Book of Galatians
Teachers
Lesson Summary
Teacher John Mendiola led the class through Galatians 4:21-31, where Paul employed an allegory based on the Old Testament account of Abraham, Hagar, Sarah, Ishmael, and Isaac. Mendiola explained that Paul was not inventing a contrived interpretation but was drawing out genuine typological comparisons grounded in biblical history. The allegory contrasts the bondwoman Hagar (representing the old covenant, bondage, and the flesh) with the free woman Sarah (representing the new covenant, freedom, and the spirit/promise). Ishmael, born of human effort and the flesh, symbolized those attempting justification through law-keeping, while Isaac, born of divine promise, represented true believers justified by faith. The teacher emphasized that the Galatian Gentiles were being wrongly persuaded by Judaizers to adopt Mosaic law for justification, even though they had never been under the law originally. Paul's message was clear: believers belong to the line of Isaac—the children of promise—not to Ishmael's line of fleshly striving. This allegory served as Paul's powerful rhetorical defense of justification by faith alone, reminding the Galatians that God's plan (Isaac) always supersedes human schemes (Ishmael), and that true freedom comes through faith in Christ, not submission to the law.
Key Scriptures
But tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons: one from the bondwoman and one from the free woman. However, the son from the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, but the son from the free woman was born through the promise. These things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants: one from the mountain of Sinai, which brings bondage, which is Hagar. For Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, which corresponds to Jerusalem, which is now in bondage with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.