Galatians 4:2
Three Connections
We remain in those deep waters. This is a Bible study night.
There are three connections mentioned in chapter 4. We are studying the first
connection, the Gentile-Jewish Connection. Paul alludes to it in the first
10 verses of this chapter.
We were looking at those verses last week. In them, we made a point that allows
us to go back and understand better some verses we have already passed.
I. \\#Gal 4:1-11\\ Let’s see the GENTILE-JEWISH connection in the verses:
A. \\#Gal 4:1-7\\ Paul is describing what life was like for an heir
who was a child.
1. Even though heir of all,
2. He must learn and
3. He must obey.
4. In that way, he is no better than a servant.
B. \\#Gal 4:4-7\\ Then Paul compares that situation to what the Old
Testament Jews were like.
1. Heir to all God has promised.
2. But under the law, having both to learn and obey.
3. But now Jesus has come and the Old Testament Jews have been
promoted.
4. They are no longer servants but sons.
C. \\#Gal 4:8-11\\ But the Galatians were not JEWS!
1. \\#Gal 4:8\\ They had spent their lives worshipping gods which
were no gods.
2. \\#Gal 4:9\\ Now, they have been granted immediate SONSHIP.
3. \\#Gal 4:9-10\\ And they want to put themselves under the
bondage the Jews had labored in for centuries.
4. \\#Gal 4:11\\ Paul publically worries about them.
D. Let’s understand the PROBLEM THAT PAUL HAS REFERRED TO AND ALREADY
ANSWERED IN THIS LETTER.
1. These Gentiles are wanted to Jews!
2. They are being mislead into believing that must for salvation’s
sake.
E. \\#Gal 2:14\\ Paul mentioned this when telling us how he dealt with
Peter.
1. Peter, at one time, had understood that even the Jews could not
live up to the demands of the Old Testament.
Acts 15:10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the
disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
2. \\#Gal 2:16\\ But now, Paul must remind Peter that "even…"
the Jews "have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ that we might
be justified by the faith of Christ…."
F. Paul explains this more carefully in chapter 3.
1. \\#Gal 3:22\\ All have been condemned by sin.
2. \\#Gal 3:22\\ All have been given the promise of salvation by
faith.
3. \\#Gal 3:26\\ All are made God’s children by the promise of
faith.
4. \\#Gal 3:28\\ All the divisions of Jew and Gentile then are gone.
5. \\#Gal 3:29\\ All are heirs to the promises left to Abraham.
G. \\#Gal 4:21-31\\ To illustrate this, Paul uses an Old Testament
event as a story.
1. \\#Gal 4:22\\ Abraham had two sons, Ishmael (born servant) and
Isaac (born free).
a. Which would you rather be?
b. These Gentiles were wanting to be the servant!
2. \\#Gal 4:29\\ The bond child "persecuted" the freed.
a. "Persecuted" - harassed, mistreat, pursue, drive away.
b. Hagar despised Sarah as soon as she conceived.
Genesis 16:4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw
that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.
5 And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into
thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes:
the LORD judge between me and thee.
c. Ishmael mocked.
Genesis 21:9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born
unto Abraham, mocking.
d. Paul is implying that the Judaizers (the bond children) were
persecuting the Galatians (the freed).
3. \\#Gal 4:30\\ The bond child ended up losing everything.
a. Even though he had Abraham’s blood, he was still a servant.
b. Ishmael is a picture of what it was like to be under the
Old Testament law. The Jews were saved but could not enjoy
the heirship!
H. The bottom line is that Gentiles do not have to become Jews or convert
to any form of Judaism to be saved.
1. Jews and Gentiles are all sinners.
2. All must trust Jesus.
3. Except for their testimony, even Jews do not have to live like
Jews.
4. That line of separation is gone in the dispensation of grace.
II. \\#Gal 4:12-16\\ The Paul-Galatians connection (the PERSONAL connection)
A. \\#Gal 4:15\\ At one time, these saints would have plucked out
their eyes to give them to Paul.
1. This is the strongest passage to argue Paul had been to Galatia.
2. This is the best passage to argue that Paul’s thorn in the flesh
was his bad eyesight.
2Cor 12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of
the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of
Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made
perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my
infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
B. \\#Gal 3:16\\ But now, the Galatians treat Paul like an "ENEMY."
C. Lessons that God’s servants must learn - People can turn on you!
1. \\#Ex 17:4\\ Israel turned on Moses.
2. \\#2Kings 10:9\\ Israel slaying the 70 sons of Ahab.
3. Israel crucifying Jesus.
D. \\#Gal 4:12\\ Even so, Paul says he is not hurt.
III. \\#Gal 4:17-20\\ The Galatians-Judaizers Connection.
A. \\#Gal 4:17\\ They were being "zealously affected" but not in a
good way.
B. \\#Gal 3:1\\ They were still bewitched!
C. Like ministers must be careful of their followers turning on them,
followers have to be careful of their minister turning on them!
D. We love those we were with and under but this is always a ministry of
diligence.
E. We must be sure our loyalty, obedience, and allegiance is to Christ!
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