Message Highlights

• The Galatians didn’t reject Scripture—they misread it. And bad interpretation produces bad theology. Defending the Bible’s authority matters, but so does handling the text carefully.
• Hagar and Sarah represent two ways of relating to God: through law and human effort (bondage), or through faith in His promise (freedom). You can’t blend the two—and the false teachers in Galatia were trying to do exactly that.
• Those who trust in Christ are children of the promise, in the line of Isaac—not the line of Ishmael. Which son you’re aligned with isn’t a matter of bloodline. It’s a matter of faith.

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Conversation Starter

• Where do you typically turn first when you have a question about faith or the Bible—a pastor, a book, a podcast, a search engine, social media? What’s shaped that instinct?
• Think about a time you were sure you understood something, then found out you had it wrong. What did it feel like to have your understanding corrected?

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Core Discussion Questions

Connection Question What stood out to you from today’s message about how we read and interpret Scripture?

Context Question Before today, how familiar were you with the story of Hagar and Sarah—and did you have any sense of how Paul uses it here in Galatians?

Clarity Question Anthony made the distinction between Scripture being infallible and our interpretation of Scripture being fallible. How does that land for you? Does it feel freeing, unsettling, or somewhere in between?

Application Question Is there an area of your life where you’ve been trying to earn something from God through effort rather than receiving it through faith? What would it look like to actually trust the promise this week?

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Additional Questions (Optional)

• Anthony said the goal isn’t to make us afraid of Scripture—it’s to make us cautious about absorbing teaching without checking the context. What’s your current habit when you hear a verse quoted or a biblical claim made? Do you tend to verify it, or take it at face value?
• Paul says law and grace cannot live in the same house. Why do you think we keep trying to blend them? What makes that combination so appealing?
• A lot of us get snippets of Bible teaching from social media, podcasts, or YouTube. What are some ways that format can distort the message—even when the person sharing it has good intentions?

Exploring the Scripture

Main Scripture: Galatians 4:21–31 (CSB)

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By the time Paul writes Galatians 4:21–31, he has been making a sustained argument across several chapters: the gospel of grace, received through faith in Christ alone, is being undermined by false teachers known as the Judaizers. These teachers weren’t denying that Jesus existed—they were insisting that Gentile believers also had to be circumcised and keep the Mosaic Law to be fully right with God. Their argument was rooted in Scripture, specifically in the covenant God made with Abraham. Paul’s response is to go back to that same story and show that they were reading it completely wrong.

The story Paul references spans Genesis 16–21. God had promised Abraham a son through his wife Sarah, but Sarah was barren and both of them were old. Rather than waiting on God, Abraham and Sarah tried to fulfill the promise themselves: Abraham fathered a child with Hagar, Sarah’s slave. That son was Ishmael. Years later, God kept His word and Sarah conceived—not through any human ingenuity, but through divine power. That son was Isaac, the child of the promise. These aren’t minor background characters. Their births represent two fundamentally different ways of trying to receive something from God: through human effort, or through trusting His word.

Paul calls this story an “illustration” (from the Greek allegoroumena). He’s not saying the events didn’t happen—he’s saying the real history also carries a deeper spiritual picture. Hagar corresponds to Mount Sinai—to the Law—and to bondage. Sarah corresponds to the heavenly Jerusalem—to God’s promise—and to freedom. The Galatians who were being pulled back under the Law were, spiritually speaking, aligning themselves with Hagar. And Paul’s point is stark: that’s not the line of inheritance. Cast out the bondwoman. Law as a means of justification will always enslave.

The section closes with a direct declaration of identity: “We are not children of the slave but of the free woman.” The question Paul is pressing the Galatians to answer is: which son? Which line are you actually living in? How you answer that shapes everything about how you approach God, Scripture, and your own spiritual life.

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Study Questions

Verse 21: 

Pastor Anthony told us that the verb used in this verse for the word “listen” (akouete) does not simply mean to just hear. It means to hear with understanding and submission. Those who were claiming to stand on the law weren’t even interpreting it correctly. 

• How does Jesus explain the difference between simply hearing and hearing with understanding and submission? Reference Matthew 13:1-23.   
• What will ultimately separate one who only hears from one who understands and submits? Reference James 1:22-25, Luke 11:28, Matthew 7:26-27, and John 8:47. 

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The Galatian believers were confused. They were listening to those who were applying writings originally given to Israel—meant for a specific people at a specific moment in time—directly to themselves.

• Even though they lacked the completed New Testament that we have today, what were they ignoring that allowed them to become susceptible to deceit? Reference Romans 8:3–4 and Matthew 5:17. 
• Although written to a different audience, how does the guidance from Peter in 2 Peter 3:15-18 apply directly to the issues the Galatians were facing at this point in time? What does he highlight in verses 17-18 as instruction for this specific predicament? 
• The Old Testament remains fully relevant for believers today (2 Timothy 3:16), but it must be interpreted within its proper context. As Gentile believers, how should we approach it in order to learn from it and apply its teachings?  

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The false teachers didn’t deny Scripture—they misused it. 

• Why is this worse than flat out denying it? Consider the quote, “The most dangerous lie is the one that is closest to the truth” when answering this question. 
• They quoted the story of Abraham and arrived at the opposite conclusion from Paul. What does that tell us about the difference between citing the Bible and interpreting it faithfully? 
  
  

Verses 22-23:

The first piece of Paul’s analogy recognizes the historical fact that Abraham had two sons; one born via a slave woman through human effort and one born via a free woman through God’s promise. 

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Go back and familiarize yourself with the story of Sarah and Hagar from Genesis 16, 17, and 21:1-21.  

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There is no doubt that Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar’s actions here were sinful and wrong. Despite their failings, we cannot miss God’s hand and masterful design in how He has arranged everything to reveal who He is, what He does, and the promises He has for us. 

• What do Isaiah 46:8–10, Proverbs 19:21, and Genesis 50:20 remind us regarding the sovereignty and the plans of the Lord? What relevance do these truths have for this specific situation?

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Abraham and Sarah tried to accomplish God’s promise their own way through human effort. Despite their faithlessness, God was faithful (2 Timothy 2:13) and He fulfilled His promise through the miraculous birth of Isaac. 

• What does this teach us about trying to do things through the flesh as opposed to through the Spirit?  
• Where do you see similar patterns in your own life of not trusting the Lord—places where you’ve tried to accomplish something on your own rather than waiting on Him?

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Verses 24-27:

As Paul begins to expand on this allegory (a picture that can be interpreted with meaning), it is made clear that each woman is representative of two covenants. Hagar symbolizes the law, slavery, and human effort. Conversely, Sarah symbolizes God’s promise, freedom, and supernatural power. Simply put: Paul is explaining to the Galatians that they can relate to God in one of two ways… through works or through faith.  

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The descendants of Hagar (through Ishmael) eventually moved into the desert area known as Arabia. Mt. Sinai, where Moses received the old covenant, is located in the Arabian Peninsula. In verse 25, Paul uses both Mt. Sinai (where the old covenant was given) and the “present Jerusalem” (where the old covenant was kept via the temple) to represent bondage through the law. 

• What does he mean in verse 26 when he references the “Jerusalem above?” What do you think this Jerusalem represents? Reference Hebrews 12:18-24 and Revelation 21:1-2.

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Paul quotes Isaiah 54:1 in verse 27—words originally written to the Jewish Babylonian exiles promising them that after a period of desolation, God would restore and greatly multiply His people. Here this passage applies to the barrenness of Sarah, which seemingly stood as an impossible roadblock to the fulfillment of God’s promise to her husband. 

• Based on this information, why do you think Paul included this passage from Isaiah?

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Verses 28-31:

Pastor Anthony highlighted three main points that Paul was teaching the Galatian believers through this analogy:

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1. The true heirs of Abraham are those who live by faith. 

• Being called an heir of Abraham isn’t necessarily important to us today, but considering the setting and the timeframe, why would this truth have been a big deal to the Judaizers and the Galatian church? Reference Romans 2:28-29. 
• How do Romans 4 and Galatians 3:6-9 reinforce and corroborate what Paul is saying through this illustration?

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2. The conflict between law and grace is not new. 

• In verse 29, Paul says those living by the promise will be opposed by those living by the flesh—just as Ishmael persecuted Isaac. Have you experienced resistance or pressure when you’ve relied on grace over religious performance? What did that look like?
• Paul himself was guilty of this before his transformation (Acts 8:1-3). Why is it that those who trust in themselves will always oppress or target those who trust in God’s grace? Reference John 15:18-21. 
• What is our response to be when this happens? Reference 2 Timothy 3:12-15.
  
  

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3. Law and grace cannot live within the same house.

• What does the phrase “cast out the slave woman and her son” (verse 30) symbolize in Paul’s argument?
• It’s not cruel to “cast out the slave woman and her son”… it’s protecting the gospel (2 Timothy 1:14). What typically stops us from protecting the gospel and in what ways do we need to step up and do so? Reference Galatians 1:10, 1 Thessalonians 2:4, and 2 Timothy 4:2-5.

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Pastor Anthony mentioned four ways that this truth directly applies: salvation by faith can’t coexist with salvation by works, you can’t have salvation by works and you can’t have salvation plus works, sanctification by grace cannot coexist with sanctification by works, and you cannot blend the two together. 

• Which of these seem to be most common in churches today? 
• Do you struggle with any of these in particular? If so, how can you change this moving forward?

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Living It Out

As you go through your week, remember what Pastor Anthony taught us: “The Bible is the inspired word of God, free from error, and preserved for us in our modern English language. It is our authority in all matters of faith and practice.” 

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Signs of Misinterpreting Scripture:  

1. Misinterpreting meaning: Meaning is the literal, grammatical, historical, Christ-centered interpretation of Scripture. 
   
   • What is our responsibility when it comes to discovering meaning in Scripture as opposed to inventing it? 
   • “Bad interpretation produces bad theology.” What is the impact of distorting (intentionally or unintentionally) the meaning of Scripture?
2. Misinterpreting symbolism: Biblical symbolism is grounded in real history, sound interpretation, and it grows out of the text.
   
   • Have you ever witnessed someone, or caught yourself, trying to read something into Scripture, rather than extracting truth from the text? Why is this so dangerous?  
   • Anthony described a method of Bible reading that treats the text like a mystery or a puzzle to crack—hunting for hidden codes, numerical patterns, predictions about the future. Have you ever looked at scripture like a mystery or a puzzle to solve? How is this a sign of misuse? 
   • The Word of God is infinitely deep, yet accessible to all who seek it. What does Psalm 119:130 remind us about who is capable of comprehending the Bible?   
3. Reading with preconceived ideas: Allow Scripture to speak for itself; don’t make it echo what we already believe. 
   
   • What assumptions do you carry into Scripture? Are there beliefs you hold that you’ve never actually tested against the full context of a passage?
   • How do we put aside our personal biases and ideas to read what God is actually saying to us? 
4. Combining Scripture with conflicting context: Context controls meaning. Every time context is ignored, words get twisted and twisted words produce twisted theology.
   
   • Have you ever attempted to cut and paste verses together to create a meaning that was never intended? 
   • How can we ensure accountability and proper usage when we pull verses out and utilize them to point to a specific truth? 
5. Selective referencing: Quoting the verses we like and quietly ignoring the ones that challenge us. 
   
   • Do you do this? Perhaps intentionally, out of fear, out of tradition, or because you haven’t properly studied the verse?  
   • Is there a passage or a teaching in the Bible that makes you uncomfortable? What would it look like to actually study it fully within context instead of ignoring it? 

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Properly Interpreting Scripture:

We don’t need to be afraid of handling Scripture… the Holy Spirit within us helps us to decipher it correctly.

The Word of God teaches us that the Holy Spirit dwells in us and illuminates Scripture to us. This is why walking in the Spirit is vital to our well-being.

• What does it mean to “walk in the Spirit?”
• How do you know when you’re walking in the Spirit vs. when you’re not? 
• What are some ways you can practically ensure you are walking with the Lord and growing in your faith and relationship with Him? 
• Who can help you stay accountable in this? Is there someone in your life you can provide support to?
  
  

As you seek to properly interpret the Bible, remember to ask yourself the following questions to determine the correct context and meaning. Slow down and ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes to the rich truth of the text you are reading. Ask God to help you be obedient to what He calls you to do and watch for how He transforms your heart and life because of it.  

• What did the author intend?
• What did the words mean in their setting?
• How does this point to Christ?
• How does it fit in redemptive history?  

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Go through the following verses to see how we are to:

• Handle Scripture accurately: 2 Timothy 2:15 
• Rely on the Holy Spirit to guide our understanding: 1 Corinthians 2:11-13 
• Ensure we know it well: Titus 1:9 and Matthew 22:29

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Prayer Focus

Take a moment to thank the Lord for the glorious freedom you have in Christ. Then ask Him to break every hold that legalism may still have on you, so you can truly walk in this freedom.

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Galatians 4:31

Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of a slave but of the free woman.