_WE WERE UNDER THE LAW TILL CHRIST CAME, AS THE HEIR IS UNDER HIS GUARDIAN TILL HE BE OF AGE. BUT CHRIST FREED US FROM THE LAW: THEREFORE WE ARE SERVANTS NO LONGER TO IT. HE REMEMBERETH THEIR GOOD-WILL TO HIM, AND HIS TO THEM; AND SHEWETH THAT WE ARE THE SONS OF ABRAHAM BY THE FREE-WOMAN._ _Anno D... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW I SAY, THAT THE HEIR, &C.— The Apostle goes on farther to prove, that the law was not against the promise, in that the child is not disinherited by being under tutors: But his chief design is, to shew that, though both Jews and Gentiles were intended to be the children of God, and heirs of the p... [ Continue Reading ]
EVEN SO WE,— It is plain that St. Paul speaks here in the name of the _Jews_ or _Jewish church,_ which, though God's peculiar people, yet was to pass a _nonage,—_so St. Paul calls it,—under the restraint and tutelage of the law; and not to receive the possession of the promised inheritance till Chri... [ Continue Reading ]
GOD SENT FORTH HIS SON,— These verses should be read and understood thus: _God sent forth his Son, made of a woman,_ (_made under the law, to redeem them that are under the law_) that we might receive the _adoption of sons._... [ Continue Reading ]
GOD HATH SENT FORTH THE SPIRIT, &C.— St. Paul uses the same argument of proving their sonship from having the Spirit, Romans 8:16. And he that will read 2 Corinthians 4:17 and Ephesians 1:11 will find, that the Spirit is looked upon as the seal and assurance of the inheritance of life to those who h... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF A SON, THEN AN HEIR, &C.— From the Galatians having received the Spirit, as appears ch. Galatians 3:2. St. Paul argues, that they are the _Sons of God_ without the law; consequently, _heirs_ of the _promise_ without the law: "For," says he, Galatians 4:1 the Jews themselves were obliged "to b... [ Continue Reading ]
YE DID SERVICE UNTO THEM, &C.— _Ye were in bondage unto those which,_ &c. See on Galatians 4:1. It is evident here, that though these Christians had, before their conversion, been idolatrous Gentiles, the Judaizing teachers were desirous of subjecting them to the yoke of the Mosaic ceremonies.... [ Continue Reading ]
ARE KNOWN OF GOD,— Or, _are approved of God._ The Apostle having said, _ye have known God,_ he subjoins, _or rather are known of him,_ in the Hebrew latitude of the word _known;_ in which language it sometimes signifies, "knowing with choice and approbation." See Amos 3:2. 1 Corinthians 8:3. The law... [ Continue Reading ]
I AM AFRAID OF YOU, &C.— There was the greater reason for this apprehension, as the fixing the time for the Jewish feasts depended upon the great Sanhedrim; so that their observing them would bring them into such an intercourse with, and dependence upon that court, as might be greatly to the hazard... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR I AM AS YE ARE:— the original words καγω ως υμεις are ambiguous, and may either signify, _I am,_ or _I have been, as ye are._ Our translation takes them in the former sense, and so they must express his unanimity with them in love; which he urges as an argument for their unanimity with him, and... [ Continue Reading ]
MY TEMPTATION WHICH WAS IN MY FLESH,— What this weakness and trial in the flesh was, says Mr. Locke, since it has not pleased the Apostle to mention, it is impossible for us to know; but it may be remarked here, as an instance, once for all, oftheunavoidableobscurityofsome passages in epistolary wri... [ Continue Reading ]
WHERE IS THEN THE BLESSEDNESS, &C.— _What benedictions did you then pour out upon me!_ Locke; who observes, that the context makes this sense of the words so necessary and visible, that it is to be wondered how any one could overlook it. Several commentators, however, do not agree with Mr. Locke; bu... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY WOULD EXCLUDE YOU.— Some copies and several expositors read _us,_ which certainly appears more natural and easy; and, is there is no doubt but that the Apostle refers here to the endeavours used by the false teachers to alienate their affections from him, it may induce us to prefer this reading... [ Continue Reading ]
IN A GOOD THING,— That by the word καλω here, he means a _person_ and _himself,_ the scope of the context evinces. In the preceding verses he speaks only of himself, and the change of their affection to him since he left them. There is no other thing mentioned aspeculiarly deserving their affection,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND TO CHANGE MY VOICE;— This seems to signify the speaking higher, or lower, changing the tone of the voice suitably to the matter delivered, whether it be advice, commendation, or reproof; for each of these have their distinct _voices._ St. Paul wishes himself with them, that he might accommodate... [ Continue Reading ]
_GALATIANS 4:21_.— The Apostle exhorts the Galatians to _stand fast in the liberty with which Christ hath made them free;_ shewing those who are so zealous for the law, that if they mind what they read in the law, they will there find that the _children of the promise,_ or of the _new Jerusalem,_ we... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH THINGS ARE AN ALLEGORY:— The original may be rendered, _Which things are allegorical,_ or _have been allegorized._ It seems to have been in compliance with the disposition of the Jewish Christians, who were fond of allegoric interpretations, that St. Paul, above all the other apostles, used th... [ Continue Reading ]
JERUSALEM WHICH IS ABOVE,— Under the name of _Jerusalem_ is understood the gospel covenant, as will appear from the very etymology of the word; which signifies, the _seeing_ or _possessing of peace,_ or _the peace-maker_—a name highly applicable to the covenant of the Messiah, who is stiled, "The Pr... [ Continue Reading ]
BORN AFTER THE FLESH— That is, _Ishmael;_ in whose birth there was nothing beyond the common course of nature. He that was _born after the Spirit_ is _Isaac,_ who was produced as the spiritual seed, by the especial energy of God's miraculous power. See Genesis 21:3. 2 Corinthians 10:3.—_Even so is i... [ Continue Reading ]
SO THEN, BRETHREN,— The Apostle, by this allegorical history, shews the Galatians that they who are sons of _Agar,_ that is to say, under the law given at mount Sinai, are in bondage; the peculiar inheritance being designed for those only who are the free-born sons of God, under the spiritual covena... [ Continue Reading ]