Hagar and Sarah: Two Covenants Allegory
Galatians 4:21-31
Gal.4.21 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Λεγετε: VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- μοι: PRON,dat,sg,1
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- υπο: PREP
- νομον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- θελοντες: PART,pres,act,nom,pl,m
- ειναι: VERB,pres,act,inf
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- νομον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- ουκ: PART,neg
- ακουετε: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,pl
Parallels
- Romans 2:21-23 (verbal): Paul (or Luke quoting Pauline argumentation) uses the same rhetorical strategy—addressing hearers with pointed questions about teaching or claiming the law while failing to live by it (e.g. 'do you not...'). Both passages confront inconsistency between professing the law and doing it.
- Matthew 23:3 (thematic): Jesus criticizes scribes and Pharisees who instruct the law but do not practice it ('do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do'), echoing the theme of hypocrisy implicit in Paul's question to those wanting to be 'under the law.'
- Galatians 3:10 (verbal): Earlier in Galatians Paul frames those who rely on law as being 'under a curse'—a closely related doctrinal point to 4:21's address to those desiring to be under the law and the incompatibility of that stance with the gospel of promise.
- Acts 15:5-11 (thematic): The Jerusalem Council debates whether Gentile believers must be 'under the law' (circumcision/works). Peter's appeal to salvation by God's grace rather than law parallels Paul's challenge to those who insist on being subject to the law.
Alternative generated candidates
- Tell me, you who desire to be under the law: do you not hear the law?
- Tell me, you who desire to be under the law—do you not listen to the law?
Gal.4.22 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- γεγραπται: VERB,perf,pass,ind,3,sg
- γαρ: PART
- οτι: CONJ
- Αβρααμ: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- δυο: NUM,acc,pl,m
- υιους: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- εσχεν: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- ενα: NUM,acc,sg,m
- εκ: PREP
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- παιδισκης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- ενα: NUM,acc,sg,m
- εκ: PREP
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- ελευθερας·: ADJ,gen,sg,f
Parallels
- Genesis 21:10 (verbal): God/Israelite tradition's verdict—'the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman'—is the explicit Old Testament saying Paul invokes and later echoes (Gal.4:30) in his argument.
- Genesis 16:15-16 (allusion): Narrative account of Hagar bearing Ishmael to Abram; provides the origin of the 'two sons' (Ishmael and Isaac) that Paul summarizes in Gal.4:22.
- Galatians 4:23-31 (structural): Paul immediately develops the 'two sons' reference into an allegory contrasting the child of the slave (Hagar/Ishmael/law) and the child of the free woman (Sarah/Isaac/promise).
- Romans 9:7-9 (thematic): Paul elsewhere treats the distinction between physical descent and the children of promise, citing the Isaac/Sarah promise motif (not all descended from Abraham are true heirs), which parallels the point in Gal.4:22.
Alternative generated candidates
- For it is written that Abraham had two sons—one by a slave woman and one by a free woman.
- For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and one by the free woman.
Gal.4.23 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- αλλ᾽ο: CONJ
- μεν: PART
- εκ: PREP
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- παιδισκης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- κατα: PREP
- σαρκα: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- γεγεννηται: VERB,perf,mid/pass,ind,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- εκ: PREP
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- ελευθερας: ADJ,gen,sg,f
- δι᾽επαγγελιας: PREP+NOUN,gen,sg,f
Parallels
- Genesis 21:2-12 (structural): Narrative background: Sarah and Hagar produce Isaac and Ishmael; the conflict and expulsion of Hagar frame Paul's allegory—Isaac is the child of the free woman (promise), Ishmael of the slave (flesh).
- Genesis 16:15 (structural): Reports the birth of Ishmael to Hagar; Ishmael’s status as a son born 'according to the flesh' supplies the concrete antecedent for Paul's contrast in Galatians 4:23.
- Romans 9:6-9 (thematic): Paul again contrasts physical descent from Abraham with the ‘children of the promise’ (Isaac), paralleling the distinction between flesh and promise in Galatians 4:23.
- Galatians 4:24, 4:28 (verbal): Immediate parallels within the letter: v.24 calls the women allegories (two covenants), and v.28 explicitly identifies believers with Isaac as 'children of promise,' restating the free/promised contrast of v.23.
Alternative generated candidates
- The son by the slave was born according to the flesh; the son by the free woman was born through the promise.
- But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh; the son of the free woman was born through the promise.
Gal.4.24 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ατινα: PRON,nom,pl,n
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- αλληγορουμενα·αυται: PARTCP,pres,pass,nom,pl,n + PRON,nom,pl,f
- γαρ: PART
- εισιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,pl
- δυο: NUM,acc,pl,m
- διαθηκαι: NOUN,nom,pl,f
- μια: NUM,nom,sg,f
- μεν: PART
- απο: PREP
- ορους: NOUN,gen,sg,neut
- Σινα: PROPN,gen,sg,f
- εις: PREP
- δουλειαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- γεννωσα: PARTCP,aor,act,nom,sg,f
- ητις: PRON,rel,nom,sg,f
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- Αγαρ: PROPN,nom,sg,f
Parallels
- Genesis 16:1-16 (allusion): Narrative origin of Hagar and Ishmael: Hagar is introduced as Sarah’s maid who bears Abraham a son, the episode Paul allegorizes as the slave-woman and her child.
- Genesis 21:8-12 (quotation): Sarah’s demand to cast out the slave-woman and her son (cf. Gal. 4:30); Paul directly grounds his allegory in this resolution of the Hagar/Sarah story.
- Exodus 19–20 (thematic): The giving of the law at Mount Sinai — the covenant associated with bondage in Paul’s argument (Gal. 4:24 references ‘Mount Sinai’ as source of the covenant that produces slavery).
- Romans 9:6-13 (verbal): Paul’s other treatment of Isaac and Ishmael as representatives of promise versus natural descent (children of promise vs. children according to the flesh), echoing the same typological use of the Abraham narratives.
- Galatians 3:23-25 (structural): Earlier Galatian argument that the law was a guardian/servant leading to bondage until the coming of Christ — provides the theological framework for characterizing one covenant as producing slavery in Gal. 4:24.
Alternative generated candidates
- These things are an allegory. For the two women represent two covenants: one from Mount Sinai that bears children into slavery—this is Hagar.
- Now these things are being said allegorically: the two women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai and bears children to slavery—she is Hagar.
Gal.4.25 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- δε: CONJ
- Αγαρ: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- Σινα: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- ορος: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- εν: PREP
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- Αραβια: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- συστοιχει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- δε: CONJ
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- νυν: ADV
- Ιερουσαλημ: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- δουλευει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- γαρ: PART
- μετα: PREP
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- τεκνων: NOUN,gen,pl,neut
- αυτης·: PRON,gen,sg,f
Parallels
- Galatians 4:24 (structural): Immediate context: Paul introduces the story as an allegory in v.24; v.25 develops the allegorical identification of Hagar with Sinai and the present Jerusalem.
- Genesis 16:1-16 (thematic): Narrative origin of Hagar as Sarah’s slave and mother of Ishmael—the historical episode Paul allegorizes in Galatians.
- Genesis 21:8-21 (thematic): The expulsion of Hagar and Ishmael (sent away by Abraham at Sarah’s insistence), which Paul contrasts with the child of promise to make his allegorical point.
- Exodus 19:1–20:17 (allusion): Mount Sinai is the locus of law-giving; Paul’s identification of Hagar with 'Mount Sinai in Arabia' links her with the law and bondage.
- Romans 9:6-8 (thematic): Similar Pauline theme distinguishing 'children of the flesh' from 'children of the promise'—the theological contrast behind the Hagar/Sarah allegory.
Alternative generated candidates
- Now Hagar corresponds to Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in bondage with her children.
- For Sinai is a mountain in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she and her children are in slavery.
Gal.4.26 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- δε: CONJ
- ανω: ADV
- Ιερουσαλημ: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- ελευθερα: ADJ,nom,sg,f
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- ητις: PRON,rel,nom,sg,f
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- μητηρ: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- ημων·: PRON,gen,pl
Parallels
- Galatians 4:25 (structural): Immediate contrast within the same passage between the 'Jerusalem which now is' (earthly, in bondage) and 'the Jerusalem above' (free); part of Paul's allegory of Hagar and Sarah.
- Hebrews 12:22 (verbal): Refers to 'Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem,' echoing the concept of a heavenly/free Jerusalem as the true home of God's people.
- Revelation 21:2 (structural): Depicts the 'new Jerusalem' descending from heaven—an image of the heavenly city as the redeemed, free dwelling of God's people, paralleling Paul's 'Jerusalem above.'
- Isaiah 54:1 (allusion): Prophecy addressing barren Zion who is made fruitful and enlarged; thematically linked to Paul's use of Sarah (the free woman) and the notion of the true, blessed Jerusalem.
- Romans 8:21 (thematic): Speaks of liberation into 'the glorious liberty of the children of God,' echoing Galatians' emphasis on the freedom associated with the heavenly/Jerusalem above.
Alternative generated candidates
- But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother.
- But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother.
Gal.4.27 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- γεγραπται: VERB,perf,pass,ind,3,sg
- γαρ·Ευφρανθητι: CONJ+VERB,aor,pass,imp,2,sg
- στειρα: ADJ,nom,sg,f
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- ου: PART,neg
- τικτουσα: VERB,pres,act,part,f,sg,nom
- ρηξον: VERB,aor,act,imp,2,sg
- και: CONJ
- βοησον: VERB,aor,act,imp,2,sg
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- ουκ: PART,neg
- ωδινουσα·οτι: VERB,pres,act,part,f,sg,nom+CONJ
- πολλα: ADJ,acc,pl,n
- τα: ART,acc,pl,n
- τεκνα: NOUN,acc,pl,neut
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- ερημου: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- μαλλον: ADV
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- εχουσης: VERB,pres,act,part,f,sg,gen
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- ανδρα: NOUN,acc,sg,m
Parallels
- Isaiah 54:1 (quotation): Paul directly quotes Isaiah 54:1—'Rejoice, O barren...'—to contrast the fruitful 'free' woman with the barren/slave figure and to apply the prophetic promise to the church.
- Isaiah 54:1-3 (allusion): The broader Isaiah passage promises expansion and offspring to the formerly desolate woman; Paul alludes to this hope to emphasize the superiority of the covenant of promise.
- Genesis 21:9-12 (thematic): The narrative of Sarah and Hagar (and God's choosing of Isaac as child of promise) is the historical basis for Paul's allegory distinguishing children of the free woman from those of the slave.
- Galatians 4:22-31 (structural): The surrounding passage contains Paul's full allegory of Hagar and Sarah; 4:27 is a citation within this structural argument contrasting the present 'children of the promise' with those of the slave.
- Romans 9:6-8 (thematic): Paul elsewhere distinguishes physical descent from true membership in God's family—'not all are children of Abraham who are descended from him'—a parallel theological point about promise vs. mere biology.
Alternative generated candidates
- For it is written, “Rejoice, barren one who does not bear; break forth and cry aloud, you who travail not; for more are the children of the desolate than of the one who has a husband.”
- For it is written, "Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear; break forth and shout, you who are not in labor; for the children of the desolate are more than the children of the one who has a husband."
Gal.4.28 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- υμεις: PRON,nom,pl,2
- δε: CONJ
- αδελφοι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- κατα: PREP
- Ισαακ: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- επαγγελιας: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- τεκνα: NOUN,acc,pl,neut
- εστε·: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,pl
Parallels
- Genesis 21:2-3 (allusion): The birth of Isaac is the original fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham and Sarah; Paul invokes Isaac as the paradigmatic 'child of promise.'
- Galatians 4:22-31 (structural): Paul's allegory of Hagar and Sarah frames Gal. 4:28: Isaac represents the free 'child of promise' in contrast to Ishmael/the slave-born.
- Galatians 3:29 (thematic): Affirms that belonging to Christ makes one Abraham's offspring and an heir according to the promise, echoing the status as 'children of promise.'
- Romans 9:8 (verbal): Uses nearly identical language distinguishing 'children of the flesh' from 'children of the promise,' paralleling Gal. 4:28's contrastive point.
- Hebrews 11:11-12 (thematic): Portrays Isaac as the miraculous fulfillment of the promise to Sarah, reinforcing Isaac's role as the exemplar of promise-children.
Alternative generated candidates
- Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.
- Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise.
Gal.4.29 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- αλλ᾽ωσπερ: CONJ
- τοτε: ADV
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- κατα: PREP
- σαρκα: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- γεννηθεις: PART,aor,pass,nom,sg,m
- εδιωκε: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- κατα: PREP
- πνευμα: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- ουτως: ADV
- και: CONJ
- νυν: ADV
Parallels
- Genesis 21:9-10 (allusion): Paul echoes the episode where Sarah’s son (Isaac) is persecuted by Hagar’s son (Ishmael), using that story as the exemplar for the present conflict.
- Galatians 4:22-31 (structural): The immediate allegorical context in which Paul contrasts the two women/sons (Hagar/Sarah, Ishmael/Isaac) and draws the flesh vs. promise contrast that underlies v.29.
- Galatians 4:28 (verbal): Nearby verse that frames the audience as 'children of promise' like Isaac, reinforcing the contrast between those 'born according to the flesh' and 'born according to the Spirit.'
- Romans 8:9 (thematic): Similar contrast between those 'in the flesh' and those 'in the Spirit,' highlighting opposing identities and destinies tied to flesh versus Spirit.
- Romans 9:8 (allusion): Distinguishes 'children of the promise' from children 'according to the flesh,' echoing Paul's use of promise/flesh categories in Galatians 4:29.
Alternative generated candidates
- But just as at that time the one born according to the flesh persecuted the one born according to the Spirit, so it is now.
- But just as at that time the one born according to the flesh persecuted the one born according to the Spirit, so it is now also.
Gal.4.30 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- αλλα: CONJ
- τι: PRON,int,nom,sg,n
- λεγει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- γραφη: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- Εκβαλε: VERB,aor,act,imp,2,sg
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- παιδισκην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- υιον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- αυτης: PRO,gen,sg,f
- ου: PART,neg
- γαρ: PART
- μη: PART
- κληρονομησει: VERB,fut,act,ind,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- υιος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- παιδισκης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- μετα: PREP
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- υιου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- ελευθερας: NOUN,gen,sg,f
Parallels
- Genesis 21:10 (quotation): The direct scriptural source Paul cites — Sarah’s demand to cast out the slave woman (Hagar) and her son (Ishmael).
- Genesis 21:9-12 (allusion): Narrative context: Sarah’s jealousy and God’s instruction to Abraham to obey Sarah because the promise is through Isaac (the child of the free woman).
- Galatians 4:22-31 (structural): Paul’s immediate allegorical argument using the Hagar/Sarah story to contrast two covenants and two kinds of children; 4:30 is the climactic citation within this unit.
- Galatians 4:23 (verbal): Nearby verse that restates the biological distinction (‘one born according to the flesh, the other by promise’), echoing the slave/free woman contrast underlying 4:30.
- Romans 9:6-9 (thematic): Paul’s discussion of children of promise (Isaac) versus physical descent (Ishmael) — similar theme of promise versus natural lineage determining inheritance.
Alternative generated candidates
- What then does the Scripture say? “Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.”
- But what does the Scripture say? "Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave shall not inherit with the son of the free woman."
Gal.4.31 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- διο: CONJ
- αδελφοι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- ουκ: PART,neg
- εσμεν: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,pl
- παιδισκης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- τεκνα: NOUN,acc,pl,neut
- αλλα: CONJ
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- ελευθερας: NOUN,gen,sg,f
Parallels
- Genesis 21:10 (allusion): The narrative source for Paul's allegory (Hagar/Sarah); Genesis 21:10 contrasts the bondwoman's son with the free woman's son and undergirds Paul's slavery/freewoman distinction.
- Galatians 4:22-31 (structural): Immediate context: Paul develops the allegory of Hagar and Sarah and 4:31 serves as the concluding summary of that argument.
- Galatians 3:26-29 (verbal): Parallel language and theme: believers as sons/children and the removal of social distinctions (including slave/free) in Christ.
- Galatians 5:1 (thematic): Develops the freedom motif implicit in 4:31—being 'of the free' corresponds to the Christian calling to stand fast in the freedom Christ won.
- Romans 8:15-17 (thematic): Related idea of believers as adopted children and heirs rather than slaves—emphasizes change of status from bondage to filial freedom and inheritance.
Alternative generated candidates
- So then, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman.
- So then, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman.
Tell me, you who desire to be under the law—do you not hear what the law says?
For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and one by the free woman.
The son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh; the son by the free woman was born through the promise. Now these things are an allegory: the two women represent two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, producing children for slavery—this is Hagar.
For Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother.
For it is written, "Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear; break forth and cry aloud, you who suffer no labor; for the children of the desolate are more numerous than those of her who has a husband." Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. But as then the one born according to the flesh persecuted the one born according to the Spirit, so it is now.
Yet what does the Scripture say? "Cast out the slave woman and her son; for the son of the slave shall not inherit with the son of the free."
Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman.