26 But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother.
27 For it is written, "REJOICE, BARREN WOMAN WHO DOES NOT BEAR; BREAK FORTH AND SHOUT, YOU WHO ARE NOT IN LABOR; FOR MORE NUMEROUS ARE THE CHILDREN OF THE DESOLATE THAN OF THE ONE WHO HAS A HUSBAND."
28 And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise.
29 But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also.
30 But what does the Scripture say? "CAST OUT THE BONDWOMAN AND HER SON, FOR THE SON OF THE BONDWOMAN SHALL NOT BE AN HEIR WITH THE SON OF THE FREE WOMAN."
31 So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, but of the free woman.
Vs. 26 - “Jerusalem above” - A heavenly Jerusalem. There will be a new Jerusalem. (See: Rev. 21:2, 10-27; Heb. 11:8-10; 12:22-24). This City of David, Zion, God’s Holy City will be without sin. It is the city of Promise, where God will walk among us, and we will see Him face-to-face.
- “She is our mother” - The new Jerusalem is not stained by sin as is the present city. Note: Sarah is not our spiritual mother, but the “mother of the promise” - her son was a miracle, provided by God. Our spiritual destination, will be the Heavenly City of David, created by God for us. This is His holy place. The grace that saves us flows from there into our hearts.
Vs. 27 - “Baren mother...” - Quoted from Isa. 54:1. A note from a commentary: “A childless woman was often scorned in the ancient Near East and sometimes replaced by a secondary wife (e.g., Sarah and Hagar). With no sons to care for her in her old age, she was particularly vulnerable. Thus, barrenness is a frequent image of loneliness and helplessness. In this verse Jerusalem is a barren woman who will have a child (like Sarah, Rachel, or Hannah). Indeed she will have many children. Thus her sadness will turn to joy. (Psa. 113:9)”
see note 1. We are commanded to care for widows in scripture (e.g., the Law, Proverbs, James), which reflects God’s concern for the vulnerable and helpless. That is not the emphasis in these verses.Vs. 28 - “Children of promise” - Sarah perceived herself as despised because she was without child. She will triumph over the scorn, because her descendants will be innumerable. The Messiah will be a descendant of Sarah’s offspring. The children of promise are the believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. (See: John 6:37; 1 Tim. 2:4; Rev. 15:4)
Vs. 29 - “he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him” - Hagar mocked Sarah because she, a slave woman, bore a child for the master and Sarah could not. Ishmael was a smart aleck, taunted and mocked Isaac. Ishmael figured he had status being the first born. It didn’t work out that way. Ishmael was not the miracle baby, but merely (!) a function of natural physical effort. Isaac was favored because his birth was a miracle of God. God chose Isaac to be the conduit for the promised savior. Ishmael did, however, benefit from being Abraham’s child.
Vs. 30 - “Cast out the bondwoman...” - This was a demand from Sarah to Abraham. God reassured Abraham that it was okay to send Hagar and Ishmael away. Ishmael would never be the source for the promised salvation to come. However, he would be a father of a nation, because he was Abraham’s son. Again, we see that Sarah does not comprehend what God has done, or will do - she is still trying to manage God. (Gen. 21:10).
Vs. 31 - “we are not children of a bondwoman“ - Hagar, Mount Sinai and the Law - Paul uses these as symbols of attempting to reach God on our own effort. This is called “Salvation by Works”. It cannot, it will not work. There is no way to bridge the chasm separating us from a Holy and Perfect God by our own effort.
- “but of the free woman” - Sarah, Isaac, the New Jerusalem - Paul uses these as symbols of salvation by faith, not of works. The bridge has been provided by Christ’s death and resurrection. He is the only way to God. “For salvation is found in no one else. For there is no name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12 “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit”. Titus 3:5
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Note 1: “HCSB Study Bible”. Holman Bible Publishers. 2010. (Isaiah notes by Tremper Longman III. Westmont College. Ph.D., Yale University.)
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