GALATIANS 4 — SONS AND HEIRS, AND THE TWO COVENANTS
Does Paul's "allegory" contradict sound interpretation, which avoids allegorizing historical narrative? Study Galatians 4 with context, apologetic analysis, and cross-references.
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Dr. Lucas D. Shallua Commentary · GALATIANS 4 — SONS AND HEIRS, AND THE TWO COVENANTS
01
The precise difficulties
Does Paul's "allegory" contradict sound interpretation, which avoids allegorizing historical narrative?
What does "Abba, Father" teach about prayer?
Who are the "weak and worthless elementary principles"?
What was Paul's illness, and does it mean healing is not always God's will?
02
Verse and question study
Does Paul's "allegory" contradict sound interpretation, which avoids allegorizing historical narrative?
This commentary avoids imposing allegories on historical narratives, since doing so leads to interpretation that ignores the author's intent. Paul's use here is different. He accepts the story of Hagar and Sarah as history, and he draws a pattern from it under the guidance of the Spirit, as an inspired apostle. His example does not give license to allegorize any text we please, but it shows that the Old Testament has a forward-looking pattern that finds its fulfillment in Christ. The proper approach is to follow the pattern as the New Testament itself shows it, without inventing others.
What does "Abba, Father" teach about prayer?
It shows that believers can approach God with the confidence of children, not with the distance of servants. The Spirit Himself prompts and assures this relationship. It also reflects Jesus' own way of praying and shows that His relationship with the Father is shared with His followers. It is not a formula but a mark of the new covenant relationship, and it should shape how we pray.
Who are the "weak and worthless elementary principles"?
Most likely the basic religious system of rules, whether Jewish or pagan, which cannot give life. Some interpreters also see a reference to spiritual powers behind these systems. Either way, Paul's point is that returning to dependence on such a system is a return to slavery.
What was Paul's illness, and does it mean healing is not always God's will?
We do not know the nature of the illness, and the text does not say whether he was healed. It shows that even apostles experienced weakness, and that God can use weakness to advance the gospel. This does not teach that healing is never to be sought, since Paul saw many healings, but that God's purposes are sometimes served in ways we do not expect.
03
Historical and literary context
Chapter 4 continues the argument of chapter 3 with the same themes of sonship, inheritance, and freedom, and it turns increasingly personal. The first section (verses 1–7) completes the argument about the law as a guardian by showing the move from slavery to sonship. The second section (verses 8–20) is a pastoral appeal in which Paul expresses his confusion and love for the Galatians. The third section (verses 21–31) is an interpretation of the story of Abraham's two sons, which Paul presents as an illustration for those who desire to be under the law. This last passage is one of the most difficult in the letter, because Paul calls it an "allegory," and it has led to many debates about interpretation. It is best understood as a form of typology, a way of seeing how the patterns of God's dealings in the past illustrate His dealings in the present. Paul does not deny the historical reality of the story. Rather, he shows that Genesis itself, when properly understood, supports the gospel of grace.
04
Apologetic note
The use of the Aramaic word Abba in a letter to Greek-speaking Galatians is evidence of a very early tradition. The Gospel of Mark preserves the same word in Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane, and Paul uses it in both Galatians and Romans. This suggests that the practice of addressing God as Abba goes back to Jesus Himself and was passed on in the earliest Christian communities, including Gentile ones, who kept the Aramaic word even though they did not speak Aramaic. The phrase "born of a woman, born under the law" also supports the early Christian conviction that Jesus was a historical, human, Jewish person, and not a mythical or purely spiritual figure. Paul does not even bother to argue the point: it is assumed by all. This is typical of the way the New Testament letters presuppose the historical reality of Jesus, within a few decades of His death. The historical setting of Paul's statements about the "fullness of time" is also noteworthy: under Roman rule the Mediterranean world enjoyed relative peace, a common language, and an extensive network of roads, which allowed the gospel to spread rapidly. Christians have long seen God's providence in this.