For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman. But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise. Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.
Galatians 4:22-26 (ESV)
As the gospel spread from Jerusalem, many Jews came to faith. And some of them argued for the necessity of keeping the Mosaic Law, especially circumcision. Throughout this letter to the Galatian believers, Paul has been arguing against that position. He even went so far as to call it a false gospel.
In his extended argument against the circumcision party, Paul used the example of two women who bore sons to Abraham, which he called an allegory of two covenants. The first was Hagar, a slave, who gave birth to Ishmael. This birth was according to the flesh. There was nothing special about it.
The other woman was Sarah, a free woman and the wife of Abraham. She gave birth to Isaac, who was the child of promise. This birth was to an old and barren woman, a supernatural birth.
Paul compares these two women to two covenants. The covenant established with Israel at Mt. Sinai, as well as the physical city of Jerusalem, equates to Hagar. And her children are in slavery. Who are these children? Those under the Sinai covenant. The physical descendants of Abraham.
The covenant represented by Sarah is the covenant foretold in Jeremiah 31:31-34 (Heb. 8:8-13) and inaugurated at the cross of Christ. Sarah’s children, like Isaac, are the children of promise (Gal. 4:28). Who are these children? All who have come to faith in Christ, apart from the law. The spiritual descendants of Abraham.
Two covenants. One leads to slavery. The other results in freedom.
