Genesis 21:14Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He understood that when God issues a directive, all personal desires must yield, for He who commands is the sovereign of all creation. Therefore, the servant woman, as stated in Scripture, took the bread and water and departed with the young man.

He implies that there will be only a small level of sanctification among the Israelites following their dispersion among the nations, as the Jews demonstrate weakness and a lack of vigor in adhering to the law of Moses, often neglecting even the most basic observances, such as circumcision and the Sabbath. Thus, the one who represents bondage—the synagogue of the Jews—barely has even a little bread and water to sustain her.

It is understandable that a foreign language presents its own idiosyncrasies; for instance, even in modern Rome, all sons are referred to as infants. Consequently, Abraham laid the loaves and skins on Hagar's shoulders, then handed the child to her—placing him in her embrace—and thus allowed him to leave home. Following this, the narrative continues.

He trusted unequivocally that the promise from the One who had instructed him was true. God had even promised to make Ishmael "a great nation" (Genesis 17:20), affirming his lineage from Abraham, which indeed came to pass. When the boy cried out in thirst, an angel sent by God revealed a well of water for him to drink. The abundant descendants fulfilling the promise are evident, as the region from Egypt to Babylon is populated with this lineage. Abraham also named places according to his faith; he established a field near the place of the covenant and named it "The Eternal God" (Gen. 21:33).

The tale of Hagar and Ishmael's exile is truly remarkable. Sarah's harshness towards both Hagar and her son, God's directive to Abraham to act according to Sarah's wish, and the permanent removal of a mother and her vulnerable child from their home all seem to contradict notions of decency, compassion, and fairness, as well as the known character of Abraham as a generous man. Yet the distinctiveness of these events suggests that there is a hidden meaning within them. St. Paul sheds light on this mystery, interpreting it as a representation of the contrasting natures of the Old and New Covenants, as well as the Synagogue and the Church. The Apostle states in his letter to the Galatians, “It is written that Abraham had two sons: one born of a bondwoman, and one born of a free woman. These are two covenants: Ishmael represents those bound by the Old Covenant, the Hebrews. While they are physically descendants of Abraham, they lack the spirit of faith and love, and their hearts are focused solely on earthly matters, obeying God out of fear of punishment. This reflects the nature of the Synagogue, which Paul calls the present Jerusalem; conversely, the heavenly Jerusalem, which represents the Orthodox Church modeled by Sarah, is the blessed mother of Christians, akin to the children of promise represented by Isaac. Within the Church, we experience a profound spiritual rebirth through the Sacraments and the Word of God. “Therefore, brethren, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free” because we worship God in love, in spirit and in truth. This is the freedom for which Christ has liberated us! Just as in the past, the child born of the flesh persecuted the spiritual, so it continues today. The Jews pursued and persecuted the true Isaac, Jesus Christ, and His disciples; to this day, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will face persecution from those governed by the flesh. To aspire toward virtue while longing for the meaningless comforts and perilous pleasures of the world is an illusion. We witness countless instances where the obedience of Christians, the simple righteous, and the pinnacle of our faith is subjected to scorn by those who are wicked. But what does Scripture say? “Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman.” As children of a free mother, can we allow ourselves to mingle with those who are enslaved? What do we become when weary of the responsibilities demanded of us by our sacred faith, we envy the world’s empty comforts? Let us embrace the freedom Jesus Christ has secured for us through His grace and example; we must recognize that we are capable of this. Let us shed the chains of our sins and passions; this true freedom is what God’s children should treasure and seek in this world. Just as Abraham cast out his bondservant and her son, providing them with little more than bread and water, so too are those Hebrews without a share in the freedom of God’s children expelled from the Lord's house with firm severity, condemned to suffer from hunger and thirst because they have rejected the source of everlasting sustenance. Hagar and Ishmael, lost in the wilderness without direction or purpose, symbolize the current plight of the Hebrews, who, having turned away from the Gospel, have forfeited their light, wisdom, hope, and the results of their labor. There is nothing more pitiable than Judah, and nothing more desolate; the Temple, the Priesthood, Jerusalem, royal dignity, even their homeland, have all been stripped from the Jewish people. Hagar and Ishmael linger near a spring without recognizing its presence: the Jews could have seen Jesus Christ in the Scriptures, the light of His cross shining at every turn, yet they find themselves surrounded by darkness that obscures Him from their sight. It should be noted that Abraham allowed Hagar to depart with her son without providing a servant to carry her minimal supplies or a guide to navigate the wilderness, despite possessing many servants. This highlights a commendable aspect of the ancient Patriarchs: although they had numerous slaves, those renowned among them did not shy away from tasks we now associate with laborers or servants; they acquired skills necessary to ensure they would not be caught unprepared in times of need. How sorrowful it is to see the youth of our time, who, swayed by misguided educational ideals, often overlook the opportunities for self-education bestowed by God's providence, entering the world armed only with superficial vanity and ignorance.