Galatians 4:28-30 NASB
And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise. But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him [who was born] according to the Spirit, so it is now also. But what does the Scripture say? "Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman will not be an heir with the son of the free woman."
What persecution is Paul referring to?
The answer to this question is found a few verses earlier in Gal 4:
21 Tell me, you who want to be under the law, do you not understand what the law says? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. 23 His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born through the promise.
That we have:
This "persecution" (Gal 4:29) occurred in two ways:
As is well-known there has been tension between the Ishmaelites and Israelites ever since.
Our Rabbinic Patriarchs write about the background of Paul's beliefs:
(Galatians 4:29) Jewish tradition also knows of a persecution (hostility) of Isaac by Ishmael; it was found indicated in metsacheq in Gen 21:9.
Tosefta Soṭah 6.6 (304): R. Ishmael († ca. 135) said, “mtschq means nothing but shedding blood; as it says, ‘May the boys arise and joust wyshchqw before us …’ (2 Sam 2:14ff.). This teaches that Sarah had seen how Ishmael took arrows and shot them with the purpose of killing Isaac; as it says, ‘Like a senseless man who hurls firebrands, arrows, and death’ (Prov 26:18).” — In the parallel in Gen. Rab. 53 (34A), R. Eliezer b. Yose the Galilean (ca. 150) is the author. Here the following words are then attached: R. Azariah (ca. 380) said in the name of R. Levi (ca. 300), “Ishmael said to Isaac, ‘We will go and inspect our portions on the field.’ And Ishmael took bows and arrows and shot in the direction of Isaac and acted as if he were joking mtschq. This is what is written, ‘Like a senseless man who hurls firebrands, arrows, and death, so is a man who has deceived his neighbor and says, “In truth, I was (only) joking” ’ (Prov 26:18f.).” — In both passages, as well as in SDeut 6:4 § 31 (72A), there are still other interpretations of mtschq, especially in relation to fornication and idolatry; see t. Soṭah 6.6 at § 1 Cor 10:7, #2, n. b.
We find the answer in the earlier part of the chapter. Contrasting the two sons of Abraham. One born of human effort - the illegitimate one (of the flesh), one according to God's plan (of the spirit). (Not my Caps NASB)
For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and one by the free woman. 23But the son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise. 24This is speaking allegorically, for these women are two covenants: one coming from Mount Sinai giving birth to children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar. 25Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is enslaved with her children. 26But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother. 27For it is written:
“REJOICE, INFERTILE ONE, YOU WHO DO NOT GIVE BIRTH; BREAK FORTH AND SHOUT, YOU WHO ARE NOT IN LABOR; FOR THE CHILDREN OF THE DESOLATE ONE ARE MORE NUMEROUS
THAN THOSE OF THE ONE WHO HAS A HUSBAND.” 28And you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29But as at that time the son who was born according to the flesh persecuted the one who was born according to the Spirit, so it is even now. 30But what does the Scripture say? “DRIVE OUT THE SLAVE WOMAN AND HER SON,
FOR THE SON OF THE SLAVE WOMAN SHALL NOT BE AN HEIR WITH THE SON OF THE FREE WOMAN.” 31So then, brothers and sisters, we are not children of a slave woman, but of the free woman.
So as Paul points out, the results of human wisdom 'persecute' and cause trouble for the work God is arranging. This reality is expressed thoroughly from Gen to Rev.
Paul begins this passage with a reminder of who they were and who they now can be.
So we too, when we were children, were held in bondage under the elementary principles of the world. 4But when the fullness of the time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, 5so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons and daughters. 6Because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba! Father!” 7Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God. Gal 4:2-7
Thus those who were physical and slaves to the world and the law, are now free and of a new dimension of spirit but only in Christ. Indeed, fellow heirs with him who inherited all things from God.
The "persecution" of Isaac [the son born of the spirit] by Ishmael [the son born of the flesh] seems relatively innocuous in the biblical text, but if we look deeper we can understand that it may have been serious, indeed. If so, Paul's term is apt.
The RSV translates the episode in Gen 21:9 in the most innocent terms:
But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, playing with her son Isaac.
But the verb here (צָחַק) is also translated as "mocking" or "jesting." KJV opted to the following:
And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.
However, mocking is hardly "persecuting." We should also consider this from the standpoint of the story of Ishmael and Isaac being a reiteration of the story of Cain and Abel. In the Cain/Abel relationship, the elder son killed the younger son. In the Ishmael/Isaac relationship, the same danger existed. Thus, the "mocking" of Isaac by Ishmael was not a matter to be taken lightly.
To understand Paul's language we also need to consider the developing pharisaic/rabbinical traditions about the relationship between Ishmael and Isaac. These traditions were any that circulated in his day.
In one tradition, Ishmael lured Isaac to the fields where he cast arrows at him, in order to get rid of him (Gen. R. 53). It was for this reason Sarah insisted on Ishmael and his mother being sent away. The ancient rabbi Simeon ben Yochai, stated that Ishmael refused to accept that Isaac would be Abraham's chief heir, maintaining that he (Ishmael) should receive two-thirds of the inheritance (Pirke R. El. 30, and so on). See [Ishmael in the New World Encyclopedia] (https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Ishmael)
If Paul believed that Ishmael attacked Isaac with arrows and intended to make himself Abraham's heir, then "persecuted" is not too strong a word. Ishmael was older, bigger and stronger. He should have protected his younger brother, but apparently, Ishmael threatened serious harm to him. These facts provide a basis for us to understand why Paul used the term "persecuted" in Gal. 4.
