Titus 2:1,
- but speak thou(Titus)
the things which become sound doctrine
Paul's teaching in this article is Galatians 4:21-31 known as Paul's allegory.
Paul references these old testament verses in Galatians 4:21-31: Genesis 16:1-18 ; 21:1-21 ; 22:1-19 ; Isaiah 54:1
The purpose of this article.
To educate on the words chosen by Paul of there meaning.
To establish that no one today including the "jews" in Israel are under the law of Moses. All today are under the new covenant, the law of Christ, Galatians 6:2 also read 1Corinthians 9:21,
- to them that are without law, as without law, being not without law to God but under the law of Christ that I might gain them that are without law
To establish there is not one continuous covenant as some have been misinformed to believe.
To establish there are two covenants being contrasted by Paul and that the first covenant has been replaced with the second.
To establish that when Paul speaks of works not saving or justifying the saved or still alien sinners he is always referring to the old covenant, the old testament law of Moses or wicked, carnal works of man in every epistle that he wrote.
Galatians 4:21-31,
- Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law (This law is always the law under the old covenant. The old testament law of Moses).
V-21,
- Tell me ye that desire to be under the law, do ye hear the law (The judaizers have influenced born again gentile Christians in Galatia to desire to begin keeping the law of Moses
Paul is working with the church in Galatia to STOP an apostasy that is in progress but not yet complete.
Judaizers are working to get gentile christians to renounce the all sufficiency of Jesus as Savior in order to seek salvation through conformity to the Old Law. Like Sabbath keeping for example. Do you know any man who binds keeping the Sabbath today? They have not learned Paul's teaching through his allegory in Galatians.
V-22, The characters and what they represent are introduced.
- for it is written that Abraham had two sons, the one of the bond women(Hagar slave of Abraham aka Agar, her people/children are in bondage, they are the ethnic fleshly Jerusalem
22,
- for it is written(old testament) that Abraham had two sons the one of a bondwomen the other by a freewomen
( Sarah, Abraham's wife is the freewomen. She has never been a slave like the bondwomen Hagar. Thus she is free.
Sara's son was miraculously born. His name is Isaac. He was born by Gods promise to Sarah. His birth is miraculous a promise from God, thus he is from above. Isaac is the free son.
Hagar's son is Ishmael. He he born from a slave, thus he is the son in bondage.
Sara's son Isaac, Paul calls the "children of promise" Isaac was promised to Sarah by miraculous birth from God.
Hagar's son Ishmael is " born after the flesh" Paul means by this saying that Ishmael is of natural birth through natural intercourse.
V-23,
- but he(Ishmael) who was after the bondwomen(Hagar) was born after the flesh(natural birth) but he(Isaac) of the freewomen(Abraham's wife Sara) was by promise(Gods promise by miraculous birth.
V-24,
- which things are an allegory for these are the two covenants the one from mount Sinai(Where Moses was given the old law) which gendereth to bondage which is Agar(Hagar the bondwomen, Ishmael's mother)
Paul teaches two covenants. Verse 24 Paul teaches about the old covenant given on mount Sini. This covenant is the old testament law given to Moses. Hagar and her children represent this law. Everyone under this law is under bondage.
V-25,
- for this Agar(bondwomen) is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is and is in bondage with her children
The word used here answereth means to stand or march in the same row with, hence to stand over against, be parallel with.
This word was used to refer to a file of soldiers.
It shows that Mt. Sinai stands on the side of Ishmael and not on the side of Isaac.
Two parallels,
Hagar the bondwomen. Sara the freewomen.
Ishmael the child after the flesh. Isaac the child of promise.
Hagar, the old covenant. Sarah, the new covenant.
Hagar, Ishmael, the earthly ethnic Jerusalem. Sarah, Isaac, The heavenly Jerusalem(new testament church)
When Paul says of Jerusalem which NOW is, he is referring to the earthly city of Jerusalem and is put in antithesis to the Jerusalem which is above, verse 26.
Therefore the identification of Hagar is complete.
She represents Judaism with its earthly headquarters at Jerusalem.
The old law leaves all of Hagar's children in a state of bondage.
In bondage to sin and the old law.
The old testament law could not give spiritual freedom,
Galatians 2:16,21,
- knowing this that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith of Jesus Christ even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ and NOT by the works of the law(old covenant law) for by the works of the law shall no flesh by justified
Acts 13:39,
- and by him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses
Instead the Law left its adherents locked up under bondage.
V-25,
- with her children,
Paul refers to all those who are seeking salvation through perfect obedience to the law of Moses.
Now verse 26,
- but Jerusalem which is from above is free, which is the mother(Sarah) of us(christians) ALL
Paul is contrasting two Jerusalems.
The now Jerusalem Hagar earthly Jerusalem.
With above, Jerusalem from above.
Notice no future Jerusalem but a Jerusalem that is now and another that is above. Meaning both are in existence.
The Jerusalem above identifies the galatian Christians as Sara's the freewomen's children.
This is the heavenly(above) Jerusalem.
Hebrews 12:22-23,
- but ye are come unto mount Sion and unto the city of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of angels
Christians citizenship is in this heavenly kingdom the new Jerusalem,
Philippians 3:20,
- for our conversation is in heaven from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ
He is christians Lord and christians are citizens in His kingdom.
Colossians 1:13-14.
Notice that this Jerusalem from above is free from sin and free from bondage to the old Law.
The children of God are no longer under a tutor or under the weak and beggerly elements of this world.
Galatians 3:23-26,
- but before faith(new testament gospel of Jesus) came we were under the law, shut up unto the faith which should come afterwards be revealed
- wherefore the law was our schoolmaster(tutor) to bring us to Christ that we might be justified by faith(new covenant)
- but after that faith is come we are no longer under a schoolmaster
- for ye are(present) ALL the children of God by faith in Christ
The children from Sara are free from sin, free from bondage to the old law!!!
V-27,
- for it is written(old testament) rejoice thou barren(Sarah) that nearest not break forth and cry thou that travailest not for the desolate(Hagar) hath many more children than she(Sarah) which hath an husband(Abraham)
V-28, 29,30
- now we brethren as Isaac was are the children of promise
- but as then he(Ishmael) that was born after the flesh persecuted him(Isaac) that was born after the Spirit(the Holy Spirit miraculously helped barren Sarah to conceive of Isaac) even so it is now(the Jews are still now persecuting Gods children which are the children of the Spirit
- nevertheless what saith the scripture Cast out the bondwomen and her son(Genesis 21:10)
The two covenants CANNOT BE JOINED,, GOD SAYS TO CAST OUT THE BONDWOMEN AND HER CHILDREN(OLD LAW KEEPING)
If the Judaizers prevailed and perveted the new testament gospel to include keeping the old law. The gospel of Jesus Christ would be destroyed, Galatians 2:5.
This is the purpose of the allegory,
To show the Galatians what stance they should take toward Judaizers who were working to bring them back into subjection to the law of Moses.
Paul tells them to CAST THEM OUT!!!!
V-30,31
- nevertheless what saith the scripture CAST OUT THE BONDWOMEN AND HER SON OF THE BONDWOMEN FOR THE SON OF THE BONDWOMEN SHALL NOT BE HEIR WITH THE SON OF THE FREEWOMEN
- so then brethren(christians) we are NOT children of the bondwomen but of the free
Conclusion Paul makes it crystal clear we are not to practise any of the old testament law. In doing so we lose our liberty our freedom in Christ and His new covenant.
The old covenant has been done away.
We are under the new covenant now.
Galatians 5:1 ; 4,
- Standfast therefore to the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free(new testament gospel) and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage(old law of Moses)
- Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law(old law of Moses) ye have fallen from grace
Cannot be justified by the works of the old law!!! Trying to do so CANCELS out Grace.
Romans 4:1-25
- but speak thou(Titus)
the things which become sound doctrine
Paul's teaching in this article is Galatians 4:21-31 known as Paul's allegory.
Paul references these old testament verses in Galatians 4:21-31: Genesis 16:1-18 ; 21:1-21 ; 22:1-19 ; Isaiah 54:1
The purpose of this article.
To educate on the words chosen by Paul of there meaning.
To establish that no one today including the "jews" in Israel are under the law of Moses. All today are under the new covenant, the law of Christ, Galatians 6:2 also read 1Corinthians 9:21,
- to them that are without law, as without law, being not without law to God but under the law of Christ that I might gain them that are without law
To establish there is not one continuous covenant as some have been misinformed to believe.
To establish there are two covenants being contrasted by Paul and that the first covenant has been replaced with the second.
To establish that when Paul speaks of works not saving or justifying the saved or still alien sinners he is always referring to the old covenant, the old testament law of Moses or wicked, carnal works of man in every epistle that he wrote.
Galatians 4:21-31,
- Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law (This law is always the law under the old covenant. The old testament law of Moses).
V-21,
- Tell me ye that desire to be under the law, do ye hear the law (The judaizers have influenced born again gentile Christians in Galatia to desire to begin keeping the law of Moses
Paul is working with the church in Galatia to STOP an apostasy that is in progress but not yet complete.
Judaizers are working to get gentile christians to renounce the all sufficiency of Jesus as Savior in order to seek salvation through conformity to the Old Law. Like Sabbath keeping for example. Do you know any man who binds keeping the Sabbath today? They have not learned Paul's teaching through his allegory in Galatians.
V-22, The characters and what they represent are introduced.
- for it is written that Abraham had two sons, the one of the bond women(Hagar slave of Abraham aka Agar, her people/children are in bondage, they are the ethnic fleshly Jerusalem
22,
- for it is written(old testament) that Abraham had two sons the one of a bondwomen the other by a freewomen
( Sarah, Abraham's wife is the freewomen. She has never been a slave like the bondwomen Hagar. Thus she is free.
Sara's son was miraculously born. His name is Isaac. He was born by Gods promise to Sarah. His birth is miraculous a promise from God, thus he is from above. Isaac is the free son.
Hagar's son is Ishmael. He he born from a slave, thus he is the son in bondage.
Sara's son Isaac, Paul calls the "children of promise" Isaac was promised to Sarah by miraculous birth from God.
Hagar's son Ishmael is " born after the flesh" Paul means by this saying that Ishmael is of natural birth through natural intercourse.
V-23,
- but he(Ishmael) who was after the bondwomen(Hagar) was born after the flesh(natural birth) but he(Isaac) of the freewomen(Abraham's wife Sara) was by promise(Gods promise by miraculous birth.
V-24,
- which things are an allegory for these are the two covenants the one from mount Sinai(Where Moses was given the old law) which gendereth to bondage which is Agar(Hagar the bondwomen, Ishmael's mother)
Paul teaches two covenants. Verse 24 Paul teaches about the old covenant given on mount Sini. This covenant is the old testament law given to Moses. Hagar and her children represent this law. Everyone under this law is under bondage.
V-25,
- for this Agar(bondwomen) is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is and is in bondage with her children
The word used here answereth means to stand or march in the same row with, hence to stand over against, be parallel with.
This word was used to refer to a file of soldiers.
It shows that Mt. Sinai stands on the side of Ishmael and not on the side of Isaac.
Two parallels,
Hagar the bondwomen. Sara the freewomen.
Ishmael the child after the flesh. Isaac the child of promise.
Hagar, the old covenant. Sarah, the new covenant.
Hagar, Ishmael, the earthly ethnic Jerusalem. Sarah, Isaac, The heavenly Jerusalem(new testament church)
When Paul says of Jerusalem which NOW is, he is referring to the earthly city of Jerusalem and is put in antithesis to the Jerusalem which is above, verse 26.
Therefore the identification of Hagar is complete.
She represents Judaism with its earthly headquarters at Jerusalem.
The old law leaves all of Hagar's children in a state of bondage.
In bondage to sin and the old law.
The old testament law could not give spiritual freedom,
Galatians 2:16,21,
- knowing this that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith of Jesus Christ even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ and NOT by the works of the law(old covenant law) for by the works of the law shall no flesh by justified
Acts 13:39,
- and by him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses
Instead the Law left its adherents locked up under bondage.
V-25,
- with her children,
Paul refers to all those who are seeking salvation through perfect obedience to the law of Moses.
Now verse 26,
- but Jerusalem which is from above is free, which is the mother(Sarah) of us(christians) ALL
Paul is contrasting two Jerusalems.
The now Jerusalem Hagar earthly Jerusalem.
With above, Jerusalem from above.
Notice no future Jerusalem but a Jerusalem that is now and another that is above. Meaning both are in existence.
The Jerusalem above identifies the galatian Christians as Sara's the freewomen's children.
This is the heavenly(above) Jerusalem.
Hebrews 12:22-23,
- but ye are come unto mount Sion and unto the city of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of angels
Christians citizenship is in this heavenly kingdom the new Jerusalem,
Philippians 3:20,
- for our conversation is in heaven from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ
He is christians Lord and christians are citizens in His kingdom.
Colossians 1:13-14.
Notice that this Jerusalem from above is free from sin and free from bondage to the old Law.
The children of God are no longer under a tutor or under the weak and beggerly elements of this world.
Galatians 3:23-26,
- but before faith(new testament gospel of Jesus) came we were under the law, shut up unto the faith which should come afterwards be revealed
- wherefore the law was our schoolmaster(tutor) to bring us to Christ that we might be justified by faith(new covenant)
- but after that faith is come we are no longer under a schoolmaster
- for ye are(present) ALL the children of God by faith in Christ
The children from Sara are free from sin, free from bondage to the old law!!!
V-27,
- for it is written(old testament) rejoice thou barren(Sarah) that nearest not break forth and cry thou that travailest not for the desolate(Hagar) hath many more children than she(Sarah) which hath an husband(Abraham)
V-28, 29,30
- now we brethren as Isaac was are the children of promise
- but as then he(Ishmael) that was born after the flesh persecuted him(Isaac) that was born after the Spirit(the Holy Spirit miraculously helped barren Sarah to conceive of Isaac) even so it is now(the Jews are still now persecuting Gods children which are the children of the Spirit
- nevertheless what saith the scripture Cast out the bondwomen and her son(Genesis 21:10)
The two covenants CANNOT BE JOINED,, GOD SAYS TO CAST OUT THE BONDWOMEN AND HER CHILDREN(OLD LAW KEEPING)
If the Judaizers prevailed and perveted the new testament gospel to include keeping the old law. The gospel of Jesus Christ would be destroyed, Galatians 2:5.
This is the purpose of the allegory,
To show the Galatians what stance they should take toward Judaizers who were working to bring them back into subjection to the law of Moses.
Paul tells them to CAST THEM OUT!!!!
V-30,31
- nevertheless what saith the scripture CAST OUT THE BONDWOMEN AND HER SON OF THE BONDWOMEN FOR THE SON OF THE BONDWOMEN SHALL NOT BE HEIR WITH THE SON OF THE FREEWOMEN
- so then brethren(christians) we are NOT children of the bondwomen but of the free
Conclusion Paul makes it crystal clear we are not to practise any of the old testament law. In doing so we lose our liberty our freedom in Christ and His new covenant.
The old covenant has been done away.
We are under the new covenant now.
Galatians 5:1 ; 4,
- Standfast therefore to the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free(new testament gospel) and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage(old law of Moses)
- Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law(old law of Moses) ye have fallen from grace
Cannot be justified by the works of the old law!!! Trying to do so CANCELS out Grace.
Romans 4:1-25
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