Contradiction with John 18:36
This verse indicates that Jesus' kingdom is not of this world, contradicting the idea that a heavenly Jerusalem could be seen as a current or earthly reality.
John 18:36: Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
Contradiction with Hebrews 12:22-23
This describes believers as already coming to the heavenly Jerusalem, suggesting it is not a future hope but a present reality, which contrasts with Galatians 4:26 that seems to describe it as a future promise.
Hebrews 12:22-23: But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
Contradiction with Revelation 21:2
This describes the New Jerusalem as descending from heaven in the future, potentially conflicting with the present-tense nature of "is free" in Galatians 4:26.
Revelation 21:2: And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Paradox #1
A potential theological conflict with Galatians 4:26 might be its symbolic representation of "Jerusalem above" as a free, spiritual "mother," which can clash with more literal interpretations of biblical narratives. Some might see this as inconsistent with traditional views of Jerusalem’s role in religious history and its earthly significance, leading to differing interpretations on the nature of spiritual inheritance and freedom.