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Selected Verse: Galatians 4:26 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Ga 4:26	Strong Concordance	But [1161] Jerusalem [2419] which is above [507] is [2076] free [1658], which [3748] is [2076] the mother [3384] of us [2257] all [3956].
	King James	But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
This verse stands instead of the sentence which we should expect, to correspond to Gal 4:24, "One from Mount Sinai," namely, the other covenant from the heavenly mount above, which is (answers in the allegory to) Sarah. Jerusalem . . . above-- (Heb 12:22), "the heavenly Jerusalem." "New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God" (Rev 3:12; Rev 21:2). Here "the Messianic theocracy, which before Christ's second appearing is the Church, and after it, Christ's kingdom of glory" [MEYER]. free--as Sarah was; opposed to "she is in bondage" (Gal 4:25). all--omitted in many of the oldest manuscripts, though supported by some. "Mother of us," namely, believers who are already members of the invisible Church, the heavenly Jerusalem, hereafter to be manifested (Heb 12:22).

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

This verse stands instead of the sentence which we should expect, to correspond to Gal 4:24, "One from Mount Sinai," namely, the other covenant from the heavenly mount above, which is (answers in the allegory to) Sarah.

Jerusalem . . . above-- (Heb 12:22), "the heavenly Jerusalem." "New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God" (Rev 3:12; Rev 21:2). Here "the Messianic theocracy, which before Christ's second appearing is the Church, and after it, Christ's kingdom of glory" [MEYER].

free--as Sarah was; opposed to "she is in bondage" (Gal 4:25).

all--omitted in many of the oldest manuscripts, though supported by some. "Mother of us," namely, believers who are already members of the invisible Church, the heavenly Jerusalem, hereafter to be manifested (Heb 12:22).

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
But Jerusalem which is above - The spiritual Jerusalem; the true church of God. Jerusalem was the place where God was worshipped, and hence, it became synonymous with the word church, or is used to represent the people of God. The word rendered "above," (ἄνω anō) means properly "up above," that which is above; and hence, heavenly, celestial; Col 3:1-2; Joh 8:23. Here it means the heavenly or celestial Jerusalem; Rev 21:2, "And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God, out of heaven." Heb 12:22," ye are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem." Here it is used to denote the church, as being of heavenly origin. Is free - The spirit of the gospel is that of freedom. It is freedom from sin, freedom from the bondage of rites and customs, and it tends to promote universal freedom; see the note at Gal 4:7; compare Joh 8:32, Joh 8:36; and the note at Co2 3:17. Which is the mother of us all - Of all who are true Christians, whether we are by birth Jews or Gentiles. We should not, therefore, yield ourselves to any degrading and debasing servitude el any kind; compare the note at Co1 6:12.

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]
Jerusalem which is above (ἡ ἄνω Ἱερουσαλὴμ) Paul uses the Hebrew form Ἱερουσαλὴμ in preference to the Greek Ἱεροσόλυμα, which occurs Gal 1:17, Gal 1:18; Gal 2:1. The phrase Jerusalem which is above was familiar to the rabbinical teachers, who conceived the heavenly Jerusalem as the archetype of the earthly. On the establishment of Messiah's kingdom, the heavenly archetype would be let down to earth, and would be the capital of the messianic theocracy. Comp. Heb 11:10; Heb 12:22; Heb 13:14; Rev 3:12, Rev 21:2. Paul here means the messianic kingdom of Christ, partially realized in the Christian church, but to be fully realized only at the second coming of the Lord. For ἄνω, comp. Phi 3:14; Col 3:1, Col 3:2. Free (ἐλευθέρα) Independent of the Mosaic law; in contrast with the earthly Jerusalem, which, like Hagar, is in bondage. The Jerusalem above therefore answers to Sarah. Which is (ἥτις ἐστὶν) The double relative refers to the Jerusalem which is above, not to free. That Jerusalem, as that which is our mother, is free. The mother of us all Render, our mother. Πάντων all does not belong in the text.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
But the other covenant is derived from Jerusalem that is above, which is free - Like Sarah from all inward and outward bondage, and is the mother of us all - That is, all who believe in Christ, are free citizens of the New Jerusalem.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
But Jerusalem which is above - The apostle still follows the Jewish allegory, showing not only how the story of Hagar and Sarah, Ishmael and Isaac, was allegorized, but pointing out also that even Jerusalem was the subject of allegory; for it was a maxim among the rabbins, that "whatsoever was in the earth, the same was also found in heaven for there is no matter, howsoever small, in this world, that has not something similar to it in the spiritual world." On this maxim, the Jews imagine that every earthly thing has its representative in heaven; and especially whatever concerns Jerusalem, the law, and its ordinances. Rab. Kimchi, speaking of Melchizedec, king of Salem, says: זו ירושלם של מעלה zu Yerushalem shel malah, "This is the Jerusalem that is from above." This phrase frequently occurs among these writers, as may be seen in Schoettgen, who has written an express dissertation upon the subject. Hor. Hebr., vol. i. page 1205. Is free, which is the mother of us all - There is a spiritual Jerusalem, of which this is the type; and this Jerusalem, in which the souls of all the righteous are, is free from all bondage and sin: or by this, probably, the kingdom of the Messiah was intended; and this certainly answers best to the apostle's meaning, as the subsequent verse shows. There is an earthly Jerusalem, but this earthly Jerusalem typifies a heavenly Jerusalem: the former, with all her citizens, is in bondage; the latter is a free city, and all her inhabitants are free also. And this Jerusalem is our mother; it signifies the Church of Christ, the metropolis of Christianity, or rather the state of liberty into which all true believers are brought. The word παντων, of all, is omitted by almost every MS. and version of antiquity and importance, and by the most eminent of the fathers who quote this place; it is undoubtedly spurious, and the text should be read thus: But Jerusalem, which is above, is free, which is our mother.

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²² But [235] ye are come [4334] unto mount [3735] Sion [4622], and [2532] unto the city [4172] of the living [2198] God [2316], the heavenly [2032] Jerusalem [2419], and [2532] to an innumerable company [3461] of angels [32],

²⁵ For [1063] this Agar [28] is [2076] mount [3735] Sinai [4614] in [1722] Arabia [688], and [1161] answereth [4960] to Jerusalem [2419] which [3588] now is [3568], and [1161] is in bondage [1398] with [3326] her [846] children [5043].

² And [2532] I [1473] John [2491] saw [1492] the holy [40] city [4172], new [2537] Jerusalem [2419], coming down [2597] from [575] God [2316] out of [1537] heaven [3772], prepared [2090] as [5613] a bride [3565] adorned [2885] for her [846] husband [435].

¹² Him [846] that overcometh [3528] will I make [4160] a pillar [4769] in [1722] the temple [3485] of my [3450] God [2316], and [2532] he shall go [1831] no [3364] more [2089] out [1854]: and [2532] I will write [1125] upon [1909] him [846] the name [3686] of my [3450] God [2316], and [2532] the name [3686] of the city [4172] of my [3450] God [2316], which is [3588] new [2537] Jerusalem [2419], which [3588] cometh down [2597] [2597] out of [1537] heaven [3772] from [575] my [3450] God [2316]: and [2532] I will write upon him my [3450] new [2537] name [3686].

²⁴ Which things [3748] are [2076] an allegory [238]: for [1063] these [3778] are [1526] the two [1417] covenants [1242]; the one [3391] [3303] from [575] the mount [3735] Sinai [4614], which gendereth [1080] to [1519] bondage [1397], which [3748] is [2076] Agar [28].

¹² All things [3956] are lawful [1832] unto me [3427], but [235] all things [3956] are [4851] not [3756] expedient [4851]: all things [3956] are lawful [1832] for me [3427], but [235] I [1473] will [1850] not [3756] be brought under the power [1850] of [5259] any [5100].

¹⁷ Now [1161] the Lord [2962] is [2076] that Spirit [4151]: and [1161] where [3757] the Spirit [4151] of the Lord [2962] is, there [1563] is liberty [1657].

³⁶ If [1437] the Son [5207] therefore [3767] shall make [1659] you [5209] free [1659], ye shall be [2071] free [1658] indeed [3689].

³² And [2532] ye shall know [1097] the truth [225], and [2532] the truth [225] shall make [1659] you [5209] free [1659].

⁷ Wherefore [5620] thou art [1488] no more [3765] a servant [1401], but [235] a son [5207]; and [1161] if [1487] a son [5207], then [2532] an heir [2818] of God [2316] through [1223] Christ [5547].

²³ And [2532] he said [2036] unto them [846], Ye [5210] are [2075] from [1537] beneath [2736]; I [1473] am [1510] from [1537] above [507]: ye [5210] are [2075] of [1537] this [5127] world [2889]; I [1473] am [1510] not [3756] of [1537] this [5127] world [2889].

¹ If [1487] ye [4891] then [3767] be risen [4891] with Christ [5547], seek [2212] those things which are above [507], where [3757] Christ [5547] sitteth [2076] [2521] on [1722] the right hand [1188] of God [2316].
² Set your affection [5426] on things above [507], not [3361] on things on [1909] the earth [1093].

² Set your affection [5426] on things above [507], not [3361] on things on [1909] the earth [1093].

¹⁴ I press [1377] toward [2596] the mark [4649] for [1909] the prize [1017] of the high [507] calling [2821] of God [2316] in [1722] Christ [5547] Jesus [2424].

¹⁴ For [1063] here [5602] have we [2192] no [3756] continuing [3306] city [4172], but [235] we seek one [1934] to come [3195].

¹⁰ For [1063] he looked for [1551] a city [4172] which hath [2192] foundations [2310], whose [3739] builder [5079] and [2532] maker [1217] is God [2316].

¹ Then [1899] fourteen [1180] years [2094] after [1223] I went up [305] again [3825] to [1519] Jerusalem [2414] with [3326] Barnabas [921], and took [4838] Titus [5103] with me [4838] also [2532].

¹⁸ Then [1899] after [3326] three [5140] years [2094] I went up [424] to [1519] Jerusalem [2414] to see [2477] Peter [4074], and [2532] abode [1961] with [4314] him [846] fifteen [1178] days [2250].

¹⁷ Neither [3761] went I up [424] to [1519] Jerusalem [2414] to [4314] them which were apostles [652] before [4253] me [1700]; but [235] I went [565] into [1519] Arabia [688], and [2532] returned [5290] again [3825] unto [1519] Damascus [1154].