Study Guide Galatians 4:21–31

In verse 21, Paul asks a powerful question. The Galatians desire to be under the law, but do they even know the law? Here, when Paul says ‘law’, he means the Torah (in Hebrew it means ‘law’) which is the first five books of the Old Testament. He is not asking them whether they know the commands that God has given, but whether they know the first five books of the which any Jew would consider the essential books. He asks this because he is about to make an illustration from a story in Genesis. Once again, Paul uses for his argument. As Genesis 16-17 shows us, Abraham had two sons. One of his sons, Ishmael, came from who was a slave, and the other, , came from who was a free woman. If you recall, Sarah was ninety years old, and it not physically possible for her to give birth at that age (Gen. 17:17); nevertheless, God made a promise to Abraham that she would have a child. Hagar, on the other hand, was not old so she was capable of having children. When Paul says that one son was born of the flesh and the other son was born of a promise (Gal. 4:23), he is contrasting the difference between Hagar, who gave birth “according to the flesh”, and Sarah, who gave birth “through promise”. The idea of Sarah giving birth was so absurd that Abraham laughed when God told him that she would give birth (Gen. 17:17), so God’s promise was a big leap of faith for Abraham. Abraham would truly have to trust in God’s promise to have any hope in having a son through Sarah. This was not the case with Hagar. Abraham did not need God’s promise, and Abraham did not need faith in a promise from God. Paul says that we should look at this story as an allegory. Each woman represents a different covenant between man and God. Hagar represents the covenant of from which is the covenant of works. In order to be righteous, one would be obedient to the law. Previously in Galatians, Paul calls this slavery; thus, he says that Hagar, who represents the covenant at Mount Sinai, gives birth to “children of slavery” (v. 24). When we put our hope in the law, we must become slaves to the law. Sarah, on the other hand, represents the promise God has given us through . He says “the above is free” (v. 26). In this passage, Paul talks both about the ‘present Jerusalem’ and the ‘above Jerusalem.’ Most scholars agree that the ‘present Jerusalem’ refers to the current Jewish world, and the ‘above Jerusalem’ refers to the kingdom of God or heaven. Thus, the ‘present Jerusalem’ is stuck in the slavery of the law while the ‘Jerusalem above’ lives in the freedom given by Christ. Paul says to the Galatians that ‘you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise’ (v. 28). Like Isaac, your life comes from a promise. Without God’s promise, the Galatians had no hope in obtaining life. They could have no hope of salvation. They could have no hope of being a child of God. It is only because of the hope that God has given through Jesus that they would have any chance at salvation. Paul is trying to show the Galatians just how foolish their hope in the law is. According to Paul, we are children of a promise. Like Isaac, we would have no chance at being a child of God for our flesh is too weak. Instead, we should put all of our hope in the promise that God has given us.

Study Questions

Remember: You do not need to answer all of the questions. Just pick a couple of questions from each category.

Opening Questions:

1) What were some highlights in Cliff’s sermon? What ideas really stuck out at you?

2) Explain a time that you have struggled to fully trust in a promise of God. Why was it so hard for you?

3) What is religious legalism? How have you seen it in your own life?

Study Questions:

1) In this passage, Paul uses a number of examples and symbols. First, make a list of them. Second, identify what it is symbolizing. Third and finally, explain how it helps you better understand Paul’s argument.

2) What does it mean to be “children of promise” (v. 28)?

3) How does the illustration of the two sons help Paul’s argument?

4) How does verse 27 help Paul communicate that we are free in God’s promise?

5) Why do you think the Galatians, once freed, are returning to slavery?

Application Questions:

1) What are some ways that you put too much trust in your own works (slavery) instead of fully trusting God with your life?

2) Paul continues to remind his readers that we are children of God (free). How can this affect your worship and prayers?

3) How has God been molding and challenging you these last couple of weeks?