Two Cities, Two Covenants
I did several queries based on Ellicott's comment. Sorry if it seems like rambling, but I wanted to understand how Paul's Gentile readers related to 4:25.
Galatians 4:26 (ESV): “But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.”
In Galatians 4:25, Paul talked about the earthly Jerusalem, a city bound by rules, rituals, and Roman control — a picture of religion that depends on human effort. Now, in verse 26, he lifts our eyes to a different Jerusalem — the one above, the city of freedom and grace.
Ellicott explained that some ancient Jews imagined a literal heavenly city floating above the earth, but Paul meant something deeper. He wasn’t describing a physical place in the sky — he was describing a spiritual reality that already exists for believers.
1️⃣ “The Jerusalem above”
Paul means the spiritual home of all believers — the kingdom of God that began when Jesus came. It’s not a city made of stone or gold; it’s the community of people who belong to Christ.
Example: Think of it like belonging to a country that has no borders — a place where God rules with love, not laws. Even though we live on earth, our hearts are already citizens of heaven.
2️⃣ “is free”
This heavenly city is free because it’s built on grace, not rules. Its people don’t live under fear or guilt — they live in peace because Jesus has already made them right with God.
Example: In the earthly Jerusalem, people tried to earn God’s favor by following hundreds of laws. In the heavenly Jerusalem, people rest in what Jesus has done for them.
3️⃣ “and she is our mother”
Paul calls this city “our mother” because it’s where our new life in Christ comes from. Just as a mother gives birth and cares for her children, the heavenly Jerusalem gives spiritual life and nurture to believers.
Example: When you follow Christ, you’re not just joining a religion — you’re joining a family. The heavenly Jerusalem is the home that raises you in grace
Paul’s message is simple: You don’t have to climb to heaven — heaven has already come to you through Christ
Two Cities, Two Covenants
Here is an explanation of how Hagar and Sarah connect to the two Jerusalems in Galatians 4 — written so that someone with no Jewish background can understand it easily.
“Two Mothers, Two Cities — One Message of Freedom”
1️⃣ Hagar → Present Jerusalem → Slavery
Paul uses Hagar to represent the earthly Jerusalem, the city where people tried to reach God by following many rules. This city stands for religion based on human effort.
Simple meaning for Gentiles:
Hagar was a servant → her son was born into slavery.
Earthly Jerusalem was full of rule‑keeping and fear of failure.
Trying to earn God’s love feels like slavery, not freedom.
Why Paul connects them:
Both Hagar and the earthly Jerusalem represent a life where people try to work their way to God instead of trusting His promise.
2️⃣ Sarah → Jerusalem Above → Freedom
Sarah represents the Jerusalem above, the heavenly city — the spiritual home of all believers. This city stands for grace, promise, and freedom.
Simple meaning for Gentiles:
Sarah was free → her son Isaac was born through God’s promise, not human effort.
The Jerusalem above is where God gives life, not where people earn it.
Believers are like Isaac — children of promise, not slaves.
Why Paul connects them:
Both Sarah and the heavenly Jerusalem represent a life where people receive God’s love instead of trying to earn it.
3️⃣ The Two Jerusalems Explained Simply
Paul uses the two cities as symbols:
Earthly Jerusalem (Hagar)
Represents religion based on rules
People try to earn God’s acceptance
Leads to fear, guilt, and slavery
Heavenly Jerusalem (Sarah)
Represents relationship based on grace
God gives acceptance freely through Christ
Leads to peace, joy, and freedom
Gentile believers didn’t need Jewish history to understand this — they only needed to see the contrast between two ways of living.
4️⃣ Why This Matters for Gentiles
Paul’s message is incredibly welcoming:
**You don’t belong to the slave city.
You belong to the free city.**
Gentiles didn’t need to become Jewish, follow old laws, or adopt ancient customs. They were already part of Sarah’s family, already citizens of the Jerusalem above, already children of freedom.
This message told them:
You are fully accepted.
You are fully loved.
You are fully free.
You are part of God’s promise.
No background required — just faith in Christ
|
Symbol |
Represents |
Condition |
|
Present Jerusalem |
Law, human effort,
bondage |
Slavery |
|
Jerusalem Above |
Grace, divine promise,
faith |
Freedom |
“From Idols to the Living God — A Change of Cities”
1️⃣ They understood slavery — because paganism felt like slavery
Gentiles didn’t know Jewish history, but they did know what it felt like to be trapped by:
fear of angry gods
rituals they had to perform perfectly
superstition controlling daily life
priests who demanded offerings
idols that never answered
So when Paul described Hagar → slavery, they immediately connected it to their own past.
To them, Hagar symbolized:
fear
bondage
trying to earn favor
never feeling secure
This was exactly how pagan religion worked.
2️⃣ They understood freedom — because Christianity offered what paganism never could
When Paul spoke of Sarah → freedom, Gentiles felt the difference instantly.
Christianity gave them:
a God who loved them personally
forgiveness instead of fear
grace instead of performance
a family instead of isolation
a future instead of fate
They didn’t need Jewish history to understand this — they felt it.
Sarah symbolized:
promise
joy
belonging
security
freedom
This was everything paganism lacked.
3️⃣ They understood the two Jerusalems as two ways of living
Gentiles didn’t picture literal cities. They heard Paul’s message like this:
Earthly Jerusalem (Hagar) → the old life
fear
rituals
guilt
trying to earn acceptance
spiritual slavery
Jerusalem Above (Sarah) → the new life
grace
peace
joy
being loved without earning it
spiritual freedom
They didn’t need Jewish background — they only needed to understand two paths. And they did.
4️⃣ They related deeply because Paul used universal human experience
Paul didn’t rely on Jewish history alone. He used themes every human understands:
slavery vs. freedom
fear vs. peace
effort vs. gift
rejection vs. belonging
law vs. grace
Gentiles knew these contrasts from their own lives.
So when Paul said:
“You are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.”
Gentiles heard:
“You are no longer trapped in your old life. You belong to God now. You are free.”
And that message landed with enormous power.
5️⃣ Summary Table — How Gentiles Connected the Message
Prayer — “From Idols to Freedom”
Father, Thank You for calling people from every nation out of fear and into Your love. Thank You that Your grace reaches those who knew nothing of Your story, yet instantly recognize Your freedom. Help me live as a child of promise, free from fear, secure in Your love, and joyful in the Jerusalem above. Amen.
Paul’s message is clear: We are not citizens of the city of fear — we belong to the city of freedom.
#CommissionsEarned
Comments