Galatians 4:23
in Galatians 4His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born through the promise.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Howbeit the son by the handmaid is born after the flesh; but the son by the freewoman is born through promise.
KJV
But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
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This verse in Galatians 4
Commentary
14 notes on this verse(Verse 22, 23.) For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman. But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through the promise. It is of great difficulty to demonstrate that only Isaac, who was born of Sarah, was generated through the promise, and not also Ishmael, who was born of the Egyptian slave Hagar.
This site's exposition
you who want to be under the law
on Galatians 4:21-23
Paul turns the law on those who want to be under it, going to Genesis for two sons of Abraham. One was born according to the flesh and the other was born through the promise, and the allegory rests on that difference.
This site's exposition
born through the promise
Ishmael was born in the ordinary course of nature. Isaac was born when Sarah was past bearing, by the power of God's promise. The two births set the pattern for the two covenants of the next verses.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
From God's own Scripture it is evident that the birth of Ishmael also was according to promise. But the answer is that a promise is truly fulfilled in the giving of a covenant. It is one thing to bless, increase and multiply greatly, as is written in Ishmael's case, but another to make an heir through a covenant.
A commentator
Augustine of HippoEPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS 40 [1B.4.21-31] · Written before 430.
proposed
Now the fact that Isaac was born of a free wife is not enough to make him signify the people who inherit the New Covenant. What is more important is that he was born according to the promise. For he could have been born according to nature's norms from a slave and in the same way from a free woman, just as Abraham received from Katurah, whom he subsequently married, sons not according to a promise but according to nature.
What is the meaning of "after the flesh?" Having said that Faith united us to Abraham, and it having seemed incredible to his hearers, that those who were not begotten by Abraham should be called his sons, he proves that this paradox had actually happened long ago; for that Isaac, born not according to the order of nature, nor the law of marriage, nor the power of the flesh, was yet truly his own son. He was the issue of bodies that were dead, and of a womb that was dead; his conception was not by the flesh, nor his birth by the seed, but the Word of God fashioned Him. Not so in the case of the bondman; He came by virtue of the laws of nature, and after the manner of marriage. Nevertheless, he that was not according to the flesh was more honorable than he that was born after the flesh. Therefore let it not disturb you that ye are not born after the flesh; for from the very reason that ye are not so born, are ye most of all Abraham's kindred. The being born after the flesh renders one not more honorable, but less so, for a birth not after the flesh is more marvellous and more spiritual. And this is plain from the case of those who were born of old time; Ishmael, for instance, who was born according to the flesh, was not only a bondman, but was cast out of his father's house; but Isaac, who was born according to the promise, being a true son and free, was lord of all.
"But the one of the bondwoman." Properly he speaks of Ishmael according to the flesh. For by the law of nature he was born of the flesh; for Isaac was not by the law of the flesh (How could a hundred-year-old man beget?) but by …
The Medieval Church1 voice
Also, they differ as to the manner of procreation, because the son of the bondwoman, i.e., Ishmael, was born according to the flesh, but the one of the free woman, i.e., Isaac, according to the promise. Here a twofold misinterpretation must be avoided. The first …
6 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
Since his words that they are sons of Abraham seemed incredible — whether those who were not born from him according to the flesh are truly children of Abraham — Paul says that even Isaac, Abraham's own son, was not born from him according to …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
But he who was of the bondwoman,....
Here he represents the different state and condition of these two sons of Abraham--that the one, Ishmael, was by a bond-maid, and the other, Isaac, by a free-woman; and that whereas the former was born after the flesh, or by the ordinary course of nature, the other was by promise, when in the course of nature there was no reason to expect that Sarah should have a son.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh - In the ordinary course of nature, without any special promise, or any unusual divine interposition, as in the case of Isaac. But he of the free woman ... - The birth of Isaac was in accordance with a special promise, and by a remarkable divine interposition; see Gen 18:10; Gen 21:1-2; Heb 11:11-12; compare the notes at Rom 4:19-21. The idea here of Paul is, that the son of the slave was in a humble and inferior condition from his very birth.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Abraham was to lay aside all confidence in the flesh (after which Ishmael was born), and to live by faith alone in the promise (according to which Isaac was miraculously born, contrary to all calculations of flesh and blood).
Was born after the flesh - Ishmael was born according to the course of nature, his parents being both of a proper age, so that there was nothing uncommon or supernatural in his birth: this is the proper meaning of the apostle’s κατα σαρκα, after or according to the flesh, and answers to the Hebrew phrase, על דרך בשר al derec basar, according to the manner of the flesh, i.e. naturally, according to the common process of nature. By promise - Both Abraham and Sarah had passed that age in which the procreation of children was possible on natural principles. The birth, therefore, of Isaac was supernatural; it was the effect of an especial promise of God; and it was only on the ground of that promise that it was either credible or possible.
The words behind it
16 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἀλλ᾽ | all᾽ | But | G235 → | 635 times |
| ὁ | ho | the [one] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μὲν | men | indeed | G3303 → | 176 times |
| ἐκ | ek | of | G1537 → | 911 times |
| τῆς | tes | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| παιδίσκης | paidiskes | slave woman | G3814 → | 13 times |
| κατὰ | kata | according to | G2596 → | 468 times |
| σάρκα | sarka | flesh | G4561 → | 146 times |
| γεγέννηται, | gegennetai | has been born, | G1080 → | 97 times |
| ὁ | ho | the [one] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἐκ | ek | of | G1537 → | 911 times |
| τῆς | tes | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐλευθέρας | eleutheras | free | G1658 → | 23 times |
| δι᾽ | di᾽ | through | G1223 → | 664 times |
| ἐπαγγελίας. | epangelias | promise. | G1860 → | 52 times |
ἀλλ᾽But
all᾽G235 →635 times
ὁthe [one]
hoG3588 →19766 times
μὲνindeed
menG3303 →176 times
ἐκof
ekG1537 →911 times
τῆςthe
tesG3588 →19766 times
παιδίσκηςslave woman
paidiskesG3814 →13 times
κατὰaccording to
kataG2596 →468 times
σάρκαflesh
sarkaG4561 →146 times
γεγέννηται,has been born,
gegennetaiG1080 →97 times
ὁthe [one]
hoG3588 →19766 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
ἐκof
ekG1537 →911 times
τῆςthe
tesG3588 →19766 times
ἐλευθέραςfree
eleutherasG1658 →23 times
δι᾽through
di᾽G1223 →664 times
ἐπαγγελίας.promise.
epangeliasG1860 →52 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Hebrews 11:11By faith Sarah, even though she was barren and beyond the proper age, was enabled to conceive a child, because she considered Him faithful who had promised.
it leads to
- Hebrews 10:23
Let us hold resolutely to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.
- Romans 4:20–21
Yet he did not waver through disbelief in the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,
- Genesis 18:11–14
And Abraham and Sarah were already old and well along in years; Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.
- Genesis 21:1–2
Now the LORD attended to Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what He had promised.
- Luke 1:36
Look, even Elizabeth your relative has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called barren is in her sixth month.
- Hebrews 10:23
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies21
On this chapter
About Galatians
This page draws on 14 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS 40 [1B.4.21-31]; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Galatians; Jerome, EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS 2.4.22-23; John Calvin, Commentary on Galatians; John Chrysostom, Homily on Galatians 4; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Galatians; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Galatians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Galatians.