Robertson's Word Pictures of the NT

Galatians 4:24

Which things contain an allegory

(ατινα εστιν αλληγορουμενα). Literally, "Which things are allegorized" (periphrastic present passive indicative of αλληγορεω). Late word (Strabo, Plutarch, Philo, Josephus, ecclesiastical writers), only here in N.T. The ancient writers used αινιττομα to speak in riddles. It is compounded of αλλο, another, and αγορευω, to speak, and so means speaking something else than what the language means, what Philo, the past-master in the use of allegory, calls the deeper spiritual sense. Paul does not deny the actual historical narrative, but he simply uses it in an allegorical sense to illustrate his point for the benefit of his readers who are tempted to go under the burden of the law. He puts a secondary meaning on the narrative just as he uses τυπικως in 1 Corinthians 10:11 of the narrative. We need not press unduly the difference between allegory and type, for each is used in a variety of ways. The allegory in one sense is a speaking parable like Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, the Prodigal Son in Galatians 4:15, the Good Shepherd in Galatians 4:10. But allegory was also used by Philo and by Paul here for a secret meaning not obvious at first, one not in the mind of the writer, like our illustration which throws light on the point. Paul was familiar with this rabbinical method of exegesis (Rabbi Akiba, for instance, who found a mystical sense in every hook and crook of the Hebrew letters) and makes skilful use of that knowledge here. Christian preachers in Alexandria early fell victims to Philo's allegorical method and carried it to excess without regard to the plain sense of the narrative. That startling style of preaching survives yet to the discredit of sound preaching. Please observe that Paul says here that he is using allegory, not ordinary interpretation. It is not necessary to say that Paul intended his readers to believe that this allegory was designed by the narrative. He illustrates his point by it.For these are

(αυτα γαρ εισιν). Allegorically interpreted, he means.From Mount Sinai

(απο ορους Σινα). Spoken from Mount Sinai.Bearing

(γεννωσα). Present active participle of γενναω, to beget of the male (Matthew 1:1-16), more rarely as here to bear of the female (Luke 1:13; Luke 1:57).Which is Hagar

(ητις εστιν Hαγαρ). Allegorically interpreted.

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Robertson's Word Pictures of the NT

Galatians 4:24

Old Testament

New Testament