Galatians 4:10

Epexegetic of the way in which they are already showing their slavery to pre-Christian customs. Only the observance of times is mentioned here; in Colossians 2:16 this is preceded by that of foods. Notice also that here the times ascend from days to years; there they descend from yearly feasts to days.

ἡμέρας. Presumably Jewish sabbaths. On the question how far the observance of Sundays comes under St Paul’s condemnation here and in Colossians 2:16 see note there.

παρατηρεῖσθε. παρατ. properly does not signify “keep,” or “spend in proper fashion,” but “mark” or “watch,” so that they do not slip by unobserved. So in Sus. Galatians 4:15 (Th.) ἐν τῷ παρατηρεῖν αὐτοὺς ἡμέραν εὔθετον, i.e. watching for a favourable day. The word is very suitably used of the painful observance of the exact moment of the beginning and end of sacred days practised by Jews, and presumably by many heathen. Josephus, however (Ant. III. 5. 5 [§ 91]), giving the substance of the fourth commandment, seems to use it less strictly, ὁ δὲ τέταρτος παρατηρεῖν τὰς ἑβδομάδας�. The use of the middle voice appears to strengthen the thought of the personal effort of observing.

καὶ μῆνας. The observance of the New Moon.

καὶ καιροὺς. Hardly with reference to the heathen care for lucky days, but to Jewish feasts. See Leviticus 23:4 αὗται αἱ ἑορταὶ τῷ κυρίῳ, καὶ αὗται, ἁγίας καλέσατε αὐτὰς ἐν τοῖς καιροῖς αὐτῶν. So also probably Genesis 1:14.

καὶ ἐνιαυτούς. ἐνι here only in St Paul’s writings. The reference seems to be to the Sabbatical years, hardly to the feast of the New Year with its closely subsequent Day of Atonement, and to the importance of this for welfare in the ensuing twelve months.