Galatians 4:23

Two Covenants

21 Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law?

22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons: ^athe one by a bondwoman, ^bthe other by a freewoman.

23 But he who was of the bondwoman ^awas born according to the flesh, ^band he of the freewoman through promise,

24 which things are symbolic. For these are¹ the two covenants: the one from Mount ^aSinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar—

25 for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children—

26 but the ^aJerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all.

27 For it is written:
^a“Rejoice, O barren,
You who do not bear!
Break forth and shout,
You who are not in labor!
For the desolate has many more children
Than she who has a husband.”

Commentaries:

Forerunner Commentary
What is the Forerunner Commentary?

<< Galatians 4:22

Galatians 4:24 >>

What Does Galatians 4:23 Mean?

Galatians 4:21-23

The births of Ishmael and Isaac are recorded in Genesis 16 and 21. Though this happened long before the Ten Commandments and the other laws were given through Moses, Paul refers to this portion of Scripture as the law! Obviously, Paul uses "law" to mean the entire Pentateuch or Torah (the first five books of the Bible), not just the Commandments. In Galatians 4:24, he specifically mentions the Old and New Covenants.

Earl L. Henn
What Was the Law 'Added Because of Transgressions'?

Galatians 4:22-24

He gives us this example and then specifically tells us that what is seemingly a simple historical narrative is actually an allegory. In other words, as important as the story is in its effect on the continuation of the promises, it also has continuous application in certain spiritual circumstances. What at first seems only to be an interesting historical reference has a dual use. Much of the Old Testament fits this usage, providing us with valuable spiritual instruction through its examples.

John W. Ritenbaugh
The Offerings of Leviticus (Part One): Introduction

**Other Forerunner Commentary entries containing Galatians 4:23:**

Genesis 3:15
2 Kings 4:8-37
Galatians 3:17-25
Galatians 3:19

<< Galatians 4:22

Galatians 4:24 >>

Join 137,028+ readers

A Verse and a Thought,
Every Morning

Consistent Bible study is hard to start.

The Berean gives you the starting point: one scripture and a focused commentary in your inbox each morning — read it in minutes, or go as deep as you like.

Free, daily, and spam-free. We never share your address. Unsubscribe anytime.