Continuation of the argument. Galatians 4:1. The Law a necessary preparation for the Gospel. Sonship through redemption attested by the Spirit. Galatians 4:8. Danger of going back to the observance of the legal ceremonial. Galatians 4:12. Personal appeal. Galatians 4:21. The allegory of the two C... [ Continue Reading ]
The word -heirs" at the end of the preceding chapter suggests another illustration. In human affairs the condition of a minor is antecedent to the enjoyment of the liberty and the civil rights which accrue to him on coming of age. He is a son and an heir, but during minority his position is that of... [ Continue Reading ]
_tutors and governors_ GUARDIANS AND STEWARDS, the one having the charge of his person, the other the management of his estate. _the time appointed of the father_ the time fixed before by his father for the coming of age. It is not necessary, as has been stated already, to refer this to any special... [ Continue Reading ]
_Even so we_ Both Jews and Gentiles, _as such_, i.e. before conversion to Christ. _children_ minors, as in Galatians 4:1. _the elements of the world_ The exact meaning of this expression is doubtful. The word rendered -elements" is translated -rudiments" in Colossians 2:8; Colossians 2:20, and ther... [ Continue Reading ]
_the fulness of the time_ The completion of the time of the world's nonage, corresponding to -the time appointed by the father" in Galatians 4:3. God's appointed time had come, and man's need of redemption had been proved to the full. Thus the eternal purpose of God and the preparation of the world... [ Continue Reading ]
Born under the law, our Blessed Lord not only in His most holy life fulfilled all the commandments of the law, but in His death He satisfied its conditions by bearing its penalty, and redeeming us from its curse; born of a woman, He became the Head and representative of the human race, that in Him w... [ Continue Reading ]
In proof of this, as in ch. Galatians 3:2, St Paul appeals to their own experience. Man by nature does not regard God, much less does he pray to Him, as a father. If the Galatians have "the earnest of the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 1:22; 2 Corinthians 5:5) in their hearts, it is a pledge of their inheri... [ Continue Reading ]
The conclusion of the argument is not stated didactically, but made emphatic by its personal form, passing from -we" to -ye", from -ye" to -thou". _no more a servant_ rather NO LONGER in bondage (Galatians 4:4). _then an heir_ By the Roman law all the children whether sons or daughters inherited e... [ Continue Reading ]
Danger of going back to the observance of the legal ceremonial. 8 11 8. Notwithstanding, is it so that you who once were idolaters and ignorant of God, yet after having been brought to the knowledge of the true God, are turning back to a system of ceremonial observances? If this be so, I fear the l... [ Continue Reading ]
_now, after that ye have known … are known_ The word rendered -known" is different in the original from that so rendered in Galatians 4:8. It here denotes _more_than the acknowledgment of God's existence a discern ment of His character and recognition of His authority, on the part of man; approval o... [ Continue Reading ]
Perhaps this verse should be read interrogatively, -Do ye observe &c.?" or the construction may be carried on from the preceding verse, -How is it that ye are turning, … that ye are observing &c.?" _Ye observe_ The whole meaning of the verse depends on the sense attached to this word. It is compound... [ Continue Reading ]
_I am afraid of you_ Sad thought, that all the toil which he had undergone on their behalf might prove to have been in vain! The possibility of such a result softens his tone, and as he thinks of his own labours, he will appeal to them by their memory of the past of their reception of him and of his... [ Continue Reading ]
Personal Appeal The Apostle now makes a personal appeal, marked by deep affection and earnestness. "Brethren, I beseech you, become as I am, free yourselves from the trammels of the ceremonial law and of the Judaizing teachers, for I became as you were. To you who were Gentiles and -without law, I... [ Continue Reading ]
_through infirmity of the flesh_ Rather, as R.V. -because of an infirmity of the flesh", owing to bodily sickness. What was this infirmity? Most commentators identify it with the -thorn in the flesh", 2 Corinthians 12:7. Bp Lightfoot (p. 169 foll.) enumerates in chronological order the different co... [ Continue Reading ]
_And my temptation_ The true reading is probably - _your_temptation". The Apostle's sickness was a trial of their faith. Like his Divine Master, he had no natural -form nor comeliness" (2 Corinthians 10:10), and when to this natural disqualification bodily disorder was added, they might well have as... [ Continue Reading ]
_Where is then the blessedness_ye spake of] The last three words are not in the original. They are a paraphrase (and so an interpretation) of the genitive of the 2nd personal pronoun. Does this genitive express the _object_or the _subject_of the noun rendered -blessedness"? This noun occurs Romans 4... [ Continue Reading ]
_Am I therefore_ -So that I am become … truth?" The _tone_of the sentence is interrogative, rather than the form. _I tell you the truth_ The reference is probably to the second visit to Galatia, when the Judaizers had begun to sow seeds of error and discord among St Paul's converts. He says -I tell... [ Continue Reading ]
In contrast to the simplicity of his own teaching, St Paul exposes the party spirit by which the false teachers were actuated. _They zealously affect you_ The sentence is abrupt, no persons being named; though St Paul evidently had in his mind those alluded to ch. Galatians 1:7. The expression -zeal... [ Continue Reading ]
In the preceding verse the metaphor seems to be taken from the affection of husband and wife (see 1 Corinthians 11:2-3). Now it is changed to that from a mother in travail. _My little children_ A form of address expressive of great tenderness, common with St John, but used only here by St Paul. Thi... [ Continue Reading ]
_I desire_ Rather, "But, speaking of being present, I could wish to be present with you now". The -but" which is not expressed in the A.V. connects this verse with Galatians 4:18 in which he had referred to his presence in Galatia. _to change my voice_ Most commentators understand this to mean eithe... [ Continue Reading ]
The Allegory of the two Covenants, pointing to liberty only in Christ 21. The final argument is an appeal to Scripture, to that very _law_to which the Galatians were desiring to subject themselves. If they would but listen to the teaching of the law they would hear it declaring its own inferiority t... [ Continue Reading ]
_it is written_ This is not a quotation of any particular passage. -It is recorded in Scripture". _a bondmaid_ Lit. - _the_bondmaid", Hagar; so - _the_free woman", Sarah. Hagar was an Egyptian slave in the house of Abraham. God having promised to Abraham that in his seed all nations should be bless... [ Continue Reading ]
_which things are an allegory_ Rather, -Now all these things may be regarded as an allegory". The facts are historical, but they are types (1 Corinthians 10:11) calculated and intended to teach great spiritual truths, and they have their counterparts in the facts (equally historical) of the Gospel d... [ Continue Reading ]
The reading, the construction and the meaning of the first clause of this verse are uncertain, and have afforded matter for considerable discussion. The genuineness of the word -Hagar" is doubtful. If it is retained, the sense will be, -For (or, as some copies read, -now") this term Hagar is the nam... [ Continue Reading ]
_the mother of us all_ Probably we should read with R.V. OUR MOTHER, where of course - _our_" is emphatic. Comp. Galatians 4:31.... [ Continue Reading ]
_For it is written_ The quotation is taken exactly from the Septuagint version of Isaiah 54:1. By the -barren" we must understand Sarah, who was a type of the Gospel dispensation. Small and persecuted in its early days, the Church of Christ has now -many more children" than the Jewish Church could... [ Continue Reading ]
The previous verse is introduced parenthetically. The connexion is, -Jerusalem from above is our mother … and we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children, not according to the flesh, but of promise". The same conclusion as that arrived at ch. Galatians 3:29.... [ Continue Reading ]
In Genesis 21:9-10, we read, -And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had borne unto Abraham, mocking. Wherefore she said, Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac". There is no specific mention here of _persecuti... [ Continue Reading ]
There is nothing here to lend colour to the Rabbinic notion that Sarah was a prophetess. The Scripture simply records her words and tells us how Abraham was bidden by God to comply with her demand, Genesis 21:12. _shall not be heir_ -shall in no wise inherit". Utterly and for ever irreconcilable ar... [ Continue Reading ]
_So then_ Better, WHEREFORE. The conclusion is drawn from the whole preceding argument. It is the assertion of our liberty in the Gospel of Christ freedom from the curse of the law, from the yoke of ritual observances, from the bondage of sin and Satan, from the burden of an evil conscience an earne... [ Continue Reading ]