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THE KING’S BUSINESS
Arabia, and answereth to the Jerusalem that now is (i. e., the Jerusalem o f the Jews, the local earthly and temporary Jerusalem) : for she is in bondage with her children (just as Hagar and Ishmael had been, as the Judaizers then were, and as all legal
verse to mean the “carnal” nature, but this is plainly contrary to the whole context. There is no suggestion whatever o f the car nal nature. The handmaid and her son are beyond a doubt the old Sinaitic covenant and the legalists. In closing the chapter Paul draws his principal conclusion from the allegory: “Wherefore, brethren, we are not children o f a handmaid, but o f the free woman (the covenant or promise, simply to be believed).” So Paul comes by still another route to practically the same destination as in chapter 3:17; 3:25, 26; 3 :29; 4 :7. The whole argument to show the believer’s entire, freedom from the dominion o f the law is. most masterly. There is one tremendous blow after another, and all hitting exactly the same spot until the opposition is utterly shattered. Thursday, May 16 . Gal. 5 : 1 , 3 . We now come to the conclusion o f the epistle, the practical application of the great truths that Paul has been expounding and demonstrating. “With (or, for) freedom did Christ set us. free,” says Paul. And then comes the inescapable conclusion: “ Stand fast therefore, and be not entangled, again (better, again entangled) in a yoke o f bondage” (such as the law unquestion ably is, cf. ch. 4:24; Acts 15:10). The free- Christ is justified no matter what kind of dom with which (or, for which) Christ set us free, o f which Paul speaks here is free dom from the law. The question arises; when did Christ set us free from the law? The question is answered plainly in the Bible, in His death on the cross, where He bore the penalty o f the broken law and took that law out o f the way and nailed it to the cross, satisfying its every claim for ever (see Gal. 3:13; Col. 2:14, R. V .; Rom. 7:4, R. V .). Christ there on the cross set us free, and it was for freedom, i. e., that we might enjoy freedom, that He set us free. What folly, then, on our part to be entangled again in a' yoke o f bondage (as the Judaizers in Paul’s day, and as the Sev enth Day Adventists in our day, and other legalists in our day, are trying to entangle.
ists are to this day). Wednesday, May 15 . Gal. 4 : 26 - 31 .
Paul now contrasts with “the Jerusalem that no^v is” the abiding and eternal and heavenly Jerusalem. Tie says, “Jerusalem which is aboye (cf. Heb. 12:22; Rev. 3:12; 21:2) is free (as were Sarah and Isaac, and as are believers_in Christ), which is our mother,” i. e., the mother o f us who believe the gospel and are therefore not under the law. Paul further confirms his position by another Scriptural quotation taken from Isa. 54:1, which is very apposite, as in its context it refers to the ingathering o f the Gentiles (Isa 54:3). Israel was “her which hath the husband,” the husband being God (cf. Isa. 54:5). The Gentile world was “the desolate,’’ a “barren” woman, but according to the old-time prophecy she was now rejoicing and breaking forth into cries o f joy for her children (real saved ones) were becoming more than those of Israel. And now comes the conclusion: “ Now we, brethren (i. e., we believers in Christ), as Isaac was, are children o f promise” (cf. y. 23). Paul carries the type still further: Ishmael who was “born after the flesh” “ persecuted him who was born (not merely after the promise, but) after the Spirit (i.e., according to- the Spirit’s word and the Spirit’s power, (cf. Gen. 21 :9 ), i.e., Isaac, “ even so it is now,” i. e., in the same way in Galatia the Jews that were born after the flesh were persecuting the Jews that: were born after the Holy Ghost. Most o f Paul’s own persecutions came from Jews or Gentiles- whom the- Jews stirred up. Paul justly presses the type still further: the Scripture saith (cf. Gen. 21:10, 11), “ Cast out the handmaid and her son : for the son o f the handmaid shall not inherit with the son o f the free woman.” There are inter preters who take the bond woman' in- this
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