GALATIANS—NOTE ON GALATIANS 4:1 When a son is too young to receive
his inheritance, he has no more status than a SLAVE. (On Roman slaves,
or bondservants, see note on 1 Cor. 7:21.) This was the situation of
Paul and his fellow Israelites under the old covenant.
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GALATIANS—NOTE ON GALATIANS 4:3 ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES. Both here and
in v. Galatians 4:9, these principles for Jews would be the Mosaic
law. For Gentiles it would be the basic concepts of their pagan
religions. They were, in terms of their mind-set and life situation,
ENSLAVED.
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GALATIANS—NOTE ON GALATIANS 4:4 WHEN THE FULLNESS OF TIME HAD COME.
God sent his Son at the right moment in human history. God directed
world events and prepared peoples and nations for Christ, and for the
proclamation of the gospel.
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GALATIANS—NOTE ON GALATIANS 4:5 Paul’s ADOPTION imagery probably
picks up the OT concept of God calling Israel his “son.” He
combines this with the Roman notion of adopting a son (who was usually
already a grown man) in order to make him the heir to the family
wealth (see also note on 3:26).
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GALATIANS—NOTE ON GALATIANS 4:6 BECAUSE YOU ARE SONS. Because
Christians are now sons, they may receive the inheritance. This begins
with the promised SPIRIT OF HIS SON. ABBA is the Aramaic word for
“father” (compare Romans 8:14).
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GALATIANS—NOTE ON GALATIANS 4:8 The Galatians are in danger of
forfeiting sonship and abandoning the true God. They risk returning to
false gods (v. Galatians 4:8) and to worldly ways of life (vv.
Galatians 4:9).
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GALATIANS—NOTE ON GALATIANS 4:9 TO KNOW GOD... TO BE KNOWN BY GOD
implies a personal relationship with God. ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES. See
note on v. 3.
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GALATIANS—NOTE ON GALATIANS 4:10 DAYS AND MONTHS AND SEASONS AND
YEARS were all part of the ceremonial laws of the Mosaic covenant (see
Leviticus 23:5, Leviticus 23:16, Leviticus 23:28; Leviticus 25:4). To
require Christians to follow such OT laws is to forfeit the gospel of
justification by faith a... [ Continue Reading ]
GALATIANS—NOTE ON GALATIANS 4:12 As in Galatians 3:1, Paul reminds
the Galatians of what happened when they heard the gospel. He also
contrasts his own ministry with that of the false teachers.
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GALATIANS—NOTE ON GALATIANS 4:13 BECAUSE OF A BODILY AILMENT... I
PREACHED THE GOSPEL TO YOU. The exact nature of this illness is not
known. “Because” apparently means that Paul had to stay in Galatia
because of this illness. He took that opportunity to preach to them.
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GALATIANS—NOTE ON GALATIANS 4:17 The false teachers flatter the
Galatians, but only to receive flattery from them in return. TO SHUT
YOU OUT. They want to form an exclusive club of people who observe
Jewish ceremonial laws.
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GALATIANS—NOTE ON GALATIANS 4:19 The Galatians, like LITTLE
CHILDREN, have not been growing. Paul’s deep concern for them is
like the pain of CHILDBIRTH.
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GALATIANS—NOTE ON GALATIANS 4:21 Paul again emphasizes the
difference between being a free child of God and being a slave to the
law, sin, and false gods. Abraham’s son Ishmael—technically the
firstborn—represents the slave sons of Abraham and thus the
enslaving Sinai covenant. Isaac represents the... [ Continue Reading ]
GALATIANS—NOTE ON GALATIANS 4:23 Ishmael was the son born when
Abraham and Sarah tried to have a child through Hagar. The PROMISE is
the absolute opposite of THE FLESH. A promise is a word _from God_
that will be fulfilled _by God_ (see Romans 4:18), just as Isaac was
born by God’s miraculous work.... [ Continue Reading ]
GALATIANS—NOTE ON GALATIANS 4:25 ARABIA. See note on 1:17. IN
SLAVERY. The majority of the people in JERUSALEM are Jews who have not
turned to Jesus. As a result, the city is enslaved.
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GALATIANS—NOTE ON GALATIANS 4:26 All those who believe in Christ
belong to the heavenly JERUSALEM. They are the true Israel. As Isaiah
prophesied (Isaiah 54:1), God will bring about the birth of CHILDREN
where there are none, even among the Gentiles.
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GALATIANS—NOTE ON GALATIANS 4:29 SO ALSO IT IS NOW. Ishmael
persecuted Isaac (suggested by Genesis 21:9). Now the Jews who seek
justification by human effort persecute Christians, who trust God’s
promise of justification by faith.
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GALATIANS—NOTE ON GALATIANS 4:30 CAST OUT THE SLAVE WOMAN AND HER
SON implies also the casting out of all who seek justification through
their own efforts instead of through faith.
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