“For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.”
For it is written: 'Be glad, barren woman, who bears no children; break forth and cry aloud, you who have no labor pains; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband.' — Paul cites Isaiah 54:1 (post-exilic restoration oracle), applying it to the free woman (Sarah/heavenly Jerusalem) whose children will exceed the enslaved woman's (Hagar/earthly Jerusalem), a reversal of demographic expectation.
Church Fathers on Galatians 4:27
“Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not, break forth and cry, you that travailest not, for more are the children of the desolate than of her which has the husband.” Isaiah 54:1 Who is this who before was “barren,” and “desolate?” Clearly it is the Church of the Gentiles, that was before deprived of the knowledge of God? Who, “she which has the husband?” plainly the Synagogue. Yet the barren woman surpassed her in the number of her children, for the other embraces one nation,…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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