Thematic Bible


Thematic Bible




Scripture says that Abraham had two sons, one the child of the slave-woman and the other the child of the free woman. But the child of the slave-woman was born in the course of nature, while the child of the free woman was born in fulfillment of a promise. This story may be taken as an allegory. The women stand for two Covenants. One Covenant, given from Mount Sinai, produces a race of slaves and is represented by Hagar read more.
(The word Hagar meaning in Arabia Mount Sinai) and it ranks with the Jerusalem of to-day, for she and her children are in slavery. But the Jerusalem above is free, and she it is who is our mother. For Scripture says--'Rejoice, thou barren one, who dost never bear, Break into shouts, thou who art never in labor, For many are the children of her who is desolate--aye, more than of her who has a husband.' As for ourselves, brothers, we, like Isaac, are children born in fulfillment of a promise. Yet at that time the child born in the course of nature persecuted the child born by the power of the Spirit; and it is the same now. But what does the passage of Scripture say? 'Send away the slave-woman and her son; for the slave's son shall not be co-heir with the son of the free woman.'