Sermon Tone Analysis

Many consider this morning’s text as the most difficult passage in Galatians for at least two reasons:

1.

It assumes a knowledge of the OT which few possess today and may even had been a challenge to the Gentile believers in Galatia.

There are references to Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, Ishmael, Isaac, Mount Sinai, and Jerusalem.

NOTE who Paul is addressing - (v.21)

2. The argument of Paul is somewhat technical—a kind that would have been familiar in rabbinical

schools.

It is allegorical, though not arbitrary (it’s not open to just any interpretation).

In other

words, even though the people and places represent something else, you can’t just abstract any

meaning you want.

This is not to in any way to diminish the importance of this passage today!

Last time I checked, there

are still many who, “…want to be under the law!”

(READ TEXT - PRAY)

There are THREE STAGES to Paul’s argument:

I. STAGE ONE: The HISTORICAL Background - (4:22-23)

Stott - “One of the Jews loudest and proudest boasts was that they were descended from Abraham, the father and founder of their race.

[Because of the covenant God established with Abraham and his

descendants] …the Jews believed themselves to be safe—eternally, inviolably safe.”

Both John the Baptist and Jesus had to deal with this issue:

(John 8:31-47)

PAUL NOW ELABORATES what John the Baptist implied and what Jesus explicitly taught: True descent

from Abraham is not physical but spiritual!

Abraham’s true children are not those with an impeccable Jewish genealogy, but those who

believe as Abraham believed and obey as Abraham obeyed!

KEY: We cannot claim to belong to Abraham unless we belong to Christ!

This DOUBLE-DESCENT from Abraham, Paul sees illustrated in Abraham’s two sons: Ishmael, and Isaac!

BOTH had Abraham as their father, but there were important differences:

1.

They were born of DIFFERENT MOTHERS - (v.22)

Ishmael’s mother Hagar was an Egyptian slave woman; Isaac’s mother Sarah, was a free

woman (as well as being Abraham’s wife)!

Paul’s POINT: Ishmael was born into slavery, but Isaac into freedom!

2. They were born in DIFFERENT WAYS! - (v.23)

NOT, of course, that the biological processes of conception and birth were different, but that the

different circumstances gave rise to their birth.

(v.23a) - “But the one by the slave was born as a result of the flesh …”

On the other hand, Isaac, “…was born through promise” – (v.23b).

“Isaac was not born according to nature, but rather against nature.

His father was a hundred

years old and his mother, who had been barren, was over ninety!”

II.

STAGE TWO: The ALLEGORICAL ARGUMENT!

- (4:24-27)

(v.24) - “…for the women represent two covenants,” and now Paul addresses the covenants by introducing an ADDITIONAL element: location.

1. MOUNT SINAI, HAGAR, and the PRESENT JERUSALEM - (vv.24b-25)

Though allegorical, Paul’s argument is SAME as he had previously given – (Galatians 3:22-25)

The LAW, represented by Hagar, Mount Sinai, and present-day Jerusalem (under the Law) represents bondage—slavery!

2. SARAH and the ‘ABOVE’ JERUSALEM!

– (v.26)

(Hebrews 12:18-24) eloquently contrasts Mount Sinai and the “…Jerusalem above!”

3. Paul’s GROUND - (v.27) – “For it is written…”

Just as God promised restoration from the Babylonian captivity, the “…children of promise” (v.28)will FAR EXCEED the children “…of the woman who has a husband!”

Simply put, the children of FAITH/PROMISE will far exceed the children of the Sinai, or Hagar!

III.

STAGE THREE: The PERSONAL APPLICATION! - (4:28-5:1)

(v.28)-

As a child “…of promise,” what can I expect?

1.

We must expect PERSECUTION from the spiritual descendants of Ismael – (v.29)

Just as Ishmael “persecuted” Isaac, the world will “persecute” believers today!

2. We must anticipate FUTURE INHERITANCE – (v.30)

It must have been a tremendous shock that Paul takes the very Scripture the Jews interpreted as God’s rejection of the Gentiles and totally reverses it to show God’s exclusion of unbelieving Jews from the inheritance of “…the son of the free woman!”

J.B. Lightfoot - “…the Apostle thus confidently sounds the death-knell of Judaism.”

3. We must STAND FIRM in our FREEDOM!

– (4:31—5:1)

I see at least three reasons to stand firm:

FIRST, because it’s not WHO YOU ARE! – (v.31) - You are children of the “free woman!”

SECOND, Christ SET YOU FREE! – (5:1a)

THIRD, God wants you to LIVE FREE, not with “…a yoke of slavery!” – (5:1b)