THE KING’ S BUSINESS
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the secret o f true living, having the living Christ formed in us. We will live like Christ outwardly when Christ is formed within us and dwells within us (c f. Eph. 3:16, 17). The Galatians were trying to live a true life by following a set o f laws without them. But what they needed was to have Christ formed within them. There are many today repeating what is essen tially the Galatian error, i. e., they are try ing to do what Jesus would do by external rules instead o f having Jesus Himself formed within. Paul said, “ I am again in travail (or, suffering birth pangs) for you.” He had\ had birth pangs for them- once when with them, and now must have them again. Souls are usually born through the birth pangs o f some other soul. Paul adds, “ I could wish (literally, I was wishing —>“ i. e,, if circumstances only permitted) to be present with you now, and to change my voice (i. e., so as to woo and win you) ; for I am perplexed (the word for perplexed is a very strong one, indicating utter per plexity) about (literally, in) you.” He did not know what to. make o f them. He was in an utter maze about them, and it is so much more effective and satisfactory to speak to men face to face than to write to them (cf. 2 John 12; 3 John 13, 14). How Paul loved them. Tuesday, May 14 . Gal. 4 : 21 - 25 . Allegorical interpretations o f Scripture were favorite arguments with the Rabbis in the synagogues, an d, Paul turns this weapon o f the Judaizers against themselves. The allegorical method o f interpreting Scripture is surrounded with many dangers, and if one gives free rein to his imagina tion in this direction there is no telling where he will wind up. Nevertheless, the allegorical method is profitable if conducted as it is here by Paul, under the Holy Spirit’s guidance, and if the supposed simili tudes are real and not imaginary, and are intended by God and not merely the inter preter’s own fancy. But he is a wise stu dent o f Scripture who never ventures to go beyond what the Bible distinctly war
rants in the matter o f allegorical interpre tation. The principles involved in the case o f Sarah and Hagar are essentially the same as those involved in the two covenants, that o f law and that o f promise. Paul begins, by saying, “ Tell me, ye that will to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?” Then he shows them how by the law itself, in the case o f Hagar cited in the law, tble bond woman, Hagar, had to give way to the free woman, Sarah. 'Isaac represents those born according to the promise of God outside the ordinary course o f nature, while Ishmael represents those born in a purely natural way. • Paul brings this out by saying Ishmael, the son of the hand maid, was “born after the flesh,” mot only in a merely natural way, but by a very low and reprehensible human expedient for carrying out God’s promise (cf. Gen. IS :4- 6 ; 16:1-4), God repudiated the whole unbe lieving transaction, though, as a God o f grace, He dealt in grace with both Hagar and Ishmael, the product o f this reprehen sible human expedient. On the other hand, Isaac, “son o f the free woman,,Kwas born entirely out o f the course o f nature, super- naturally “through promise” , (cf. Gen. 17:15-19; Rom. 4:19, R. V .). Just so believers are supernaturally born again 'according to and by means o f the promise o f God (1 Peter 1:23; James 1:18; 2 Peter 1:4). The application of the allegory here is dear and fair and close: “These women,” says Paul, “are (i. e., are in the sense, o f represent, or symbolize) two cov enants; one from Mt. Sinai, bearing chil dren unto bondage, which is Hagar.” Ish mael born unto bondage is a fine type o f legalists, who also are born unto bandage. “Hagar,” Paul continues, “is (i. e., repre sents, or symbolizes) Mt. Sinai in Arabia.” The figure here stands very close scrutiny. Hagar fled twice into Arabia (Gen. 16 and 21). Arabia was the home o f the descend ants o f Ishmael. The people were called “Hagarites,”’ and the Arabians called Sinai (and it is said that they do yet) “Hadschar,” i. e., Hagar, meaning a rock or stone. “This Hagar is Mt. Sinai in
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