Galatians 4:17-31 NIV

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Galatians 4:22

For it is written ,.... In Genesis 16:15 that Abraham had two sons , not two sons only; for besides the two referred to, he had six more, Genesis 25:2 but it being only pertinent to the apostle's purpose to take notice of these two, he mentions no more, though he does not deny that he had any more. These two sons were Ishmael and Isaac: the one by a bondmaid . Ishmael was by Hagar, Sarah's servant, who represented the covenant the Jewish nation was under the bondage of. The... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Galatians 4:23

But he who was of the bondwoman ,.... Ishmael, who was begotten and born of Hagar, was born after the flesh ; after the common order and course of nature, through the copulation of two persons, the one able to procreate, and the other fit for the conception of children; and was typical of the Jews, the natural descendants of Abraham, who, as such, and upon that account, were not the children of God, nor heirs of the eternal inheritance: but he of the free woman was by promise ; by a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Galatians 4:24

Which things are an allegory ,.... Or "are allegorized": so Sarah and Hagar were allegorized by Philo the Jew F16 De Cherubim, p. 108, 109. , before they were by the apostle. Sarah he makes to signify virtue, and Hagar the whole circle of arts and sciences, which are, or should be, an handmaid to virtue; but these things respecting Hagar and Sarah, the bondwoman and the free, and their several offspring, are much better allegorized by the apostle here. An allegory is a way of speaking... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Galatians 4:25

For this Agar is Mount Sinai in Arabia ,.... The Arabic version, instead of Arabia, reads "Balca". The Syriac version makes Hagar to be a mountain, reading the words thus, "for Mount Hagar is Sinai, which is in Arabia": and some have been of opinion that Sinai was called Hagar by the Arabians. It is certain, that חגר , which may be pronounced Hagar, does signify in the Arabic language a stone or rock; and that one part of Arabia is called Arabia Petraea, from the rockiness of it; the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Galatians 4:26

But Jerusalem which is above ,.... This Sarah was a type and figure of; she answered to, and agreed with this; which is to be understood, not of the church triumphant in heaven, but of the Gospel church state under the administration of the new covenant; and that, not as in the latter day glory, when the new Jerusalem shall descend from God out of heaven, but as it then was in the apostle's time, and has been since. Particular respect may be had to the first Gospel church at Jerusalem, which... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Galatians 4:27

For it is written ,.... Isaiah 44:1 , which is cited to prove, that the heavenly Jerusalem, or Gospel church state, is the mother of us all, and has brought forth, and still will bring forth, many souls to Christ, even many more than were under the legal dispensation by the Jewish church, though the Lord was an husband to them, Jeremiah 31:32 . The words are, rejoice thou barren that bearest not, break forth and cry thou that travailest not, for the desolate hath many more children... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Galatians 4:28

Now we, brethren, as Isaac was ,.... The Ethiopic version reads, "you, brethren"; and so one of Stephens's copies. As the two women, Hagar and Sarah, might be, and are allegorized; so likewise their respective offspring. Isaac signified, and was a type and figure of Abraham's spiritual seed, whether Jews or Gentiles, under the Gospel dispensation: and as he was, so they are, the children of promise ; as Isaac was promised unto Abraham, so were this spiritual seed, when it was said unto... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Galatians 4:29

But as then ,.... In the times of Abraham, when Hagar and Sarah, the types of the two dispensations of the covenant, and Ishmael and Isaac, the figures of the two different seeds, the natural and spiritual seed of Abraham, legalists and true believers, were living: he that was born after the flesh ; which was Ishmael, who was a type, or an allegorical representation of such who were under the Sinai covenant, and were seeking for righteousness by the works of the law; as he was born after... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Galatians 4:30

Nevertheless, what saith the Scripture? .... This is a Talmudic form of citing Scriptures, and answers to מאי קראה , "what says the Scriptures F5 T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 9. 2. ?" the passage referred to is Genesis 21:10 and which are the words of Sarah to Abraham; but inasmuch as she spake them under divine inspiration, and they were approved of and confirmed by God, as appears from Genesis 21:12 they are ascribed to God speaking in the Scripture: cast out the bondwoman and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Galatians 4:31

So then, brethren ,.... This is the conclusion of the whole allegory, or the mystical interpretation of Agar and Sarah, and their sons: we are not children of the bondwoman ; the figure of the first covenant, which gendered to bondage, and typified the Jews in a state, and under a spirit of bondage to the law; New Testament saints are not under it, are delivered from it, and are dead unto it: but of the free ; of Sarah, that was a type of the new and second covenant; and answered to... read more

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Galatians 4:22

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Galatians 4:23

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Galatians 4:24

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Galatians 4:25

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Galatians 4:26

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Galatians 4:27

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Galatians 4:28

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Galatians 4:29

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Galatians 4:30

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Galatians 4:31

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