Galatians 4:31 - Printer Friendly

ESV: So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman.

NIV: Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.

NASB: So then, brothers and sisters, we are not children of a slave woman, but of the free woman.

CSB: Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of a slave but of the free woman.

NLT: So, dear brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman; we are children of the free woman.

KJV: So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

NKJV: So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free.

Paul concludes his allegory comparing those who insist on living under the law, even after Christ has come, and those who trust in Christ alone to justify them before God. The law-followers are like Ishmael, Abraham's son by a slave woman (Genesis 16:1–3), born as a result of human scheming and human efforts. They remain in slavery to their own sin, and they will not receive any part of the inheritance of God's promises to Abraham.

Christians, those who have abandoned hope in the law to save them, trusting in Christ alone, are like Isaac. He was the son of the free woman born as a result of the promise of God (Genesis 21:1–3). He was not born as the result of human effort or good works. Christians, also, are born into God's family by the work of the Holy Spirit, and absolutely no work of their own. They are free. As Paul writes in this verse, we—all who are saved, born-again Christians—are symbolically the children of the free woman.

Galatians 4:21–31 contains Paul's allegory about Abraham's two wives, and the two sons born through them. Paul sets out to use Scripture to show the difference between being born into slavery, by human effort, as opposed to being born into freedom, by the work of God through the Holy Spirit. Ishmael was born into slavery as Abraham's son, but he was cast out when the child of promise arrived. In a similar way, living under the law became pointless when Christ arrived. Those who trust in Him become children of promise by God's power.

In this chapter, Paul uses three new methods to teach his Galatian readers an important lesson. It is futile to follow the law of Moses in order to be made right before God, since justification comes only by faith in Christ. First, Paul shows that the arrival of Christ made it possible for all people to become God's children through faith in Him. Next, Paul makes a more personal appeal, asking what has changed to cause the Galatians to turn on Paul's teaching of the gospel. Finally, Paul builds an allegory from Scripture, illustrating the difference between being born into slavery and being born into the promise by faith in Christ.

Galatians 3 ends with Paul stating, once more, that those who are in Christ are Abraham's offspring, just as He is, making us heirs along with Him. Galatians 4 continues that idea, showing how Christ's arrival signaled the moment all people could receive the inheritance with Him and be adopted as God's children. Paul makes his appeal personal, asking why the Galatians moved from blessing him to rejecting the message of Christ. The chapter ends with Paul's allegory about the difference between being born into slavery under the law and being born into freedom by the power of the Spirit through faith in Christ. Chapter 5 will continue by expanding on the freedom we have in Christ.

Galatians is sometimes called “a short Romans” for its similar themes of justification and sanctification through faith. A group of Christians known as “Judaizers” were preaching a gospel of legalism, rather than grace. Paul’s main purpose in writing the letter to the Galatians was to reiterate the true nature of the gospel: we are justified (made righteous) and sanctified (made more Christlike) through our faith in Jesus Christ alone. This letter was probably written shortly before the church elders in Jerusalem issued their official refutation of the Judaizers, commonly called the Jerusalem Council.

Accessed 11/21/2024 7:28:10 AM