Galatians 4:1-20 = February 28

1          But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a bondservant though he is lord of all;

Paul continued the illustration of 3:24.  Here the emphasis was put upon the child.  The child was the heir. As long as the child was under age, he was heir in right, but not in fact.  The child has all the restrictions of the will of his father upon him. He must abide by the will of the Father just like a slave though he is to be heir of all when he reaches age. The law was for the purpose of development even as the child was trained to manhood.

2          but is under guardians and stewards until the day appointed of the father.

Until the child reached the legal age of manhood, he was under guardians and stewards.  The guardians looked after him personally.  The stewards looked after the estate.

3          So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the rudiments of the world:

The period before Christ came was referred to as when men were children.  During this time they were in bondage under the rudiments of the world.  The rudiments of the world referred to the rules and regulations either of the law of Moses or the patriarchal law that the Gentiles were under. Neither of these could give salvation.  Disobedience held them in bondage.

4          but when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

The fulness of time referred to the time when God ordained that everything was ready for the coming of Jesus into the world.  The instruction period had been long enough.  The world conditions were just right.  God sent forth his Son into the world to save mankind.  The second member of the Godhead is eternal.  He had been with God from the beginning (John 1:1).  He came to the world in the flesh (John 1:14).  Born of a woman denotes that Jesus lived in a fleshly body just as men do today.  Other verses such as Isaiah 7:14 and Matthew 1:18-25 teach the virgin birth of Jesus.  Jesus lived and died under the law of Moses. Therefore, Jesus lived during the period the child was a ward of the guardians and stewards as mentioned in verses one though three.

5          that he might redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Galatians 3:13 has the same basic thought as this verse.  See also II Corinthians 8:9.  Men were redeemed from the law by Jesus Christ. Salvation was in Jesus and him alone (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). Jesus redeemed mankind. Jesus provided the means that men could become adopted children of God.

6          And because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts crying, Abba, Father.

The Spirit of His Son refers to the Holy Spirit, the second member of the Godhead. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the Son because he proceeds from the Son as well as the Father (John 15:26).  It is by the Spirit that Christ lives in Christian’s hearts (Ephesians 3:16-17).  This is not the doctrine of the direct operation of the Holy Spirit.  God did not send the Spirit to make men sons. He sent his Spirit to dwell in Christians because they are sons.  This refers to the ordinary indwelling of the Holy Spirit given to every Christian (Acts 2:38; Acts 5:31).  The Holy Spirit comes in the body of the Christian at baptism when Christians arise to walk in the newness of life (Romans 6:3-4).  Since Christians are sons, they cry, Abba, Father.  Abba was the Aramaic word for Father.  Aramaic was the language that the Jews spoke in the first century.  Paul used a term that was dear to his heart. He explained its meaning with the Greek word for "Father."  This was the same term Jesus used for Father in Mark 14:36.

7          So that thou art no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.

Due to the death of Jesus upon the cross one becomes a son of God when he obeys the gospel.  He is no longer a slave to sin.  Being a son, Christians are heirs through the grace of God not through any merit of their own.  Verse 3:29 teaches this also.

The Foolishness Of Wishing To Be Again In Bondage,                        4:8-11

Synopsis:         Paul asked the Galatian Christians, since they have come to know God and to be known by him and are his sons, why would they want to turn back to their former bondage? Paul expressed his concern when he said, he was afraid about them, lest somehow he had labored among them in vain.

8          Howbeit at that time, not knowing God, ye were in bondage to them that by nature are no gods:

Most of the Galatian Christians were Gentiles.  Formerly, they had worshipped idols, which were not gods.  In the worship of these false gods, they were in bondage.  In times past they were in bondage; however, in Christ the Galatians had freedom, sonship and were heirs of God.

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?

Through the gospel, the Galatian Christians had come to know the one true and living God. More important they were known by God.  To be known by God meant more than God knew whom they were, it meant God knew them as his children.  They had a special spiritual relationship with God. They enjoyed special blessings because of their obedience to the gospel and being added to the family of God.  At this time the Galatians were guilty of backsliding. How could they who were children of God with all the blessings of this relationship turn back again to bondage with the weak and beggarly rudiments?  Paul did not understand this. Paul called these “rudiments” weak and beggarly because they had no power to help man in any way. There is the same feeling today when people become Christians and after a while turn away from Christ and go back to the world.

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

To illustrate that they had turned back to the weak and beggarly elements, Paul cited their observance of special days.  Since they had added the law of Moses to their Christian beliefs, there can be little doubt these referred to the special days of the law of Moses such as the sabbath days, days of the new moon or other special days.  The law of Moses was "nailed" to the cross (Colossians 2:14-17), Christians are not to observe the law of Moses.  If a Christian obeys the law of Moses, he forsakes Christ and falls from grace (Galatians 5:4).

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

Paul was fearful that his work among them had been useless.  If they continued to live by the law of Moses and did not repent, they would be eternally lost.  It was in this sense that Paul’s labor among them would have been in vain. This was another passage of scripture teaching that one can fall from grace.

A Call To Remember Their First Reception Of The Gospel,                 4:12-20

Synopsis:         Paul urged them to become as he was.  When he came to them the first time, they received him warmly and appreciated his coming.  Paul asked the Galatian Christians if he was their enemy because he told them the truth?  No, he tells them. He loved them and wished them all the spiritual blessings in Christ.  The false teachers who troubled them sought to do them harm. Paul was in a state of travail until they had the right relationship with Christ again. Paul was perplexed about them.

12         I beseech you, brethren, become as I am, for I also am become as you are. Ye did me no wrong:

Paul urged the Galatian Christians to become just a Christian as he was.  Paul told them he was once a Jew and turned from the law to become a Christian like they did.  The gospel alone would save.  Christians needed nothing else.  When Paul was with them, they never harmed him. They received him graciously and did everything they could for him.

13         but ye know that because of an infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you the first time:

It was because of an illness that Paul preached the gospel to them on the first missionary journey.  Luke mentioned nothing about this illness in the book of Acts.  There is no way to determine what the illness was.  Paul reminded them of the circumstances when he first preached the gospel to them.

14         and that which was a temptation to you in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but ye received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

Paul’s illness was of such a nature they might have been tempted to reject him or heap ridicule upon him; however, they did not. They accepted Paul tenderly and treated him as an angel of God, or as Christ Jesus.  Paul reminded them of their great reception of him under adverse circumstances.

15         Where then is that gratulation of yourselves?  For I bear you witness, that, if possible, ye would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.

Gratulation means blessedness or happiness. Paul asked where that former state of happiness was whereby they felt so blessed to have Paul and his companions with them. Paul reminded them they thought so much of him they would have plucked out their eyes and given him.  This is a metaphor indicating they would have done anything for Paul. It is very similar to the present day idiom, “He would give you the shirt off his back.”  Some have seen this as an indication Paul was having eye trouble; however, there is no real proof of this.

16         So then am I become your enemy, by telling you the truth?

Paul told the Galatians by this question he had proved to be their real friend because he told them the truth even though it may have hurt.  The truth was they were acting foolishly by believing the Judaizing teachers. Paul was still their true friend, not their enemy.

17         They zealously seek you in no good way; nay, they desire to shut you out, that ye may seek them.

Paul showed the Galatians who their real enemies were without naming the Judaizing teachers.  He told them the false teachers were courting the Galatians for unrighteous purposes. The false teachers had sought to teach the Galatians that they were not fully converted because they had not been circumcised and had not kept the law of Moses.  Because of this, they were shut out of the kingdom.  The Galatians had turned to the Judaizing teachers for counsel and advice. The Judaizing teachers tried to discredit Paul and undermine his influence.

18         But it is good to be zealously sought in a good matter at all times, and not only when I am present with you.

It was good to be sought after in a good matter. Since Paul was telling them the truth, it was good to seek after him not only when he was present, but when he was absent as well.  Paul was concerned the Galatian Christians had turned to a perverted gospel and false teachers.

19         My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you-

Paul addressed the Galatian Christians in a tender way, my little children. Paul had brought the Galatian Christians the gospel and taught them.  In this sense, they were his children in the faith. Paul compared himself to a mother having birth pangs.  Paul felt this way when he first taught them.  Now he was feeling this way again.  He had originally taught them that salvation was in Christ alone. All they needed to do to be saved was to believe in Jesus Christ, trust in Jesus and obey Jesus.

20         but I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone; for I am perplexed about you.

            Though Paul was writing by inspiration of the Holy Spirit (II Peter 1:21; 3:15, 16) he was conscious of the need to be there and to talk face to face with them.  Perhaps if he could be there, he would not have to rebuke them as being “foolish Galatians.” He could talk more tenderly with them. However, Paul was perplexed.  How could these dear people who were so devoted to Jesus Christ and the gospel, have turned from the gospel and accept the teachings of the Judaizing teachers?  It did not make sense to Paul.