Galatians 4:8-11

TEXT 4:8-11

(8) Howbeit at that time, not knowing God, ye were in bondage to them that by nature are no gods: (9) but now that ye have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how turn ye back again to the weak and beggarly rudiments, whereunto ye desire to be in bondage over again? (10) Ye observe days, and months, and seasons, and years. (11) I am afraid of you, lest by any means I have bestowed labor upon you in vain.

PARAPHRASE 4:8-11

8 However, that ye Gentiles may not foolishly renounce your privileges as the sons of God, ye ought to remember what your condition was whilst under the elements of the world, and compare it with your present happy state: That then, indeed, not knowing God, ye served slavishly, beings who are not gods by their own nature, but by human appointment.

9 But now, under the gospel, having acknowledged the true God as your father, (Galatians 4:6) or rather, being acknowledged by him as sons, why, by embracing Judaism, turn ye back again to the unprofitable and low kind of worship formerly practiced by you in your heathenish state, and to which again, ever since your conversion, ye incline to be in bondage?

10 Why do ye carefully observe days, and moons, and seasons, and years? These holidays, though enjoined by Moses are equally ineffectual with the rites of the heathen religions, formerly practiced by you, for procuring the favour of God.
11 Ye are so fond of these weak and poor elements, that I am afraid of you, lest perhaps I have preached in vain among you. For ye do not seem to understand the value of the privileges of the gospel.

COMMENT 4:8

Howbeit

1.

Means when.

2.

A time element is referred to and a condition during that time.

not knowing God

1.

This verse can be used to imply that the Galatian converts were formerly heathen, which is the preferable view.

2.

A second meaning may be found in the fact that the Jews did not know God, even though they worshipped the true God.

a.

It is my Father that glorifieth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God; and ye have not known him; but I know him. John 8:54-55

b.

And these things will they do, because they have not known the Father, nor me. John 16:3

ye were in bondage to them that by nature are no gods

1.

This definitely sounds as though they were heathen.

2.

What is the nature of God?

a.

A creator and not a creature.

b.

A personality, not lifeless material shaped by human hands, which the Galatians no doubt had worshipped.

WORD STUDY 4:8

Them that. are no gods gives the erroneous impression that the Galatians were worshipping idols or false spirits. Actually, the Greek gender could just as well be neuter, and would be referring to the rudiments of Galatians 4:3 and Galatians 4:9. The better translation in this context would be things which are by nature not gods.

COMMENT 4:9

now that ye have come to know God

1.

How do we know God?

a.

By His worksHandiwork. Psalms 19:1

b.

By His wordsPreaching. 1 Corinthians 1:21

c.

By His workmanJesus revealed. Hebrews 1:1-4

1)

The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. John 1:18

2)

He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.

2.

Paul also was a workman preaching. John 14:9

a.

I planted, Apollos watered. 1 Corinthians 3:6

b.

That I might not build on another man's foundation. Romans 15:20

or rather to be known by God

1.

This probably means to be approved of God.

2.

God does know his own.

a.

Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, Matthew 6:8

b.

God, who knoweth the heart, Acts 15:8

c.

The Lord knoweth them that are his. 2 Timothy 2:19

d.

The Lord knoweth how to deliver. 2 Peter 2:9

e.

Jehovah knoweth the way of the righteous. Psalms 1:6

how turn ye back again

1.

Observe that they once were Christian and were approved of God.

a.

People can turn back and be lost.

1)

Ye are severed from Christ. ye are fallen away from grace. Galatians 5:4

2)

who hindered you. Galatians 5:7

3)

who did bewitch you. Galatians 3:1

4)

Quickly removing Galatians 1:6

b.

Many Scriptures in other places warn about turning back.

1)

Having put his hand to the plow, and looking back. Luke 9:62

2)

Again entangled therein. 2 Peter 2:20-22

3)

Lest haply we drift away. Hebrews 2:1

4)

Falling away. Hebrews 3:12

5)

And then fell away, it is impossible to renew them. Hebrews 6:6

2.

Some religionist formerly argued, If you get it, you can-'t lose it; if you lose it, you never had it. But these had it in Galatia.

to the weak and beggarly rudiments

1.

In what way were they weak?

a.

Weakineffectual rites and ceremonies of Moses.

b.

Weakcounteraction to sins.

c.

Beggarly elementtoo poor to purchase eternal salvation.

d.

The weakness of the law: What the law could not do. Romans 8:3

2.

If these are referred to, then they must have been addicted to them at one time for he says Again.

a.

It could be they were heathen who were converted to Judaism, then converted to Christianity.

b.

He may be placing all efforts to be righteous by work under the same category whether it be heathen or Jewish.

rudiments

1.

Rudiments means unwrought, ignorant, rude, that which is undeveloped.

2.

They were rudiments because they belonged to a rudimentary condition.

a.

Observe the stages of man's relationship to God.

1)

Patriarchal Dispensation

Infancy age.

2)

Mosaic Dispensation

Childhood.

3)

Christian

Manhood.

b.

Observe a comparison of the law and the Gospel.

1)

Law

Gospel.

2)

Childhood

Manhood.

3)

Bondage

Freedom.

4)

Inheritance-temporal, now,

Inheritance.

Spiritual, future.

whereunto ye desire to be in bondage over again

1.

This bondage is to Judaistic teachers.

2.

It does not necessarily mean, again to the same thing.

3.

They were in bondage in heathenism and were made free and again were going into bondage, this time to false teachers.

Ye observe days, and months, and seasons, and years

1.

This is proof of their childhood.

2.

The Catholic Bible footnotes this as Their feasts under the Jewish law.

COMMENT 4:10

Ye observe days

1.

It is not stated whether these were sabbaths and Jewish festivals or ritual days of paganismmaybe both.

a.

Colossians 2:16 shows it is not a requirement of Christians.

2.

Catholics have their days.

a.

No meat on Fridaybut whiskey can be drunk.

b.

Observance is more important than one's life.

c.

Saints are worshipped.

d.

Festivals are conducted in the name of God.

and months

1.

Perhaps festivals such as those of tabernacles, dedication, passover, year of Jubilee, etc.

2.

Heathen people also have their seasons, believing that astronomical relationships have special significance for human life.

and seasons

1.

We hear folk talk about Lenton season.

a.

Is godliness seasonable?

b.

Is self-denial to be periodical?

2.

Security is not found in observances.

and years

1.

Annual atonements, sabbatical years and jubilees are referred to, says Johnson in his notes.

2.

Did not Paul observe them? Yes, he did.

a.

Hastening. to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost. Acts 20:16

b.

But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost. 1 Corinthians 16:8

3.

Why did he?

a.

These were national days. A Jew would remember the passover, the giving of the law, etc., as naturally as we remember the Fourth of July.

b.

He did not insist upon them as religious rites for Gentiles.

4.

The Christian is to live minute by minute and not in relationship to man-made observances.

COMMENT 4:11

I am afraid of you, lest by any means I have bestowed labor upon you in vain.

1.

If they were savedhe did not labor in vainbut they had exchanged freedom for bondage, life for death.

a.

If once saved always saved be true, then Paul had not labored in vain.

b.

Evidently Paul did not teach Once in grace always in grace, but the exact opposite.

STUDY QUESTIONS 4:8-11

456.

Define the word howbeit.

457.

Judging by the expression not knowing God were the Galatians formerly heathen or Jehovah worshippers?

458.

Did the Jews know God even though they professed to worship Him?

459.

To whom were the Galatians in bondage?

460.

Does the last expression in the verse suggest strongly that they had been heathen?

461.

How did the Galatians come to know God?

462.

Do we know God by revelation only?

463.

Did God accept the Galatians, according to this verse?

464.

Does the scripture offer much assurance that God knows the Christians?

465.

Could you turn your back on God as Paul accuses the Galatians?

466.

How could they turn from God, who is strong, to weak and beggarly rudiments?

467.

List all the expressions in this book that teach the backsliding of the Galatians.

468.

Name the verses in the Bible that warn us concerning falling away.

469.

In what way were the rudiments weak?

470.

Explain how they may be considered beggarly?

471.

Were they again in bondage to the same thing?

472.

Is bondage to false truth equivalent to being in bondage to false teachers?

473.

Were they guilty of strange observances?

474.

Do we know if the observances were Jewish or pagan?

475.

Are religious festivals generally filled with inconsistencies?

476.

Was Paul inconsistent when he went to Jerusalem for their great days such as the Passover?

477.

Is it wrong for us to observe our national days?

478.

Would it be wrong in binding them upon others as essential for justification?

479.

What did Paul mean by his fear?

480.

Was his labor in vain, if they were saved in spite of their falling away?

481.

What was Paul's labor?