Understanding the Sara and Hagar Allegory
in Galatians 4
Rev. John Rallison
The passage we are seeking clarity on is Galatians 4:21-31. Paul uses the story of Sarah and Hagar to illustrate the difference between his message of the Gospel and the preaching the Judaizers who are trying to convince followers of Jesus that they need to follow the Jewish Law — to be circumcised and all the rest.
Let’s start by reviewing the story of Sara and Hagar:
Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar’s story is found in Genesis 16 and Genesis 21.
God had promised Abraham and his wife, Sarah, that they would have a son. This son would be the beginning of a great nation. But as the years passed and Sarah remained childless, she began to doubt. Since she was already very old, she thought she would never have a baby. So, she decided to take matters into her own hands. She gave her servant, Hagar, to Abraham as a wife so that Hagar could have a child for them.
Hagar became pregnant, and when she did, she started to look down on Sarah. This made Sarah very upset, and she treated Hagar harshly. Hagar ran away into the wilderness. But there, an angel of the Lord appeared to her. The angel told her to return to Sarah and promised that her son would grow up to be the father of a great nation. Hagar obeyed, and she gave birth to a son named Ishmael.
Years later, when Abraham was 100 years old, God kept His promise to Sarah, and she gave birth to a son named Isaac. Sarah was overjoyed, but when she saw Ishmael mocking Isaac, she became angry. She told Abraham to send Hagar and Ishmael away. This was hard for Abraham because Ishmael was his son too. But God told Abraham to listen to Sarah and not to worry — He would take care of Ishmael and make him into a great nation as well.
So, Hagar and Ishmael left and wandered in the desert. When their water ran out, Hagar thought they would die. But God heard Ishmael’s cries and sent an angel to comfort Hagar. God showed her a well of water, and they survived. Ishmael grew up and became the father of a great nation, just as God had promised. This nation is probably some subset of all Arab people. Muslims often claim to be descendants of Ishmael.
Isaac fathered Jacob, who fathered Joseph (of the amazing technicolor dream coat). Further down the line, the nation of Israel was founded, through whom the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth was born.
The key difference is that Isaac was born as a miracle and fulfillment of God’s promise, while Ishmael was born because Abraham and Sarah did what they thought was right and took matters into their own hands. Instead of trusting God's timing, they made their own plan, and Abraham had a son with Hagar, thinking it was the best way to secure a descendant. Isaac is the result of a promise from God. Ishmael is the result of Abraham and Sarah trying to figure it out on their own and doing what seemed necessary.
Before we read the passage again, let’s get clarity on some language.
In this passage, Paul uses the word, “allegorically.” An “allegory” is “a story, play, poem, picture, or other work in which the characters and events represent particular qualities or ideas that relate to morals, religion, or politics.” (Cambridge Dictionary of the English Language)
The word “Jerusalem” means “city of peace.” So, Paul contrasts the earthly Jerusalem as the center of the Law-based religion with the heavenly city of peace which is based on God’s promise.
Now, let’s review the text:
Galatians 4:21–31 (ESV) Example of Hagar and Sarah
21 Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman. 23 But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise. 24 Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. 27 For it is written,
“Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear;
break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor!
For the children of the desolate one will be more
than those of the one who has a husband.”
28 Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29 But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now. 30 But what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.” 31 So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman.
So, Paul is saying that the story of Sara and Hagar (and their children) can be taken to represent the difference between the Law and the Gospel (the promise).
Hagar and Ishmael can stand for those who live under the Law, given at Mount Sinai. Ishmael, the son of a slave, was born by natural means and would never be part of the people of the promise. Likewise, the Jewish people, centered in the earthly city of Jerusalem, continue to live by the Law. In this sense, the Judaizers can, ironically, be figuratively linked to Hagar and Ishmael. But the Law cannot save anyone.
Sarah and her miracle son, Isaac, represent Christians — born not of human effort but of God’s promise of forgiveness and new life through Jesus Christ. We are born of the heavenly city of shalom (Jerusalem). Just as Ishmael mocked Isaac, the Jewish people persecute and mock Christians for a time, insisting that to follow Jewish Jesus they must follow the Jewish Law. But just as Hagar and Ishmael were eventually sent away, those who insist that people must live under the Law to enter God’s kingdom tragically will find themselves outside of it.
Let’s read this passage in a couple more versions just to get further clarity. Reading simpler translations and paraphrases is a great way to gain some clarity when you come across Bible passages that are difficult for you to understand.
First, the Contemporary English Version. As a reminder, The Contemporary English Version (CEV) follows a dynamic equivalence or thought-for-thought translation philosophy rather than a strict word-for-word approach. Its goal is to make the Bible easy to read and understand, especially for children, new readers, and those with limited English ability.
Galatians 4:21–31 (CEV)
Hagar and Sarah
21 Some of you would like to be under the rule of the Law of Moses. But do you know what the Law says? 22 In the Scriptures we learn that Abraham had two sons. The mother of one of them was a slave, while the mother of the other one had always been free. 23 The son of the slave woman was born in the usual way. But the son of the free woman was born because of God’s promise.
24 All of this has another meaning as well. Each of the two women stands for one of the agreements God made with his people. Hagar, the slave woman, stands for the agreement that was made at Mount Sinai. Everyone born into her family is a slave. 25 Hagar also stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and for the present city of Jerusalem. She and her children are slaves.
26 But our mother is the city of Jerusalem in heaven above, and she isn’t a slave. 27 The Scriptures say about her,
“You have never had children,
but now you can be glad.
You have never given birth,
but now you can shout.
Once you had no children,
but now you will have
more children than a woman
who has been married
for a long time.”
28 My friends, you were born because of this promise, just as Isaac was. 29 But the child who was born in the natural way made trouble for the child who was born because of the Spirit. The same thing is happening today. 30 The Scriptures say, “Get rid of the slave woman and her son! He won’t be given anything. The son of the free woman will receive everything.” 31 My friends, we are children of the free woman and not of the slave.
And now, finally, let’s also read it in The Message. As a reminder, The Message is a paraphrase by Eugene Peterson (1993–2002) that captures the Bible’s tone and intent in modern, conversational English. Prioritizing thought-for-thought rendering over word-for-word accuracy, it makes Scripture accessible but is best used as a supplemental reading.
Galatians 4:21–31 (MSG)
21–31 Tell me now, you who have become so enamored with the law: Have you paid close attention to that law? Abraham, remember, had two sons: one by the slave woman and one by the free woman. The son of the slave woman was born by human connivance; the son of the free woman was born by God’s promise. This illustrates the very thing we are dealing with now. The two births represent two ways of being in relationship with God. One is from Mount Sinai in Arabia. It corresponds with what is now going on in Jerusalem—a slave life, producing slaves as offspring. This is the way of Hagar. In contrast to that, there is an invisible Jerusalem, a free Jerusalem, and she is our mother—this is the way of Sarah. Remember what Isaiah wrote:
Rejoice, barren woman who bears no children,
shout and cry out, woman who has no birth pangs,
Because the children of the barren woman
now surpass the children of the chosen woman.
Isn’t it clear, friends, that you, like Isaac, are children of promise? In the days of Hagar and Sarah, the child who came from faithless connivance (Ishmael) harassed the child who came—empowered by the Spirit—from the faithful promise (Isaac). Isn’t it clear that the harassment you are now experiencing from the Jerusalem heretics follows that old pattern? There is a Scripture that tells us what to do: “Expel the slave mother with her son, for the slave son will not inherit with the free son.” Isn’t that conclusive? We are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.
I hope this helps!