Discovery BoxGalatians 4:13-31
Context4:13 But you know it was because of a physical illness that I first proclaimed the gospel to you, 4:14 and though my physical condition put you to the test, you did not despise or reject me. 1 Instead, you welcomed me as though I were an angel of God, 2 as though I were Christ Jesus himself! 3 4:15 Where then is your sense of happiness 4 now? For I testify about you that if it were possible, you would have pulled out your eyes and given them to me! 4:16 So then, have I become your enemy by telling you the truth? 5
4:17 They court you eagerly, 6 but for no good purpose; 7 they want to exclude you, so that you would seek them eagerly. 8 4:18 However, it is good 9 to be sought eagerly 10 for a good purpose 11 at all times, and not only when I am present with you. 4:19 My children – I am again undergoing birth pains until Christ is formed in you! 12 4:20 I wish I could be with you now and change my tone of voice, 13 because I am perplexed about you.
4:21 Tell me, you who want to be under the law, do you not understand the law? 14 4:22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the 15 slave woman and the other by the free woman. 4:23 But one, the son by the slave woman, was born by natural descent, 16 while the other, the son by the free woman, was born through the promise. 4:24 These things may be treated as an allegory, 17 for these women represent two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai bearing children for slavery; this is Hagar. 4:25 Now Hagar represents Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 4:26 But the Jerusalem above is free, 18 and she is our mother. 4:27 For it is written:
“Rejoice, O barren woman who does not bear children; 19
break forth and shout, you who have no birth pains,
because the children of the desolate woman are more numerous
than those of the woman who has a husband.” 20
4:28 But you, 21 brothers and sisters, 22 are children of the promise like Isaac. 4:29 But just as at that time the one born by natural descent 23 persecuted the one born according to the Spirit, 24 so it is now. 4:30 But what does the scripture say? “Throw out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman will not share the inheritance with the son” 25 of the free woman. 4:31 Therefore, brothers and sisters, 26 we are not children of the slave woman but of the free woman.
[4:14] 1 tn Grk “your trial in my flesh you did not despise or reject.”
[4:14] 2 tn Or “the angel of God.” Linguistically, “angel of God” is the same in both testaments (and thus, he is either “an angel of God” or “the angel of God” in both testaments). For arguments and implications, see ExSyn 252; M. J. Davidson, “Angels,” DJG, 9; W. G. MacDonald argues for “an angel” in both testaments: “Christology and ‘The Angel of the Lord’,” Current Issues in Biblical and Patristic Interpretation, 324-35.
[4:14] 3 tn Grk “as an angel of God…as Christ Jesus.” This could be understood to mean either “you welcomed me like an angel of God would,” or “you welcomed me as though I were an angel of God.” In context only the second is accurate, so the translation has been phrased to indicate this.
[4:16] 5 tn Or “have I become your enemy because I am telling you the truth?” The participle ἀληθεύων (alhqeuwn) can be translated as a causal adverbial participle or as a participle of means (as in the translation).
[4:17] 6 tn Or “They are zealous for you.”
[4:17] 7 tn Or “but not commendably” (BDAG 505 s.v. καλῶς 2).
[4:17] 8 tn Or “so that you would be zealous.”
[4:18] 10 tn Or “to be zealous.”
[4:18] 11 tn Grk “But it is always good to be zealous in good.”
[4:19] 12 tn Grk “My children, for whom I am again undergoing birth pains until Christ is formed in you.” The relative clauses in English do not pick up the emotional force of Paul’s language here (note “tone of voice” in v. 20, indicating that he is passionately concerned for them); hence, the translation has been altered slightly to capture the connotative power of Paul’s plea.
[4:20] 13 tn Grk “voice” or “tone.” The contemporary English expression “tone of voice” is a good approximation to the meaning here.
[4:21] 14 tn Or “will you not hear what the law says?” The Greek verb ἀκούω (akouw) means “hear, listen to,” but by figurative extension it can also mean “obey.” It can also refer to the process of comprehension that follows hearing, and that sense fits the context well here.
[4:22] 15 tn Paul’s use of the Greek article here and before the phrase “free woman” presumes that both these characters are well known to the recipients of his letter. This verse is given as an example of the category called “well-known (‘celebrity’ or ‘familiar’) article” by ExSyn 225.
[4:23] 16 tn Grk “born according to the flesh”; BDAG 916 s.v. σάρξ 4 has “Of natural descent τὰ τέκνα τῆς σαρκός children by natural descent Ro 9:8 (opp. τὰ τέκνα τῆς ἐπαγγελίας). ὁ μὲν ἐκ τῆς παιδίσκης κατὰ σάρκα γεγέννηται Gal 4:23; cp. vs. 29.”
[4:24] 17 tn Grk “which things are spoken about allegorically.” Paul is not saying the OT account is an allegory, but rather that he is constructing an allegory based on the OT account.
[4:26] 18 sn The meaning of the statement the Jerusalem above is free is that the other woman represents the second covenant (cf. v. 24); she corresponds to the Jerusalem above that is free. Paul’s argument is very condensed at this point.
[4:27] 19 tn The direct object “children” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied for clarity. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
[4:27] 20 tn Grk “because more are the children of the barren one than of the one having a husband.”
[4:28] 21 tc Most
[4:28] 22 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:11.
[4:29] 23 tn Grk “according to the flesh”; see the note on the phrase “by natural descent” in 4:23.
[4:29] 24 tn Or “the one born by the Spirit’s [power].”
[4:30] 25 sn A quotation from Gen 21:10. The phrase of the free woman does not occur in Gen 21:10.
[4:31] 26 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:11.
