Galatians 4:22-24, 26-27, 31–5:1
Chapter 4
22
It says that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and the other by his wife, who was free.
23
The son of the slave woman was born in the usual way, but the son of the free woman was born as a fulfillment of God’s promise.
24
Here, we see an allegory and symbols of two covenants. The first is the one from Mount Sinai, represented by Hagar: her children are destined for slavery.
26
But the Jerusalem above, who is our mother, is free.
27
For it is written:
Rejoice, barren woman
without children;
break into shouts of joy,
you who do not know
the pains of childbirth,
for many will be the children
of the forsaken mother,
more than of the married woman.
Commentaries
Hagar and Sarah.
Paul strives to leave no doubt that Christ alone offers us freedom. He uses an allegorical interpretation of Abraham’s story (cf. Gn 16:15; 21:2), emphasizing contrasts and relationships. Paul compares two mothers: one a slave, Hagar, and the other free, Sarah; two births: one through human effort, Ishmael, and the other through God’s promise and power, Isaac; and two descendants: one of slaves and the other of free people. He sees all this as symbolized by two covenants: the one of Abraham and the one of Sinai, representing freedom and slavery, respectively. The “earthly” Jerusalem is a city of slaves, while the “heavenly” Jerusalem, which Paul calls “our mother” (4:26), is that of the free. In conclusion, the apostle shares a key message of the Gospel (cf. Jn 8:32.36): “Christ has set us free so that we may be free” (5:1).
Christian Freedom.
The Galatians must choose: either a return to circumcision and all the burdens of keeping the Law, or faith in Christ and the gift of the Spirit. Probably the radical Jewish Christians who had infiltrated the Galatians were not proposing a strict return to the Law but rather a compromise between Judaism and Christianity, perhaps seeking a “modus vivendi” for a mixed community. But Paul is radical; he does not accept compromises or half measures. They are like two irreconcilable systems. And so he applies the saying to them: “A little leaven leavens the whole lump” (9); if they allow a little leaven in, they may be corrupted altogether.
Led by the Spirit.
Paul begins his final exhortations with a new call to freedom: “You, brothers and sisters, have been called to freedom” (13). The Gospel and freedom are connected. What kind of liberation is he talking about? The same one he already mentioned to the Corinthians: “The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Cor 3:17). “If we live by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit” (26). This is the daily commitment of the Christian.
Mutual help.
A clear example of following the Spirit is fraternal correction. This act of love should be done with modesty and humility: “You too may be tempted” (1). Using sayings from the agricultural world (cf. Prov 22:8; Hos 8:7), he calls the Christian’s daily life to the “Day of the Lord,” the time of “harvest and gathering.” He compares walking by the Spirit to the land chosen for sowing seed. It is the land of the Spirit, and the Spirit will make the seed bear fruit in the harvest of eternal life. The land of instinct, on the other hand, will bear the fruit of corruption.
Conclusion and Farewell.
He concludes by summarizing the main ideas and bidding farewell. He writes the final lines in his own handwriting, which served as a signature of authenticity in ancient letters. Interestingly, he writes in large letters, as if to emphasize that these sentences summarize the entire letter. All of Paul’s pride is in the cross of Christ, in his death and sacrifice for love, in participating in it and preaching it as the only means of salvation. The Apostle contrasts physical circumcision, which no longer counts, with the marks of his sufferings for the apostolate (cf. 1 Cor 1:31), which give him all the apostolic authority he needs to settle the issue with an explicit declaration: “Let no one cause me any more trouble” (17).