Ahnsahnhong would agree with what I will speak about in this article. Check out why Ahnsahnhong really said “I follow mother” (yes lowercase mother not capital m):

The Real Meaning of “I Follow Mother”

The Meaning of Galatians 4:26 and the Story of Abraham's Family

Galatians 4:26 offers profound insight into the relationship between the old and new covenants, symbolized by the figures of Sarah and Hagar. Understanding this verse requires exploring its biblical and historical context, particularly in relation to Abraham’s family. Rather than supporting the notion of a “God the Mother,” this passage points to the broader themes of spiritual freedom and the fulfillment of God's promises.

Galatians 4:26: "But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother."

In Galatians 4:26, the Apostle Paul contrasts two Jerusalems: the earthly Jerusalem and the heavenly Jerusalem. The earthly Jerusalem, tied to the old covenant, represents bondage, while the heavenly Jerusalem symbolizes the new covenant of grace. The phrase "she is our mother" is metaphorical, not a literal reference to a female deity, but rather a symbolic representation of the new covenant and the spiritual freedom that comes through Christ.

Context of Galatians 4:22-31: Allegory of Sarah and Hagar

To fully understand Paul’s statement, we must look back at the entire allegory of Sarah and Hagar presented in Galatians 4:22-31. Paul uses the story of Abraham’s two wives to illustrate the difference between the two covenants:

• Hagar, Abraham’s servant, bore him a son named Ishmael, who represents the old covenant, characterized by the law and bondage. Hagar’s son was born through human effort, symbolizing the futile attempts to attain righteousness through works of the law.
• Sarah, Abraham’s legitimate wife, bore him a son named Isaac, through a miraculous promise from God. Isaac represents the new covenant, based on God’s grace and the promise of spiritual freedom through faith in Christ.

Here are the verses from Galatians 4 that explain this:

• Galatians 4:22-24 (NIV): “For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise. These things may be taken figuratively, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar.”
• Galatians 4:28 (NIV): “Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise.”

Paul’s allegory makes it clear that Sarah and Isaac represent the heavenly Jerusalem and the new covenant, whereas Hagar and Ishmael represent the old covenant and its limitations.

The Meaning of "Jerusalem Above"

When Paul writes that “the Jerusalem that is above is free,” he refers to the spiritual reality of the new covenant, which is not bound by the law but is defined by the freedom that comes through faith in Christ. This “Jerusalem above” is not a physical city, but a symbolic representation of God’s promise fulfilled in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

The phrase “she is our mother” should be understood in a spiritual sense, representing the church as the mother of believers who are born into the new covenant through faith in Christ. The heavenly Jerusalem, then, represents the redeemed people of God, whose relationship with God is not based on the law but on grace and faith.