Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Abraham » God's covenant with
[This Agreement was] the oath by which He swore to Abraham, our forefather,
Verse Concepts
For it was not through [obedience to] law [See 3:31] that the promise to Abraham or his descendants of inheriting [the best of] the world [was made], but through their being considered righteous because of faith [in God].
Verse Concepts
For I tell you that Christ was [appointed] to be a servant of the circumcised ones [i.e., the Jews], in order to uphold the truth of God. This was so He could confirm [as valid] the promises made to our forefathers,
Verse Concepts
For when God made a promise to Abraham, since He could not make a vow by anyone greater, He vowed by Himself, saying [Gen. 22:16-17], "I will certainly bless you and will multiply [your descendants]."
[An example of this is] Abraham, who believed God's [promise] and [because of such faith] he was considered right with God. You should know, then, that people who have faith are [truly] God's children. And, predicting that God would consider the Gentiles right with Him by [their] faith, the Scriptures previously recorded [this promise of] the Gospel to Abraham by saying [Gen. 12:3], "All nations will receive a blessing through your descendant [i.e., Jesus]." read more.
So then, all those who have faith [in Jesus] receive a blessing along with Abraham, a man of faith. For all who seek to be right with God by trying to meet all the requirements of the law of Moses are under a curse [from God], because it is written [Deut. 27:26], "Every person is cursed [i.e., cut off from God] who does not continue to obey all of the requirements written in the law of Moses." Now it is evident that no person can be made right with God by [obeying all the requirements of] the law of Moses for [Hab. 2:4 says], "The righteous person will obtain life by [his] faith [in God]." Now the law of Moses is not based on one's faith, for [Lev. 18:5 says], "The person who obeys the requirements of the law of Moses will obtain life by doing so." Christ bought us back from the curse [caused by our not obeying all the requirements] of the law of Moses; He became a curse for us [by dying on the cross], for it is written [Deut. 21:23], "Every one who hangs on a tree [i.e., a cross] is cursed [i.e., cut off from God]." [This happened] so that the blessing [promised] to Abraham might be received by the Gentiles through [the person and work of] Christ, so that we might receive the promised [gift of the] Holy Spirit through [our] faith [in Jesus]. Brothers, I will use an illustration from the way people deal with each other: Even though an agreement is made between people, once it is finally settled, no one can cancel it or include additional provisions to it. Now [specific] promises were made to Abraham and to his seed [i.e., descendants]. [God] did not say "seeds" [plural] as though He were referring to many persons but "seed" [singular] showing that He meant one [descendant]; [Gen. 13:15 says] "And to your seed," referring to Christ. Here is what I am saying: The Agreement originally made by God [with Abraham], with its attending promises, was not canceled when the law of Moses was given some four hundred and thirty years later. For if the inheritance [of never ending life] can be obtained by [obeying the requirements of] the law of Moses, it would not come from the promise [of God]; but God provided [this inheritance] for Abraham according to [His] promise.
So then, all those who have faith [in Jesus] receive a blessing along with Abraham, a man of faith. For all who seek to be right with God by trying to meet all the requirements of the law of Moses are under a curse [from God], because it is written [Deut. 27:26], "Every person is cursed [i.e., cut off from God] who does not continue to obey all of the requirements written in the law of Moses." Now it is evident that no person can be made right with God by [obeying all the requirements of] the law of Moses for [Hab. 2:4 says], "The righteous person will obtain life by [his] faith [in God]." Now the law of Moses is not based on one's faith, for [Lev. 18:5 says], "The person who obeys the requirements of the law of Moses will obtain life by doing so." Christ bought us back from the curse [caused by our not obeying all the requirements] of the law of Moses; He became a curse for us [by dying on the cross], for it is written [Deut. 21:23], "Every one who hangs on a tree [i.e., a cross] is cursed [i.e., cut off from God]." [This happened] so that the blessing [promised] to Abraham might be received by the Gentiles through [the person and work of] Christ, so that we might receive the promised [gift of the] Holy Spirit through [our] faith [in Jesus]. Brothers, I will use an illustration from the way people deal with each other: Even though an agreement is made between people, once it is finally settled, no one can cancel it or include additional provisions to it. Now [specific] promises were made to Abraham and to his seed [i.e., descendants]. [God] did not say "seeds" [plural] as though He were referring to many persons but "seed" [singular] showing that He meant one [descendant]; [Gen. 13:15 says] "And to your seed," referring to Christ. Here is what I am saying: The Agreement originally made by God [with Abraham], with its attending promises, was not canceled when the law of Moses was given some four hundred and thirty years later. For if the inheritance [of never ending life] can be obtained by [obeying the requirements of] the law of Moses, it would not come from the promise [of God]; but God provided [this inheritance] for Abraham according to [His] promise.
And if you belong to Christ, then you are [truly] Abraham's seed [i.e., his spiritual descendants] and thereby [you will] inherit what was promised to him [i.e., God's blessings].
Verse Concepts
For it is written in the law about Abraham's two sons [Gen. 16]; one [was] by his slave woman [Hagar] and the other by the free woman, [his wife, Sarah]. Now the son [Ishmael], born to the slave woman, was born simply of their natural relationship; but the son [Isaac], born to the free woman, was born in fulfillment of a [divine] promise. This set of circumstances contains an illustration; for these two women [Hagar and Sarah] represent the two Agreements [between God and mankind]. The one [Agreement], given at Mount Sinai, represents Hagar, whose children became [the Israelites], enslaved under bondage [to the requirements of the law of Moses]. read more.
Now this woman, Hagar, is similar to Mount Sinai, in Arabia, and represents the present [earthly] Jerusalem [i.e., Israel], consisting of children in bondage [to the law of Moses]. But the heavenly Jerusalem [Heb. 12:22] consists of free people, and is the mother of us [Christians]. For it is written [Isa. 40:1], "[Woman] you should be happy that you have not had children. Cry over your inability to experience the pain of childbirth. For the deserted woman has had more children than the one with a husband." Now, brothers, you [Christians] are children of the promise [made to Abraham. See 3:29] just like Isaac, [Abraham's son] was. But, just as it was then --- the son born in the ordinary way [i.e., Ishmael] persecuting the one born according to the Holy Spirit's [leading, i.e., Isaac] --- so it is now [i.e., Jews urging compliance with the requirements of the law of Moses persecuting those who refuse to return to dependance on that law for salvation. See 3:1-3]. What does the Scripture say about this matter? [It says, Gen. 21:10-12], "Get rid of the slave woman [Hagar], with her son [Ishmael]; for the son of the slave woman [Ishmael] will not inherit [what God promised to Abraham and his descendants], along with the son of the free woman [i.e., Isaac]." Therefore, brothers, we [Christians] are not the [spiritual] children of the slave woman [Hagar] but of the free woman [Sarah].
Now this woman, Hagar, is similar to Mount Sinai, in Arabia, and represents the present [earthly] Jerusalem [i.e., Israel], consisting of children in bondage [to the law of Moses]. But the heavenly Jerusalem [Heb. 12:22] consists of free people, and is the mother of us [Christians]. For it is written [Isa. 40:1], "[Woman] you should be happy that you have not had children. Cry over your inability to experience the pain of childbirth. For the deserted woman has had more children than the one with a husband." Now, brothers, you [Christians] are children of the promise [made to Abraham. See 3:29] just like Isaac, [Abraham's son] was. But, just as it was then --- the son born in the ordinary way [i.e., Ishmael] persecuting the one born according to the Holy Spirit's [leading, i.e., Isaac] --- so it is now [i.e., Jews urging compliance with the requirements of the law of Moses persecuting those who refuse to return to dependance on that law for salvation. See 3:1-3]. What does the Scripture say about this matter? [It says, Gen. 21:10-12], "Get rid of the slave woman [Hagar], with her son [Ishmael]; for the son of the slave woman [Ishmael] will not inherit [what God promised to Abraham and his descendants], along with the son of the free woman [i.e., Isaac]." Therefore, brothers, we [Christians] are not the [spiritual] children of the slave woman [Hagar] but of the free woman [Sarah].
Barrenness » Miraculously removed, instances of » Sarai
Covenant » Instances of » Abraham
Neither are all [Jewish] people children [of God], [simply] because they are Abraham's descendants. But [Gen. 21:12 says], "It is through Isaac that you [i.e., Abraham] will have descendants." This means that it is not the physical descendants [of Abraham] who are God's children, but it is the children [born] according to [God's] promise who are [Abraham's true] descendants. For these are the words of the promise [Gen. 18:10], "I [i.e., God] will come at the appointed time and Sarah will have a son." read more.
And that is not all, but Rebecca also conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac. (OMITTED TEXT) For even before the twins were born, and therefore had not done anything good or bad, Rebecca was told [Gen. 25:23], "The older one [i.e., Esau] will serve the younger one [i.e., Jacob]." This was so that God's purpose of choosing and calling [whomever He wanted to] might prevail, instead of [it depending on] what a person did. Just as it is written [Mal. 1:2-3], "I [i.e., God] loved Jacob, but hated Esau."
And that is not all, but Rebecca also conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac. (OMITTED TEXT) For even before the twins were born, and therefore had not done anything good or bad, Rebecca was told [Gen. 25:23], "The older one [i.e., Esau] will serve the younger one [i.e., Jacob]." This was so that God's purpose of choosing and calling [whomever He wanted to] might prevail, instead of [it depending on] what a person did. Just as it is written [Mal. 1:2-3], "I [i.e., God] loved Jacob, but hated Esau."
Covenant » The covenant with abraham
isaac » The miraculous son of abraham
Now, brothers, you [Christians] are children of the promise [made to Abraham. See 3:29] just like Isaac, [Abraham's son] was.
Verse Concepts
By [having] faith, Sarah herself received the ability to have children, even though she was [sterile, being] past the age of child-bearing, since she considered God faithful to His promise. [Note: Some translations consider "Abraham" to be the subject of this highly controversial verse. See Lightfoot, pages 222-225].
Verse Concepts