Reasoning The Scriptures

Hagar and Sarah

By M.S.Mariadas and Y.R.Dinakaran
Bible Students, M.B.S.A

Question: Is there a Sarah Covenant ?

Gal 4:24-31 (KJV) "Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one
from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
[25] For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is
in bondage with her children.
[26] But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
[27] For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that
travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.
[28] Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
[29] But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit,
even so it is now.
[30] Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of
the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman.
[31] So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free."

Gal 4:24-31 (NIV) "These things may be taken figuratively, for the women
represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to
be slaves: This is Hagar.
[25] Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of
Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children.
[26] But the Jerusalem (sarah reffered as Jerusalem) that is above is free, and she is our
mother.
[27] For it is written: "Be glad, O barren woman, who bears no children; break forth and cry
aloud, you who have no labor pains; because more are the children of the desolate woman than
of her who has a husband."
[28] Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.
[29] At that time the son born in the ordinary way persecuted the son born by the power of the
Spirit. It is the same now.
[30] But what does the Scripture say? "Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave
woman's son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman's son."
[31] Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman."

Allegory- Strong's # 238- Gk."allegoreo" = to be an allegory.

Definition of "allegory"- a story in which people, things, and events have a symbolic
meaning, often instructive, as in a fable.

What do the Scriptures say about this ?

1. There is no mention in the Old Testament of a Covenant that was made with
Sarah, nor of a Sarah feature of the Abrahamic Covenant.

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Reasoning The Scriptures

2. There is no mention in the Old Testament of a Covenant that was made with
Hagar.
3. The only Covenant that is found in the Old Testament in which Hagar and Sarah
appear in its context is the Abrahamic Covenant.
4. The Apostle Paul says that these two women figuratively represent two
covenants.
5. The Apostle Paul does not say that covenants were made with these two women,
nor that they represent any features of the Abrahamic Covenant..

Conclusion: Since no covenant was made with Sarah, nor is there any mention of a
Sarah feature of the Abrahamic Covenant and the Apostle Paul merely says that she is
used as a figure to represent a covenant, then it is not Scriptural to say that there is a Sarah
Covenant or that there is a Sarah feature of the Abrahamic Covenant. This being so, the
question then arises as to what covenant does Sarah figuratively picture or represent. The
Scriptures clearly tell us of three main Covenants:
1. The Abrahamic Covenant
2. The Law Covenant
3. The New Covenant
Since the Apostle Paul has already told us that Hagar figuratively represents the Law Covenant
and this allegory speaks of a "free woman" it cannot refer to Abraham himself or to the
covenant made with him.
The Apostle Paul was contrasting two covenants. One under which the children were in
bondage which was the Law Covenant. In the second the children were free. Since only
one covenant remains unidentified, the "free woman" would figuratively represent the New
Covenant. The following scriptures are offered in support of this point and they all refer to a
new freedom that none formerly possessed.

Gal 5:1 "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let
yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."

John 8:31-32 "To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you
are really my disciples.
[32] Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

John 8:36 "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."

Jesus did away with the old Law Covenant when he died and rose again.
Col 2:14 tells us "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances (the Law) that was against
us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross."

Once again, since there is no mention of a Sarah Covenant, nor a Sarah feature of the
Abrahamic Covenant, and she was but an allegory representing a covenant, and she
doesn't represent the Law Covenant, the only covenant left that she could represent is the New
Covenant which began at Pentecost with the house of Israel and the house of Judah,
"the lost sheep of Israel." The scriptures tell us that Jesus "came to his own."
The follower of Jesus therefore finds his freedom as the child of the "free woman" under
the New Covenant arrangement. As Isaac was born under the "free woman" and Isaac
represents Jesus, so we who come into Christ are joined unto him as "children of the free
woman." It was because of his ransom sacrifice that we come under the merit of his
blood and are thus set free.

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Reasoning The Scriptures

Blood was necessary to redeem anyone, including the church, to a justification with God.
Since there was no blood associated with the covenant allegorically pictured by Sarah, it would
be unscriptural to say that the church is being developed under the Sarah covenant, or the
Sarah feature of the Abrahamic Covenant. Jesus associated his blood with the New Covenant
when he established his "memorial". This we find in Mat 26:27-29 "Then he took the cup, gave
thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. [28] This is my blood of the
covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. [29] I tell you, I will not
drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my
Father's kingdom."

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