Certain passages in Paul are open to the same objection, as Galatians 3:16; Galatians 4:22-25. [source]
Allusion to 1 Peter 2:23 (Christ‘s own example).But contrariwise blessing (τουναντιον δε ευλογουντες tounantion de eulogountes). Adverbial accusative and crasis (το εναντιον to enantion) of the neuter article and the adjective εναντιος enantios (εν αντιος enευλογουντες antios opposite, Matthew 14:24), “on the contrary.” For ευλογεω eulogountes (present active participle of ευλογειτε eulogeō) see Luke 6:28; Romans 12:14 (imperative οτι εις τουτο εκλητητε eulogeite).For hereunto were ye called See note on 1 Peter 2:21 for this verb and use of ινα ευλογιαν κληρονομησητε eis touto (pointing to the preceding argument).That ye should inherit a blessing (ινα hina eulogian klēronomēsēte). Purpose clause with κληρονομεω hina and the first aorist active subjunctive of klēronomeō a plain reference to Esau, who wanted “to inherit the blessing” (Hebrews 12:17) after he had sold his birthright. Christians are the new Israel (both Gentiles and Jews) and are the spiritual descendants of Isaac (Galatians 4:22.). [source]
See note on 1 Peter 2:21 for this verb and use of ινα ευλογιαν κληρονομησητε eis touto (pointing to the preceding argument).That ye should inherit a blessing (ινα hina eulogian klēronomēsēte). Purpose clause with κληρονομεω hina and the first aorist active subjunctive of klēronomeō a plain reference to Esau, who wanted “to inherit the blessing” (Hebrews 12:17) after he had sold his birthright. Christians are the new Israel (both Gentiles and Jews) and are the spiritual descendants of Isaac (Galatians 4:22.). [source]
Purpose clause with κληρονομεω hina and the first aorist active subjunctive of klēronomeō a plain reference to Esau, who wanted “to inherit the blessing” (Hebrews 12:17) after he had sold his birthright. Christians are the new Israel (both Gentiles and Jews) and are the spiritual descendants of Isaac (Galatians 4:22.). [source]