Galatians 4:12-29

He that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit

Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all.  Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first. And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me. Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?  They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.  But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you. My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you. Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.  But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. (Galatians 4:12-29)

Until verses 12-19, the apostle Paul's personal feelings toward the Church of Galadia are reminiscent, and he gently approaches what he has said so hard. The Apostle Paul was a Jew who was from the tribe of Benjamin, but for the salvation of the Gentiles, he abandoned everything and became like the Gentiles. So Paul is saying that he wants the members of the Church of Galatia to be like him.

Describe how the Apostle Paul first preached the Gospel to the region of Galatia. Paul was ill and cured there while on a evangelism trip to the region of Galatia. He had conducted evangelism even when he was sick. So, the Church of Galatia was born, and the Galatians treated Paul sickly. By the way, when the hearts of the Galatians were turning, Paul suffered. Paul restates the gospel by saying:『My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, 』

Paul is trying to explain the law to members of the Galatians who want to keep it. Trying to keep the law again, as stated in Galatians 5:3, 『For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. The person who wants to return to the law legally does not obey just one part of the law, but becomes a person who obeys all the provisions. Circumcision is one of the laws. However, the selective thinking of keeping only that and not having to keep anything else is wrong. It is one of two things, whether you keep it all or not. If you keep the law well and break any of them, it is the same as breaking all the law.

Paul explained the relationship between the gospel and the law in a parable way. 『Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. Paul is speaking to the Galatians who are about to return to the law.

Abraham had Isaac and Ishmael. Isaac was from Sarah (the one who was free), and Ishmael was from Hagar, the slave girl. Isaac was born according to God's promise, and Ishmael was born according to the flesh. The two sons symbolize two covenants: 『For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 』Jerusalem symbolizes the law. By the way, "Jerusalem above is free." "Isaac's mother Sarah" is Jerusalem from above. Jerusalem on earth is a shadow, Jerusalem in heaven is a true image, and it is the reality of God's promise. As Paul said this, he quoted from Isaiah 54:1.『 Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD. 』

When the prophet Isaiah was active, Israel was destroyed by Babylon and many were taken to Babylon. It is a prophecy that God will restore Israel again. At this time, Israel means the people of the world who are saved in the spiritual sense. In other words, the Bible tells that many people will be saved because of Jesus Christ. “Brothers, you are children of the promise, like Isaac.”The apostle Paul tells the Galatians that they are no longer Satan's servants under the Law. In other words, Paul reminds the Galatians that they have become sons of God. This is explained in Galatians 4:4-6.『 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 』 So, Paul is telling the people of the Church of Galatia, "Be ye sons of God, and be free from the law." The law is a law that a servant must obey. But the Son of God is not the law, but those who are led by the Holy Spirit. It is a child of promise.