Galatians 4:24-25

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 4:24

Allegorized interpretation of the facts. "Which things are to be allegorically treated." I. THE FACTS ARE CAPABLE OF THIS TREATMENT . The apostle does not mean to signify that the facts are not historical; nor does he mean to explain them away as if they were allegory like Bunyan's 'Pilgrim's Progress; ' nor does he mean that Moses shaped his narrative in Genesis with a view to this allegorized treatment. It is more correct to say that the lives of these real personages... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 4:25

For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia . This clause has been the subject of much conflicting opinion. The reading of the Greek text is itself much debated, and in the original authorities (manuscripts, versions, and Fathers) it appears in a great variety of forms. A detailed discussion of the latter point would be out of place here; and for the premisses from which the critical judgment is to be drawn, the reader is referred to Alford, and to a detached note which Bishop Lightfoot adds in... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Galatians 4:24

Which things - The different accounts of Ishmael and Isaac.Are an allegory - May be regarded allegorically, or as illustrating great principles in regard to the condition of slaves and freemen; and may therefore be used to illustrate the effect of servitude to the Law of Moses compared with the freedom of the gospel. He does not mean to say that the historical record of Moses was not true, or was merely allegorical; nor does he mean to say that Moses meant this to be an allegory, or that he... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Galatians 4:25

For this Agar is Mount Sinai - This Hagar well represents the Law given on Mount Sinai. No one can believe that Paul meant to say that Hagar was literally Mount Sinai. A great deal of perplexity has been felt in regard to this passage, and Bentley proposed to cancel it altogether as an interpolation. But there is no good authority for this. Several manuscripts and versions read it, “For this Sinai is a mountain in Arabia;” others, “to this Hagar Jerusalem answereth,” etc. Griesbach has placed... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Galatians 4:24

Galatians 4:24. Which things are an allegory That is, a figurative speech, wherein one thing is expressed, and another intended. Or, as Macknight explains the expression more at large: “Properly, an allegory is, when persons and events, present or near at hand, with their qualities and circumstances, are considered as types or representations of persons and events more remote, to which they have a resemblance. Of this kind were the histories of some persons and events recorded in the Old... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Galatians 4:25-27

Galatians 4:25-27. For this Agar is mount Sinai That is, is a type of that mount. The whole of that mountainous ridge in Arabia Petrea, of which Sinai was a part, was called Horeb, probably on account of its excessive dryness. It was called by Moses, the mountain of God, (Exodus 3:1,) because on it God gave the law to the Israelites. Grotius says, Sinai is called Hagar, or Agar, synecdochically, because in that mountain there was a city which bare Hagar’s name. It is by Pliny called ... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Galatians 4:21-31

Example of Hagar and Sarah (4:21-31)Paul now attacks the Judaisers by using a form of argument that they themselves liked to use. He returns to the story of Abraham to show that law-keeping is slavery and it cannot be mixed with grace. (For the background to the illustration that follows read Genesis 15:1-6; Genesis 16:1-16; Genesis 17:15-22; Genesis 18:1-15; Genesis 21:1-21.) Abraham had two sons, Ishmael, who was born as a result of human arrangements that lacked any exercise of faith, and... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Galatians 4:24

an allegory . Literally allegorized. Greek. allegereo . Only here. Compare: 1 Corinthians 10:11 these . Supply the Ellipsis by "two women are, i.e. represent. Figure of speech Metaphor , App-6 . Compare John 6:35 ; John 10:9 . covenants . Greek. diatheke . Seo Matthew 26:28 . the one = one indeed. from. Greek. apo . App-104 . Sinai. See Exodus 16:1 . gendereth = heareth children. Greek. gennao , as Galatians 4:23 . to. Greek. eis , as: Galatians 4:6 , Galatians 4:11 . bondage .... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Galatians 4:25

is . i.e. represents. answereth to = stands in same rank with. Greek. sustoicheo . Only here. Compare Galatians 5:25 . is in bondage = serves. Greek. douleuo . App-190 . with . Greek. meta . App-104 , children . Greek. teknon . App-108 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Galatians 4:24

Which things contain an allegory: for these women are two covenants; one from mount Sinai, bearing children unto bondage, which is Hagar. Now this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia and answereth to the Jerusalem that now is: for she is in bondage with her children.Hagar is mount Sinai ... Chrysostom stated that "Hagar is the word for mount Sinai, in the language of that country";[24] but scholars question this on the basis that they do not know where he got his information! As he lived more than a... read more

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