Why does paul choose these two covenants, represented by two women in scripture, hagar and sarah, and what does he mean by this. Explaining hagar sarah analogy in galatians 4 religion essay. Two chapters part one discuss hagar and sarah in genesis and galatians. Galatians highlights the gospel of grace that produces righteous living galatians 3. Galatians finishes what paul will begin in 2 corinthians concerning his apostleship, and begins what paul will finish in romans concerning justification by faith. In galatians 4, she and hagar are used as an allegory of the old and new covenants. In the first four chapters of galatians, paul defends. One of these covenants is related to hagar and the other with sarah. These two covenants are depicted by hagar and sarah in the life of abraham, and this is the motive behind pauls discussion of hagar and sarah. Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of jesus christ, even we have believed in jesus christ, that we might be justified by the faith of christ, and not by the works of the law. Hagar and sarah tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says.
Pauls description of hagar and sarah in the book of galatians. We can learn much from sarah formerly called sarai in the book of genesis regarding what walking in faith in the promises of god looks like in real life. An honest reading of the book of galatians shows that paul was not simply. Two prominent female characters from the book of genesis, sarah and hagar. Hagar the covenant of the law and sarah the covenant of grace. Sinai mountain was where god gave these rules to the children of. After an examination of the higher level semantic unity of galatians, it became readily apparent that the structure of the book hinged around one verse, 5. So i want to begin with a definition of freedom that i think is implied here. For it is written that abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. When paul prioritizes grace or faith in relation to the law, he is following jesus in his affirmation that the. Paul in galatians uses the life of abraham to help illustrate his point about how one enters into the covenant relationship with god and the community of believers. Although it is a very small section in terms of text, it is most significant and will require a whole lesson for study. For it is written that abraham had two sons, one by the. In this verse the theme of the book is found stated explicitly, albeit in terms which paul has been using in his allegory of hagar and sarah.
The allegory of hagar and sarah is written to persuade us along with the galatians not to follow the judaizers into slavery with hagar and ishmael, but to follow sarah and isaac into freedom. The allegory of hagar and sarah hebrew for christians. The allegory of hagar and sarah is often cited as representative of the distinction. For it is written that abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the. The context of galatians 4 casts the instruction of 1 peter 3 in a new light. Genesis 16 says that animosity arose between sarah and hagar. When he links the two covenants to hagar and sarah, paul opens up a whole new avenue of thinking, based on the types and shadows of abrahams two wives.
Sarah had been barren for a long time and sought a way to fulfill gods promise to abraham that abraham would be father of many nations, especially since they were getting older, so she offered hagar to abraham as a second wife. When my girls were little, i remember reading them a childrens book by p. Galatians is a rough sketch of which romans is the finished picture. There is also a new covenant marriage relationship prophesied in the old testament and revealed more fully in the new. Hagar and sarah are explained as part of pauls allegory in chapter 4 about the difference between the children born of the flesh hagar and the children born of the spirit sarah, and that those who are born of the spirit will be the inheritors of gods promise rather than those born of the flesh, as hagar and her child were cast away because they. Galatians is likely the first new testament book to be written, composed sometime soon after ad 49. Pauls reference to sarah and hagar conveyed an amazing reality. Jan 02, 2020 in galatians 4, paul uses the story of sarah and hagar to illustrate the results of two different covenants. The churches in galatia were comprised of both jewish and gentile converts. In galatians, paul expounds the allegory of hagar and sarah. Mar 05, 2008 paul in galatians uses the life of abraham to help illustrate his point about how one enters into the covenant relationship with god and the community of believers. The covenant of the law given at mt sinai produced slavery. An allegory explained galatians, third main section.
Sep 27, 2019 this is where paul could be getting at. An allegory explained 3rd main section of pauls letter to the. Hagar and sarah sermon by roger griffith, galatians 4. There is a striking parallel between galatians and romans. James highlights the righteous living that proves faith. Hagar, sarah, and the two covenants the compass magazine. Galatians 4 is the fourth chapter of the epistle to the galatians in the new testament of the christian bible. Tell me you who want to be under the covenant of obedience, are you not aware of what the torah says. Three chapters part two trace the story of hagar and sarah in the jewish, christian and muslim traditions. The allegory of hagar and sarah is written to persuade us along with the galatians not. Then there is freedom, represented by sarah and isaac. The story of hagar and sarah is symbolic and has a deeper meaning than first appears.
My commentary on the book of galatians in regards to the two covenants spoken about by paul. The scribes and the pharisees, along with the judaizers of the galatians, had prided themselves on being spiritually superior because they were the sons of abraham. Read the passage about abraham and sarah, hagar and ishmael. How does this passage fit in with the overall theme. Historically, the book of galatians has been widely misunderstood, due largely to the technical discussions of biblical topics ranging from circumcision, to the torah, to freedom in christ. Discuss what we can learn from the various people involved. Galatians 4, new international version niv the bible app.
We now come to the core of pauls dispute with the judaizers. Galatians chapter four an allegory of hagar and sarah galatians. Youre listening to the services of the first baptist church in dallas, texas, and this is the pastor bringing the morning message from the fourth chapter of the book of galatians entitled the allegory of hagar and sarah. The epistle to the galatians the allegory of hagar and sarah 4. Aug 19, 2003 hagar and sarah the mother of legalism and the mother of grace. At one point he seems to stray way off the literal interpretation of the text by figuratively comparing one covenant to hagar and another covenant to sarah. The holy epistle to the galatians, book first fruits of zion. The allegory of hagar and sarah is often cited as representative of the distinction between law and grace in the writings of paul gal. Sadly, many traditional christian commentators have used this allegory as a means of rejecting the importance of torah study for the christian. Sermons from galatians the allegory of hagar and sarah 4.
Hagar s boy mocked isaac after he was wean, this angered sarah who sent hagar and her boy off, observing that her boy would non portion in isaac s the heritage, genesis 21. Hagar was the slave or housemaid of sarah, who gave birth to a boy on sarah s petition in an effort to carry through god s promise, genesis 16. The apostle paul discusses two important covenants in galatians 4. A to be sure, without a proper background to the book we will forever misread paul, apostle to the gentiles. Paul continues the narrative account of his apostolic authority by speaking directly of his role as teacher to the galatians. Paul tells us that hagar is a parallel or story about the law.
Hagar and sarah are explained as part of pauls allegory in chapter 4 about the difference between the children born of the flesh hagar and the children born of the spirit sarah, and that those who are born of the spirit will be the inheritors of gods promise rather than those born of the flesh. Why did paul allegorize the stories of hagar and sarah in galatians 4. Sarah into the example of wifely obedience 1 peter 3. Galatians in a similar manner, we practice certain religious beliefs that we understand. Galatians 4 continues with themes that we have seen in in the first three chapters. Hagar was the egyptian servant of sarah, abrahams wife.
Other new testament references to sarah are in romans and galatians. Paul uses yet another way to tell the galatians that the law cant save them and reminds them of their freedom. A a contextual study of galatians will help to unravel the letter for both christians and jews. In this episode, paul talks about the two different covenants, old testament and new testament and uses hagar and sarah as a model for how these cant coexist. Hagar s boy mocked isaac after he was wean, this angered sarah who sent hagar and her boy off, observing that her.
His apostleship as being from god, not man ga 12 b. Then we will look at the allegory and learn from it how to have freedom. The case of galatians 3 35 min discussion 25 min sbl2335 pauline epistles. Do you take pride in any ethnic, national, or spiritual ancestor. He expands on his understanding of the law as a mark of the old age. In galatians 4, paul uses the story of sarah and hagar to illustrate the results of two different covenants. It is about a little bird which hatches from an egg while his mother is out getting food. Hagar entered the picture because of decisions made by sarah and abraham. In pauls letter to the galatians he explains the two covenants.
It is authored by paul the apostle for the churches in galatia, written between 4958 ce. Sarah and hagar in christianhretellings oxford scholarsiponline. It forces us to reconcile sarahs allimportant status of freedom with her faithful example of submission, and in so doing, it brings us face to face with the paradox of christ as a liberating lord. Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says. James, too, emphasizes the new birth through the gospel james 1. Barrett, the allegory of abraham, sarah and hagar in the argument of galatians, in essays on paul london. An allegory explained 3rd main section of pauls letter to. Those who belong to christ are children of abraham through the promise, while those who insist. I went back and looked at the promises made to abraham about having many descendants. The gospel, gods new covenant, is the full revelation of the promise given to abraham.