Galatians 4:21-31 - Sarah and Hagar

Now we arrive at the end of chapter four and Paul is concluding his theological argument against the false teaching of his opponents--an argument which he began at the beginning of chapter three. He ends his argument with an allegory from the book of Genesis, something which is not Paul's usual method. In fact, this passage is unique in all of the Pauline writings. He takes the story of Abraham and Sarah and Hagar and Ismael and Isaac and tells us it is an allegory.

Understand that Paul is not advocating for a strict allegorical interpretation of the Old Testament. Paul has already demonstrated that he approaches that text primarily looking for what could be called in Latin the sensus literalis--looking for the plain meaning. In following Paul's example we try to interpret the Bible the way any and all literature should be interpreted--primarily using what is called the grammatical/historical method. We consider things like genre, historical setting, use of language in a given time, place, and culture. We search for the author and the audience, place them in their historical setting, and look for the intended meaning. Then we take it and apply it to ourselves. What Paul does here does not negate or undermine that at all. 

But what he does demonstrates that there is more than one layer to inspired Scripture. There is a big picture to the Bible. Although it was written by many different authors over many years there is a cohesive unity to it all. We understand this to be so because we believe it was all superintended by the same Holy Spirit. You see, the Scripture is very human, but it is also divine. And Paul everywhere affirms and assumes this dynamic.

So we're not surprised to see him looking at this story as a whole and finding in it a sort of typology. In the Bible study linked below I have much more to say about both this and what Paul is trying to teach us through this allegorization he makes of the Genesis passage. There is wonderful theology here, including teaching on the nature of the Church, its relation to Jerusalem, and a beautiful comparison of Isaac to Jesus to us. I hope you will take a few moments and listen. Just click the link below. God bless.



Click here: Galatians 4:21-31 - Sarah and Hagar



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Galatians 3:27-29 - Baptized Into Christ

Paul views the coming of Christ as the coming of a new era or the ushering in of the end of all things. But perhaps it would be better said that he views it as the ushering in of the new era. The old era of Adam and Moses is coming to a close and the age of the second Adam has come. To put it another way, the kingdoms of this world are becoming the kingdom of our Lord and Christ.

Remember how in Mark's gospel he represents the preaching of Jesus and the ministry of Jesus as an invasion of the Kingdom, or the King announcing his Kingdom? What Paul is saying here in Galatians fits that dynamic.

What he has been explaining throughout this chapter is that what we see in the Church is the fulfillment of the promises made to Abraham. Jesus is that promised offspring through whom the nations of the world would be blessed. The Galatians believing and being brought into the kingdom is a part of the fulfillment of that promise.

The Law of Moses was not in contention to the promises made to Abraham. Nor did the Law of Moses fulfill the promises made to Abraham. Nor did the Law of Moses replace the promises made to Abraham. The Law of Moses served to help bring those promises made to Abraham about. The Law could never bring life, not because of any problem with the Law, but because of the problem with us. As we have previously discussed, the Mosaic covenant served a purpose within the Abrahamic covenant, but now that covenant is coming to fulfillment in Christ and Moses has served his purpose. The theological argument Paul makes with the Judaizers is one of covenant priority. Abraham trumps Moses. And Abraham is fulfilled in Christ and the Church.

In verse 27 Paul mentions baptism--the only time he does so in this letter. We examine that in this Bible study from four viewpoints. Then we conclude by considering the ramifications of this passage to our views of Israel and the Church. The Church is not a parenthesis in redemptive history. The Church is the fulfillment of redemptive history. The Church is not a separate program God is doing, distinct from his program with Israel and existing alongside it. The Church is what Israel has become since the coming of Christ. The Church has not replaced Israel any more than the frog replaced a tadpole. The Church is what Israel was always intended to become.

The audio to this bible study is linked below. I hope you will take the time to listen and think about these things. God bless.



Click here:  Galatians 3:27-29 - Baptized Into Christ



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Galatians 3:15-22 - Moses Serves Abraham

Paul is in the middle of his theological argument against the Judaizers, an argument which covers chapters 3 and 4 of Galatians. Here is what we have covered thus far in chapter 3:

First he argues from their experience (v. 1-5).
Then he argues from the Scripture showing how the Scripture backs up their experience (v. 6-18).

A. He first points out that Abraham was justified by faith alone. (v. 6-9)
B. Then he points out that the law brings a curse. (v. 10)
C. Next that the Scripture itself says we are justified by faith. (v. 11)
D. Then that law-keeping as a human effort is the opposite of faith. (v. 12)
E. Finally that the curse brought upon us by the law was taken by Jesus at the cross in order that he might give us the promise made to Abraham by faith. (v. 13-14)

Now, in the passage covered in this bible study, he switches gears just a little and makes an argument from everyday life, though he will still tie it in to Scripture.

Essentially his argument is this. The covenant promises made to Abraham were eternal and immutable. Something that happened 430 years later cannot change them. And those promises made to Abraham clearly stated that we are made righteous through faith. Nothing God did through Moses can possibly change that.

The covenant God made with Abraham was an unconditional covenant. That's why Paul uses the word "promises" interchangeably with "covenant." Those promises were not contingent on obedience. They were grace. They were and are for all those who believe. By contrast the covenant at Sinai was conditional and had a different purpose, as we shall see.

It has been pointed out that the promises made to Abraham are all God saying, "I will . . . " while the covenant at Mt. Sinai was all God saying, "You shall . . ."

This bible study was an important one because it helped establish the relationship between the covenant God made with Abraham and the covenant God made with the people through Moses and what that has to do with us in the New Testament. In other words it gives us the relation between law and grace. In doing so it puts a lot of things in order and in perspective as far as what we are to think about the relation of the Old Testament and the New. I hope you will take the time to listen to it and to think through these things. Beneath all this there is wonderful news. There is gospel.

To listen to the audio from this Wednesday night study just click the link below.

Click here: Galatians 3:15-22 - Moses Serves Abraham



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Galatians 3:6-9 - The Children of Abraham

God made promises to Abraham--important promises--tremendous promises--promises to him and to his descendants. The first time we see this promise is in Genesis 12:

Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”--Genesis 12:1-3

A few verses later we find this recorded:

Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the LORD, who had appearehd to him.--Genesis 3:7

But why does this matter to us? What does any of this have to do with a person sitting in a pew in the year 2017? What did it have to do with the people reading Paul's epistle to the Galatians in the first century? Everything.

Who are the descendants of Abraham? Who are his offspring? This question was answered by first century Judaism in this way: we, Jews, the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are the offspring or descendants of Abraham and it was to us that the promises were made. Many Christians believe this to this day. But the Apostle Paul disagrees with them. Paul is about to make the argument that Jesus alone is the offspring or descendant of Abraham to whom the promises were made and that only those in Christ are the heirs of the promises made to Abraham.

Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.--Galatians 3:7-9

The true children of Abraham, and the heirs of the promises made to Abraham, are those who are united to Christ through faith--Christ who is the true Israelite, the consummate Jew, the Heir of the promises. This is true of those who are ethically Jewish and of those who are not. We become fellow-heirs through faith in Christ. Just like Abraham! After all, Abraham was a Gentile (there were no Jews yet when he was called) just as were the Galatians.

There is much more to this bible study than just that, so I invite you to listen to the audio recording of it linked below. Just click on the link and it will take you to a page on SoundCloud where you can stream it on your computer or other device. May God richly bless.



Click here: Galatians 3:6-9 - The Children of Abraham


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