Spiritual Parenting and Spiritual ChildrenGalatians 4:12-31
CFC Small Group Bible Study Summer 2016
Introduction
In this passage, we find Paul refer to the believers at Galatia as “my little children.” He calls them his children because Paul is a spiritual parent.
Who can be a spiritual parent and what is spiritual parenting? Is every person that has a child automatically a spiritual parent? What about those that do not have children, are they excluded from spiritual parenting?
As we examine this passage, let’s learn from the mind and heart of Paul how we can all become spiritual parents in the Lord.
Commentary
Galatians 4:13You know that it was because of a bodily ailment… We do not know exactly what Paul’s bodily ailment was. There is a possibility that it had to do with Paul’s eyes because Paul states that the Galatians would have been willing to gouge out their eyes to give to him. (v. 15)
Galatians 4:17 They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them. “They” is referring to the Judaizers. Judaizers were Jews that believed in orderto become a Christian one had to believe in Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and follow the laws of Moses (i.e. be circumcised.) These false teachers were shutting out the Galatians away from Christ.
Galatians 4:19my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth…Paul never married and had no biological children. But he refers to the believers at Galatia as “my little children” because he loved them and raised them up in the Lord as if they were his children.
Galatians 4:21Tell me, you who desire to be under the law… The law is referring to the Old Testament law.
Galatians 4:22For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman.The free woman is referring to Sarah, Abraham’s wife.The slave woman is referring to Hagar, Sarah’s maid-servant. God promised Abraham that he would have his very own son who would be his heir. (Genesis 15:1-7) The problem was that his wife Sarah was very old, thus it would take a super-natural act for a son to be born through Sarah. Instead of waiting for a child to come through Sarah, Abraham took Hagar (at Sarah’s suggestion) and had a son through their own self-dependent method. 14 years later, in spite of Abraham’s lack of dependence on God, Abraham had another child with Sarah by which God’s promise was fulfilled.
Galatians 4:24 Now this may be interpreted allegorically… An allegory is a story, poem or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning. Paul is using the historical story of Abraham’s two sons to illustrate a spiritual truth.
Galatians 4:25Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children.Mount Sinai is in reference to the law of Moses. Moses received the Ten Commandments from the Lord at Mt. Sinai.
Discussion
- Please share a pleasant memory you have of your parent(s) or a parental figure in your life.
- Read Galatians 4:12-31. As a spiritual parent to the believers at Galatia, Paul shares his love and teaches them the truth. What can we learn from this passage?
- Please share something that convicted you today and how you plan to apply it this week.