Our Verse today, Galatians 4:22 begins one of Paul’s most unusual “illustrations,” in all of His Holy Spirit inspired Corpus (Body of Literature).

“For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.” Pure Old Testament history!

Paul’s “string of words” here, actually better called a “formula” … specifically “It is written” … automatically indicates an Old Testament quotation or allusion is on the immediate horizon.

In fact, Jesus used the same designation during His Teaching Ministry! Luke 4:8 furnishes us an example. “And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: FOR IT IS WRITTEN, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” Quoting Deuteronomy 6:13.

So … the word picture Paul is about to share with us is directly Old Testament oriented. Again, “It is written!” 

Then we are reminded “Abraham had two sons.” Well really, he had more than two. But only the first two are in focus here. (Proof: “Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah. And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.” Wow, Genesis 25:1-2, more than I thought!)

The sons in this discussion are, of course, Ishmael and Isaac.

“For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.”

Ishmael was borne to Abraham by his “handmaid” Hagar, an Egyptian. And Isaac was (miraculously) his son by his Wife Sarah.

Here Paul does not even bother to give their names! He simply identifies them by the circumstances of their births! (Although Hagar is referenced in verse 25 and finally Isaac in verse 28, near paragraph’s end.)

The point being, these sons are representative in Paul’s illustration. This thing is nearly a parable, I’d say. I remind you, Paul’s masterful logic at work. Preaching through the medium of Bible history!

“For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.”

One boy represents slavery. That would be Ishmael, Hagar’s son. She indeed was a servant!

The other son pictures freedom, liberty!  That being Isaac, of course, the son of Sarah, not a slave, not a servant, not an handmaid!

And from this foundation Paul builds his Sermon!

A sermon about us being (in Christ Jesus our Lord) … free! At liberty! Not under the law!

To which all of us should say, “Hallelujah!”

More tomorrow, the Lord willing, as these verse build.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell