Book of Galatians - Chapter 4 - Verse 31

In this verse, the apostle Paul is using the analogy of two women, Sarah and Hagar, to illustrate a spiritual truth about believers in Christ. He contrasts those who are under the law, represented by Hagar, the bondwoman, with those who are free in Christ, represented by Sarah, the free woman. Paul is emphasizing that as Christians, we are not bound by the law like the Israelites were under the Old Covenant. Instead, we are free from the demands of the law because of our faith in Jesus Christ. We are not slaves to sin or the works of the law, but children of God who have been set free by the grace of God through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. Our identity is now found in Christ, and we are heirs to the promises of God, just like Isaac was the child of promise born to Sarah. As such, we are called to live in the freedom and grace that Christ has provided for us, not in bondage to the law or sin.

When examining the theological interpretation of the verse "So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free," it is crucial to consider the context in which it is written. This verse comes from Galatians 4:31, where the Apostle Paul is contrasting the two covenants: one representing slavery (the bondwoman) and the other representing freedom (the free). In this passage, Paul is drawing on the story of Hagar and Sarah from the Old Testament to illustrate the difference between living under the law and living under grace. By describing believers as children of the free woman, Paul is emphasizing the freedom that comes from being in Christ. The theological interpretation of this verse points to the importance of understanding the new covenant established through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which offers believers freedom from sin and the law.