Galatians4

Paul explains that believers, once under the Law like children under tutors, are now adopted as sons through Christ, receiving the Spirit of sonship. He expresses concern that the Galatians are returning to legalistic observances, which he likens to a return to bondage. Through the allegory of Hagar and Sarah, he contrasts the covenant of law (bondage) with the covenant of promise (freedom), asserting that believers are children of the free.

The Transition from Servitude to Sonship

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And I say, so long time as the heir is a babe, he differeth nothing from a servant--being lord of all,
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but is under tutors and stewards till the time appointed of the father,
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so also we, when we were babes, under the elements of the world were in servitude,
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and when the fulness of time did come, God sent forth His Son, come of a woman, come under law,
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that those under law he may redeem, that the adoption of sons we may receive;
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and because ye are sons, God did send forth the spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, `Abba, Father!'
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so that thou art no more a servant, but a son, and if a son, also an heir of God through Christ.

Paul's Concern Over Returning to Bondage

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But then, indeed, not having known God, ye were in servitude to those not by nature gods,
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and now, having known God--and rather being known by God--how turn ye again unto the weak and poor elements to which anew ye desire to be in servitude?
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days ye observe, and months, and times, and years!
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I am afraid of you, lest in vain I did labour toward you.

Paul's Personal Appeal and Affection

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Become as I am --because I also am as ye brethren, I beseech you; to me ye did no hurt,
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and ye have known that through infirmity of the flesh I did proclaim good news to you at the first,
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and my trial that is in my flesh ye did not despise nor reject, but as a messenger of God ye did receive me--as Christ Jesus;
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what then was your happiness? for I testify to you, that if possible, your eyes having plucked out, ye would have given to me;
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so that your enemy have I become, being true to you?
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they are zealous for you-- yet not well, but they wish to shut us out, that for them ye may be zealous;
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and it is good to be zealously regarded, in what is good, at all times, and not only in my being present with you;
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my little children, of whom again I travail in birth, till Christ may be formed in you,
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and I was wishing to be present with you now, and to change my voice, because I am in doubt about you.

The Allegory of Hagar and Sarah

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Tell me, ye who are willing to be under law, the law do ye not hear?
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for it hath been written, that Abraham had two sons, one by the maid-servant, and one by the free-woman,
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but he who is of the maid-servant, according to flesh hath been, and he who is of the free-woman, through the promise;
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which things are allegorized, for these are the two covenants: one, indeed, from mount Sinai, to servitude bringing forth, which is Hagar;
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for this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and doth correspond to the Jerusalem that now is , and is in servitude with her children,
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and the Jerusalem above is the free-woman, which is mother of us all,
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for it hath been written, `Rejoice, O barren, who art not bearing; break forth and cry, thou who art not travailing, because many are the children of the desolate--more than of her having the husband.'
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And we, brethren, as Isaac, are children of promise,
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but as then he who was born according to the flesh did persecute him according to the spirit, so also now;
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but what saith the Writing? `Cast forth the maid-servant and her son, for the son of the maid-servant may not be heir with the son of the free-woman;'
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then, brethren, we are not a maid-servant's children, but the free-woman's.
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