Paul
Abraham's Two Sons and the Two Covenants
Paul uses the story of Abraham's two sons as a symbolic picture of two covenants: one that bears children into slavery (Hagar, Mount Sinai, and the present Jerusalem) and one that gives freedom (the free woman and the heavenly Jerusalem). He urges believers to see themselves as children of the promise, like Isaac, and not as children of the slave woman. Galatians 4:22-31
Galatians 4,22-31
22For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and one by the free woman.
γέγραπται γὰρ ὅτι Ἀβραὰμ δύο υἱοὺς ἔσχεν, ἕνα ἐκ τῆς παιδίσκης καὶ ἕνα ἐκ τῆς ἐλευθέρας·
23But the son of the slave woman was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through a promise.
ἀλλʼ ὁ μὲν ἐκ τῆς παιδίσκης κατὰ σάρκα γεγέννηται, ὁ δὲ ἐκ τῆς ἐλευθέρας ⸀διʼ ἐπαγγελίας.
24This is to be taken figuratively: these women represent two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; this is Hagar.
ἅτινά ἐστιν ἀλληγορούμενα· αὗται γάρ εἰσιν δύο διαθῆκαι, μία μὲν ἀπὸ ὄρους Σινᾶ, εἰς δουλείαν γεννῶσα, ἥτις ἐστὶν Ἁγάρ,
25Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia, and she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for that city is in slavery along with her children.
τὸ ⸀δὲ Ἁγὰρ Σινᾶ ὄρος ἐστὶν ἐν τῇ Ἀραβίᾳ, συστοιχεῖ δὲ τῇ νῦν Ἰερουσαλήμ, δουλεύει ⸀γὰρ μετὰ τῶν τέκνων αὐτῆς·
26But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.
ἡ δὲ ἄνω Ἰερουσαλὴμ ἐλευθέρα ἐστίν, ἥτις ἐστὶν ⸀μήτηρ ἡμῶν·
27For it is written: "Rejoice, barren woman who bears no children; break forth and cry aloud, you who have never been in labor; for the children of the desolate woman will be more than those of her who has a husband."
γέγραπται γάρ· Εὐφράνθητι, στεῖρα ἡ οὐ τίκτουσα, ῥῆξον καὶ βόησον, ἡ οὐκ ὠδίνουσα· ὅτι πολλὰ τὰ τέκνα τῆς ἐρήμου μᾶλλον ἢ τῆς ἐχούσης τὸν ἄνδρα.
28You, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.
⸂ὑμεῖς δέ, ἀδελφοί, κατὰ Ἰσαὰκ ἐπαγγελίας τέκνα ἐστέ⸃·
29But just as at that time the son born according to the flesh persecuted the son born according to the Spirit, so it is also now.
ἀλλʼ ὥσπερ τότε ὁ κατὰ σάρκα γεννηθεὶς ἐδίωκε τὸν κατὰ πνεῦμα, οὕτως καὶ νῦν.
30But what does the Scripture say? "Drive out the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman's son will never share the inheritance with the son of the free woman."
ἀλλὰ τί λέγει ἡ γραφή; Ἔκβαλε τὴν παιδίσκην καὶ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτῆς, οὐ γὰρ μὴ ⸀κληρονομήσει ὁ υἱὸς τῆς παιδίσκης μετὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ τῆς ἐλευθέρας.
31So then, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.
⸀διό, ἀδελφοί, οὐκ ἐσμὲν παιδίσκης τέκνα ἀλλὰ τῆς ἐλευθέρας.