A Lesbian-Identified Hermeneutic Re-reading of Paul’s Interpretation of Sarah and Hagar in Galatians 4:21–31

This essay wants to challenge the prejudice of Christianity toward non-YHWH/Jesus worshipers within Paul’s interpretation of the narratives of Hagar, Sarah, and their sons through lesbian-identical interpretation and postcolonial perspective. This essay also points out how Israelite centric identity used the narratives to shape the Western Christianity through the parallel reading with the Gentiles, in order to help the reader understand how Christian teachings used the narratives to justify their oppressive and prejudiced opinions and behaviors against the others. In (1) resistance and hetero-suspicion reading, the conflicts between Sarah and Hagar caused by Abraham now are duplicated between Paul and the false teachers arguing for the son, Galatians. In (2) rupture, the justification reinforces the oppression and exclusion of Hagar and sons of Ishmael, not only in the scriptural context but also in current time. In (3) reclamation, the heterosexual-dichotomy and hierarchal system of the interpretation of Galatians plays a role of the text of terror toward indigenous Taiwanese LGBTQ community (Pai-Wan). In (4) re-engagement, the biological imitation is not a taboo but the witness of a miracle from YHWH which connects with the Holy Mt. Da-Wu, Mt. Sinai, Mt. of Gods, and Mt. of Hagar. Just like the experiences of Hagar who suffered from Sarah, Abraham, and God’s agreement, queer (indigenous) people’s sufferings should be treated in another way because queer people experienced what Paul has experienced in Galatians. So that readers might reflect their own advantages over the others, liberate themselves and the others from the toxic thoughts and conditions, and re-engage the Christianity with an alternative queer perspective.