SEV Biblia, Chapter 4:25
Porque Agar o Sinaí es un monte de Arabia, el cual corresponde a la que ahora es Jerusaln, la cual junto con sus hijos est en esclavitud.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Galatians 4:25
Verse 25. For this Agar is Mount Sinai in Arabia] to gar agar sina orov estin en th arabia. This is the common reading; but it is read differently in some of the most respectable MSS., versions, and fathers; thus: to gar sina orov estin en th arabia, for this Sinai is a mountain of Arabia; the word agar, Agar, being omitted. This reading is supported by CFG, some others, the AEthiopic, Armenian, Vulgate, and one copy of the Itala; by Epiphanius, Damascenus, Ambrosiaster, Jerome, Augustine, Hilary, Sedulius, and Bede; and the word is sometimes, though not always, omitted by Cyril and Origen, which proves that in their time there were doubts concerning the common reading. Of the word Agar in this verse, which renders the passage very obscure and difficult, Professor White says, forsitan delendum, "probably it should be expunged." Griesbach has left it in the text with a note of doubtfulness.
Answereth to Jerusalem] Hagar, the bond maid, bringing forth children in a state of slavery, answereth to Jerusalem that now is, sustoicei, points out, or, bears a similitude to, Jerusalem in her present state of subjection; which, with her children - her citizens, is not only in bondage to the Romans, but in a worse bondage to the law, to its oppressive ordinances, and to the heavy curse which it has pronounced against all those who do not keep them.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 25. For this Agar is Mount Sinai in Arabia , etc..] The Arabic version, instead of Arabia, reads Balca. The Syriac version makes Hagar to be a mountain, reading the words thus, for Mount Hagar is Sinai, which is in Arabia: and some have been of opinion that Sinai was called Hagar by the Arabians. It is certain, that rgj , which may be pronounced Hagar, does signify in the Arabic language a stone or rock; and that one part of Arabia is called Arabia Petraea, from the rockiness of it; the metropolis of which was trgj , or Agara, and the inhabitants Agarenes; and Hagar was the name of the chief city of Bahrein, a province of Arabia f89 : and it may be observed, that when Hagar, with her son, was cast out, they dwelt in the wilderness of Paran, ( Genesis 21:21) which was near to Sinai, as appears from ( Numbers 10:12 Deuteronomy 33:2) so that it is possible that this mount might be so called from her, though there is no certainty of it; and near to it, as Grotius observes, was a town called Agra, mentioned by Pliny as in Arabia. However, it is clear, that Sinai was in Arabia, out of the land of promise, where the law was given, and seems to be mentioned by the apostle with this view, that it might be observed, and teach us that the inheritance is not of the law. It is placed by Jerom in the land of Midian; and it is certain it must be near it, if not in it, as is clear from ( Exodus 3:1). And according to Philo the Jew f92 , the Midianites, as formerly called, were a very populous nation of the Arabians: and Madian, or Midian, is by Mahomet spoken of as in Arabia; and it may be observed, that they that are called Midianites in ( Genesis 37:36) are said to be Ishmaelites, ( Genesis 39:1) the name by which the Arabians are commonly called by the Jews. The apostle therefore properly places this mountain in Arabia. But after all, by Agar, I rather think the woman is meant: and that the sense is, that this same Agar signifies Mount Sinai, or is a figure of the law given on that mount. And answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children ; that is, agrees with and resembles the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and of all the cities and towns in Judea; and she, being a bondwoman, represented that state of bondage the Jews were in, when the apostle wrote this, who were in a state of civil, moral, and legal bondage; in civil bondage to the Romans, being tributaries to the empire of Rome, and under the jurisdiction of Caesar; in moral bondage to sin, to Satan, to the world and the lusts of it, whose servants they in general were; and in legal bondage to the ceremonial law, which was a yoke of bondage: they were in bondage under the elements or institutions of it, such as circumcision, a yoke which neither they, nor their forefathers could bear, because it bound them over to keep the whole law; the observance of various days, months, times, and years, and the multitude of sacrifices they were obliged to offer, which yet could not take away sin, nor free their consciences from the load of guilt, but were as an handwriting of ordinances against them; every sacrifice they brought declaring their sin and guilt, and that they deserved to die as the creature did that was sacrificed for them; and besides, this law of commandments, in various instances, the breach of it was punishable with death, through fear of which they were all their life long subject to bondage: they were also in bondage to the moral law, which required perfect obedience of them, but gave them no strength to perform; showed them their sin and misery, but not their remedy; demanded a complete righteousness, but did not point out where it was to be had; it spoke not one word of peace and comfort, but all the reverse; it admitted of no repentance; it accused of sin, pronounced guilty on account of it, cursed, condemned, and threatened with death for it, all which kept them in continual bondage: and whereas the far greater part of that people at that time, the Jerusalem that then was, the Scribes, Pharisees, and generality of the nation, were seeking for justification by the works of the law, this added to their bondage; they obeyed it with mercenary views, and not from love but fear; and their comforts and peace rose and fell according to their obedience; and persons in such a way must needs be under a spiritual bondage.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 21-27 - The difference between believers who rested in Christ only, and thos who trusted in the law, is explained by the histories of Isaac an Ishmael. These things are an allegory, wherein, beside the literal an historical sense of the words, the Spirit of God points out somethin further. Hagar and Sarah were apt emblems of the two differen dispensations of the covenant. The heavenly Jerusalem, the true churc from above, represented by Sarah, is in a state of freedom, and is the mother of all believers, who are born of the Holy Spirit. They were by regeneration and true faith, made a part of the true seed of Abraham according to the promise made to him.
Greek Textus Receptus
η 3588 T-NSF δε 1161 CONJ ανω 507 ADV ιερουσαλημ 2419 N-PRI ελευθερα 1658 A-NSF εστιν 2076 5748 V-PXI-3S ητις 3748 R-NSF εστιν 2076 5748 V-PXI-3S μητηρ 3384 N-NSF παντων 3956 A-GPM ημων 2257 P-1GP
Robertson's NT Word Studies
4:25 { this Hagar} (to hagar). Neuter article and so referring to the word Hagar (not to the woman, h Hagar) as applied to the mountain. There is great variety in the MSS. here. The Arabians are descendants of Abraham and Hagar (her name meaning wanderer or fugitive). {Answereth to} (suntoicei). Late word in Polybius for keeping step in line (military term) and in papyri in figurative sense as here. Lightfoot refers to the Pythagorean parallels of opposing principles (sunstoiciai) as shown here by Paul (Hagar and Sarah, Ishmael and Isaac, the old covenant and the new covenant, the earthly Jerusalem and the heavenly Jerusalem). That is true, and there is a correlative correspondence as the line is carried on.
