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: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman.

Notice Abraham's age:

75 - Promise was made

85 - Still waiting

86 - Hagar bears Ishmael

99 - Promise reaffirmed

100 - Isaac is born

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

24 which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar-

ALLEGORY - "Figurative application of real facts, a continued metaphor carried out in a great variety of particulars." Hermeneutics, Dungan, page 259

Abraham had two sons:

Ishmael Isaac

Bond woman Freewoman

Flesh Promise

Mt. Siani Jerusalem

Hagar Mother of us all

Born of flesh Born of Spirit

Cast out Remained

Not inherit Inherit

Bondage Free

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 Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all.

27 For it is written: "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."

28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise.

29 But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now.

The Persecutor was persecuted.

30 Nevertheless what does the Scripture say? "Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman."

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

The law cannot give life and fruitfulness; legalism is barren. Legalism is a major problem in the church today. Legalism does not suggest the setting of spiritual standards is wrong. It means worshipping standards and thinking we are spiritual because we obey them. A person can refrain from smoking or drinking and still not be spiritual. We must not judge others by these standards.

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Old Testament