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Gal_4:23 presents the relation of diversity between the two, in contrast to the previously mentioned relation of similarity, according to which they both were sons of Abraham.
κατὰ σάρκα ] according to the flesh, so that the birth was the result of a natural carnal intercourse. Differently in Rom_1:3; Rom_9:5
γεγέννηται ] is born; the perfect realizes the historically existing relation as present.
διὰ τὴς ἐπαγγελίας ] through the (well-known) promise, Gen_17:16; Gen_17:19; Gen_18:10; Rom_9:9. This must not, however, be rationalized (with Grotius, Rosenmüller, and others) into “per eam vim extraordinariam, quam Deus promiserat,” which does violence to the history in Genesis, as above; nor, with Hofmann, to the effect that the promise, with which Abraham had been called, was realized in the procreation itself; but it is to be definitely explained in accordance with the tenor of the words and with Gen_21:1 : “by virtue of the promise he is born,” so that in his procreation (Mat_1:2; Luk_3:34) the divine promise made to his parents, which had assured them of the birth of a son, was the procuring cause of the result, which would not have occurred without such an operation of the power of the divine promise (Gen_18:14), seeing that the two parents were in themselves incapable of the procreation of Isaac; for Sarah was barren, and both were already too old (Gen_18:11; Rom_4:19). Comp. Chrysostom.