Do not drift back to the Law

study
Our modern Bible editions spoil us, giving cosy overview of the biblical scriptures and helpful case studies when we meandering through the labyrinth of doctrines. However, our helpers sometimes mislead us by slicing up the original composition of thoughts.
In the letter for the Galatians ap. Paul discusses spiritual slavery versus spiritual freedom. He is concerned about the status of the early Galatian churches. Due to the constant influence of Jewish traditionalism and its followers, the local believers cannot withstand the pressure to restore the Law by partially keeping the circumcision. {or any other parts of the old covenant} As Paul often points out, it is impossible to maintain the old and develop the new.

Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the Law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman.² But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh,³ while the son of the free woman was born through promise.
Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants.⁴ One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia;⁵ she corresponds to the present Jerusalem,⁶ for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above⁷ is free, and she is our mother.
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.”
Is 54:1 ⁸
Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.⁹
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.¹⁰
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.” ¹¹
So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman.
For freedom Christ has set us free;¹² stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Look: I, Paul, say to you¹³ that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole Law.¹⁴ You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified ¹⁵ by the Law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.¹⁶
Gal 4:21 - Gal 5:5

Notes and Explanations

1. in the Jewish mindset The Law has more meaning than just the Ten Commandments; "the Law" refers to the Torah (the first 5 books attributed to Moses), while "the Prophets" includes the historical and prophetic books that followed. Every scripture (including psalms and wisdom literature) gives us teachings in the Old Testament. That is why the saying of Jesus in the New Testament is so important: it is written.. "in the the Law and the prophets"
2. Paul here emphasize the difference between the two different identity. Abraham’s son Ishmael—technically the firstborn from the concubine—represents the slave sons of Abraham and thus the enslaving Sinai covenant. Isaac, the son of Gd's promise from Sarah represents the free sons of Abraham and the deliverance of the New Covenant. (see Gen. 16:5 and Gen. 21:2 Gal. 3:7, 29).
3. fleshy, carnal, human "solution"
4. its important to see: the mothers represent the covenant, as sources - not the boys (they are the fruits)
5. Arabia, the then Roman province, not the modern Arabic territory
6. The majority of the people in Jerusalem are Jews who have not turned to Jesus. As a result, the city is enslaved.
7. This is the city of the coming Kingdom: the Heavenly Jerusalem [Heb. 12:22; Rev. 3:12; 21:2, 10] with the everlasting, free citizenship
8. Note that the prophet Isaiah is not only talking about the new child promised, but also about a supernatural solution. If the arrival of a physical/biological descendant is impossible, it means that the person's name will die out and their legacy will cease to exist at a certain point in history. His /her life is a totally baren, devastated life. But Grace often means "not an ordinary way". When human abilities are limited or come to the end God has infinite abilities and possibilities. And - don't forget - Isa 54 is one of the main messianic prophecy in the Bible. We can see the promise for exiled Israel, the total restoration - and also, the restoration for every nation of the Earth via Abraham's covenant, his heir and blessing.
   David Guzik notes on Isa 54 that the Babylonian exile meant more than oppression for Israel; it meant shame, disgrace, and humiliation, and God promises a glorious release from not only the exile but also from the shame and humiliation. {Blue Letter Bible}
   Guzik's commentary emphasizes how the curse and shame of barrenness would be so completely broken that Israel would be so fruitful they would have to expand their living space.
   As John Piper explains:
   when Abraham was chosen as the father of God’s people, God took him out and showed him the stars and said, “So shall your offspring be” (Genesis 15:5). And when Abraham could not have a son because of Sarah’s barrenness, Abraham said, “Oh that Ishmael might live before you!” But God answered, “No... Sarah your wife shall bear you a son.” In other words, the physical offspring mattered. And it would come in God’s way.
9. According to the Heavenly Heritage, not the firstborn but the Heavenly promise gets the future glory of the heavenly family - see Rom 9:8 "the children of the promise are counted as offspring"
10. Since the two system are incompatible we must assume the tensions or persecution. Practically any grace movement or non-Jewish congregation /activity draws attention, simply because of the majority flocks to the indirect dependency of Law and rules, meanwhile the minority represents the fulfillment of the Law through Gd's love and the intimate, direct relationship with Gd. Jealousy is the keyword here. Gal 5:11; Act... etc.
11. it's in Gen 21:9-13...
12. this is the center of the message and not a new paragraph: Those who turn to the Law for salvation and self-justification cut themselves off from salvation and righteousness of God via Jesus' blood.
13. "I Paul" refers to an apostolic authority, using an emphasis, far above the usual paulian rhetoric.
14. Here Paul the former professional Pharisee sharply points that the Law is holy and not divisible. Gd's main attribute is the holiness, often described with the Word: echad (unity, "one").
    Therefore, the application of any part of the Law has consequences: for example if you do circumcision, you're obligated to keep the entire Law. If you keep the Sabbath, you're obligated to keep the entire Law. If you focus on the OT festivals and participate in them, you're obligated to keep the entire Law - because it is Holy.
15. If you're justified, "counted righteous" via the Law you cannot be righteous by God's grace and His righteousness through His Son. Again: the two systems are not compatible. If you slips back to the Law - you become an outsider for Christ. You are severed from Him and from his grace.
16. Christians wait for God to complete righteousness in them when they die (Heb. 12:23) or at Christ’s return (1 Cor. 15:49).

this study had been created partially by the resources of the ESV Global Study Bible