Justification by Faith Alone - Allegorical Illustration (Galatians 4:21-31)

(Class Notes)

• "Hear the Law" (Galatians 4:21)
  • Paul asks his would-be FOLLOWERS of the LAW if they actually "HEAR the LAW" (Galatians 4:21):
    • In his DOCTRINAL TREATISE of the GOSPEL - Paul CITES an EXAMPLE in the LAW concerning JUSTIFICATION by FAITH ALONE in a DIVINE PROMISE (Romans 3:21-22; Romans 4:3-5 cf. Genesis 15:4-6)
    • LIKEWISE, he USES an ALLEGORICAL ILLUSTRATION taken from the LAW (Galatians 4:22-31) - to PORTRAY the BONDAGE of ISRAEL under the LAW vs. the LIBERTY in CHRIST of the BELIEVER under GRACE (Galatians 5:1,4)

• For It is Written" (Galatians 4:22-26)
  • In the LAW it is WRITTEN "that ABRAHAM had TWO SONS" (Galatians 4:22 cf. Genesis 25:8-9):
    • ISHMAEL was the SON "BY a BONDMAID", i.e. BY Sarah's MAID, HAGAR (Galatians 4:22 cf. Genesis 16:3,15)
    • ISAAC was the SON "BY a FREEWOMAN", i.e. BY Hagar's MISTRESS, SARAH (Galatians 4:22 cf. Genesis 16:8,9; Genesis 17:19)
    • The SON of the BONDWOMAN was "BORN AFTER the FLESH" (Galatians 4:23 cf. Genesis 16:1-2)
    • The SON of the FREEWOMAN "was BY PROMISE" (Galatians 4:23 cf. Genesis 17:21; Genesis 21:1-3)
  • These TWO WOMEN described above - serve as an ALLEGORICAL REPRESENTATION of TWO COVENANTS (Galatians 4:24):
    • The BONDWOMAN (HAGAR) REPRESENTS the COVENANT of the LAW made at SINAI and ILLUSTRATES "the JERUSALEM which NOW is IN BONDAGE WITH HER CHILDREN" (Galatians 4:24-25 cf. Exodus 24:7-8,12,15-16)
    • The FREEWOMAN (SARAH) REPRESENTS the "NEW COVENANT" and ILLUSTRATES the FUTURE "INHABITANTS of JERUSALEM" who will be the RECIPIENTS of "the SPIRIT of GRACE" (Galatians 4:26 cf. Jeremiah 31:31-34; Zechariah 12:10)
    • Just as ABRAHAM is "the FATHER of US ALL" (Romans 4:16), i.e. "of ALL them THAT BELIEVE" (Romans 4:11) - so ALSO is SARAH (REPRESENTATIVE of "the JERUSALEM which is ABOVE") - CALLED "the MOTHER of US ALL", i.e. of THOSE who BY GRACE have been SET FREE IN CHRIST (Galatians 4:26 cf. John 1:16-17,29; John 8:32,36; Galatians 5:1,4)

• For It is Written" (Galatians 4:27-31)
  • It is WRITTEN that "THE DESOLATE HATH MANY MORE CHILDREN THAN SHE WHICH HATH AN HUSBAND" (Galatians 4:27):
    • Paul CITES this OT reference (Isaiah 54:1) to show that ISRAEL produced "MANY MORE CHILDREN" being "BARREN" and "DESOLATE" THAN WHEN SHE "HATH AN HUSBAND" (Galatians 4:27):
    • ISRAEL was an UNFAITHFUL WIFE TO her DIVINE HUSBAND UNDER the MARRIAGE CONTRACT of the LAW (Jeremiah 31:31-32 cf. Exodus 24:7-8)
    • Thus, ISRAEL FAILED to be the DIVINE WITNESS to the nations UNDER the LAW (Isaiah 43:9-15 cf. Deuteronomy 4:26-31)
    • Consequently, NOW in her DESOLATE condition of being TEMPORARILY STUMBLED (Romans 11:11) and, thus, having become SPIRITUALLY DEAF and BLIND (Acts 28:25-28) UNDER this GENTILE "DISPENSATION of the GRACE of God" (Ephesians 3:1-2 cf. Romans 11:25):
      • ISRAEL NOW, "as CONCERNING the GOSPEL, they are ENEMIES" FOR the GENTILES' SAKE (Romans 11:28) - in that "the GOSPEL of PEACE" (Ephesians 6:15) is NOW being "PREACHED" to both JEW & GENTILE (Ephesians 2:14-17)
      • BUT ISRAEL, "as TOUCHING the ELECTION, they are BELOVED for the FATHERS' SAKE" (Romans 11:28 cf. Romans 9:4-5), because of their IRREVOCABLE CALLING (Romans 11:29 cf. Romans 9:6-9) and God's UNCONDITIONAL COVENANT with that nation (Romans 11:26-27 cf. Isaiah 59:20-21)
    • However, NOW "IF ... the CASTING AWAY OF THEM be the RECONCILING OF THE WORLD" (Romans 11:15 cf. II Corinthians 5:18-21) and "the DIMINISHING OF THEM the RICHES OF THE GENTILES" (Romans 11:12 cf. Romans 15:25-27):
      • "HOW MUCH THEIR FULLNESS" (Romans 11:12) - WHEN the GENTILES shall CALL THEM "the PRIESTS of the Lord ... the MINISTERS of our God" Isaiah 61:6) and her "REPROACH OF WIDOWHOOD" will have been FOREVER TAKEN AWAY Isaiah 54:4-5)
    • Thus, Paul concludes, "NOW WE ... AS ISAAC was, ARE THE CHILDREN OF PROMISE" (Galatians 4:28):
      • "FOR ye are ALL the CHILDREN OF GOD BY FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS" (Galatians 3:26)
      • "And IF ye be CHRIST'S, THEN are ye ABRAHAM'S SEED, AND HEIRS ACCORDING TO THE PROMISE" (Galatians 3:29 cf. Genesis 12:3)
  • Just as ISHMAEL who was "BORN AFTER THE FLESH" and PERSECUTED ISAAC who was "BORN AFTER THE SPIRIT" (Galatians 4:29 cf. Genesis 21:7-9) - "EVEN SO IT IS NOW" (Galatians 4:29 cf. II Timothy 3:12):
    • BUT, the GOOD NEWS - is that the INHERITANCE "BY GRACE is "SURE TO ALL THE SEED ... which is OF THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM" (Romans 4:16)
    • FOR, "WHAT SAITH THE SCRIPTURE? CAST OUT the BONDWOMAN AND HER SON: for the SON OF the BONDWOMAN shall NOT be HEIR WITH the SON OF the FREEWOMAN" (Galatians 4:30-31 cf. Genesis 21:10-12)

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