Keraia
Galatians 4

Galatians 4:26

Hagar and Sarah · Galatians 4:21–31
Read Galatians 4

Translations

Modern
But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.
Traditional
But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
Literal
But the Jerusalem above is free, who is our mother.
Latin
Illa autem, quæ sursum est Jerusalem, libera est, quæ est mater nostra.

Original

Greek
English
But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.

Notes

Galatians 4:26

  • Hagar represents slavery to human effort based on Mount Sinai (4:24–25). In contrast, Sarah represents freedom in the heavenly Jerusalem, God's ideal city. Abraham’s true children by faith now live under God's rule in Jesus Christ (3:29).

  • she is our mother: Sarah’s son, Isaac, was freely given all of God's promises apart from the law of Moses. Similarly, Jews and Gentiles who live by faith in Jesus are Sarah’s true children. They receive God's promises to Abraham freely apart from the law (3:26–29; 4:4–7).

Galatians 4:21–31

  • Paul now returns to using Scripture to support his argument. He tells the story of two of Abraham's wives, Hagar and Sarah, and their children. He uses this story to show the difference between two types of people: those who are like slaves because they try to follow all the laws, and those who are free because they belong to Christ.

  • Paul uses a special way of explaining Bible stories (called allegory) that Jewish teachers used in those days (see study note on 4:24). Paul was trained as a rabbi (see Acts 22:3) and could effectively debate the Judaizers using their own methods.

Parallels

Genesis 21:9–21

Places

Jerusalem: The capital of Israel, a holy city for three religions

Glossary

Bible, Manuscripts and Text of the (New Testament) Faith Hagar Isaac Letter to the Galatians Mount Sinai New Jerusalem Peter, Second Letter of Sarah Zion

Topics

Abraham: God's Covenant With Abraham: Isaac Born To Abraham: Sends Hagar and Ishmael Away Christian Liberty: Typified Church of Israel: A Type of the Church of Christ Church: Heavenly Jerusalem Church: Triumphant Jerusalem of the Church Justification: General Scriptures Concerning Parables: The Two Covenants Titles and Names of the Church: Heavenly of Jerusalem Woman: (Gloriously Arrayed) of the Church of Christ Women of the Body (Ekklesia) of Christ