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| Chapter 4 |
| Bible Text | Notes and Thoughts |
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1 ¶ Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth in nothing from a servant, though he be Lord of all. 2 But he is under tutors and governors until the time appointed by the father. 3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. 4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, "Abba, Father." 7 Therefore thou art no more a servant but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. 8 ¶ However that be, then when ye knew not God, ye did service unto those which by nature are not gods. 9 But now after ye have known God, or rather are known by God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements unto which ye desire again to be in bondage? 10 Ye observe days and months and times and years. 11 I am afraid for you, lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain. 12 ¶ Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am, for I am as ye are. Ye have not injured me at all. 13 Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the Gospel unto you at the first. 14 And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected, but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. 15 Where is then the blessedness ye spoke of? For I bear you record that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes and have given them to me. 16 Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth? 17 ¶ They zealously seek after you, but for no good; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might seek after them. 18 But it is good to be zealously sought after, always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you. 19 ¶ My little children, over whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, 20 I desire to be present with you now and to change my tone; for I stand in doubt of you. 21 ¶ Tell me, ye who desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a free woman. 23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, but he of the free woman was by promise. 24 These things are an allegory, for these are the two covenants: The one is from Mount Sinai, which engendereth bondage; this is Hagar. 25 For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and answereth to Jerusalem as it is now, and is in bondage with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem which is above is free, and is the mother of us all. 27 For it is written: "Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not; for the desolate hath many more children than she who hath a husband." 28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. 29 But as then, he that was born according to the flesh persecuted him that was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now. 30 Nevertheless what saith the Scripture? "Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman." 31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free. |
The Judaizers had persuaded the Galatians that using the Law in their worship made them better Christians, the ‘old nature’ responding to this idea because it allowed them to ‘do things,’ they were able to ‘measure’ their results. v1-7 The state of their adoption. The true believer has experienced "Adoption" Gal 4:5; Eph 1:5. We enter the family of God by being "born again" into the family John 3:3 not like adoption of a child in the world. Not only does a believer become a member of the family of God but the word used "adoption" indicates adopted not as a ‘child’ but as an ‘adult’ with the status of an adult son (daughter). When a sinner is "born again" they are spiritually a baby, 1 Peter 2:2,3 but the believer has access to all of the Father’s wealth as an adult son(daughter). Paul now develops this idea. v1-3 It does not matter how rich the child’s father is the child cannot have true access to that wealth. The child will be under the control of the "teacher," often a slave in the times of Paul, and will have just the same rights as the slave. This was the condition of the Jew under the Law period. The Law was the "teacher" until the coming of the Messiah. The Judaizers were now trying to make the "adult son" back into a "child," a step backward. v4,5 The Actions of God. When the world conditions were ready for the coming Saviour, God sent His Son, both God and man, "made of woman." Why? "to redeem those who were under the law," v5, to be set free by paying the price. To be adopted into His family. v6,7 Sons and heirs. The Trinity is involved, The Father sent the Son to die, then God the Son then sent the Holy Spirit to live in us, so being made part of the family of God and the divine nature 2 Peter 1:4. Only a "son" has a "Father," the servant a "master." When the Spirit enters a believer they can speak to the Father, saying "Abba, Father.," ‘Abba’ shows a close relationship, meaning ‘Papa.’ No servant could use that title. Our adoption is still to be finally completed when Jesus returns to takes us to heaven Rom 8:23; 1 John 3:1-3. v8-11 What was happening. The Galatians were giving up their freedom through Christ for the bondage or restrictions of the Law. At one time they were slaves to pagan and false gods, then had experienced the grace of God and the freedom of Christ and were now giving this up, destroying all the good work Paul had done for Christ in them. The words "weak and beggarly elements" tells us how far they had gone away from the gospel. They were adopting the Old Testament system of religion with its "special days" etc., hoping to get "spiritual rewards" for doing this. See Rom 14:4-13. If a person thinks that celebrating a special day saves themselves or grows in grace then they are guilty of becoming legalistic. v12-18 Paul talks of his love for them. We are not certain what sickness Paul is referring to in this passage, possibly affecting his eyes, but it must have made Paul’s appearance objectionable, but they still accepted him and the message of salvation. "What has happened to this love?" Paul asks, "your love was so great you would have disfigured yourself for me." v16 "Yet today I have become your enemy because I tell the truth." v17 Paul continues, "These Judaizers are seeking you for their own gain and pride, they might even be using you Galatians to make themselves great." The Galatians had not lost their salvation, but lost the fellowship of God, preferring to find satisfaction in "works" instead of grace. Paul considers that he is the Galatians ‘parent,’ Paul is very worried about his ‘children’ he longs to see Christ growing in them. He now turns to the Old Testament and uses the story of Ishmael and Isaac to compare basic Christianity and the Law of Moses. Gen 16-21. v19-23 The History. Abraham is called by God and promised many descendants (children) Gen 12:1-9. Sarah his wife cannot have children but does not apparently believe God’s promise. The promised son does not arrive so Sarah takes the matter into her own hands and suggests Abraham marries Hagar her maid, which he does. This action was quite normal in that time. Gen 16:1-3. Hagar becomes pregnant, Sarah becomes jealous and throws Hagar out. God sends Hagar back and promises to care for her. Abraham is 86 when Ishmael is born. Gen 16:4-16. When Abraham is 99 years old God repeats the promise and the baby is to be called Isaac. Gen 17-18. Abraham is 100 years old when a miracle occurs and Sarah has the baby Isaac as promised by God. Gen 21:1-7. Ishmael had been his father’s only son, now he has a rival, which 3 years later when Isaac is three he creates a problem Gen 21:8ff. Abraham has no choice and sends Hagar and Ishmael away, as instructed by God Gen 21:9-14. v24-29 Paul now explains that there is also a spiritual meaning to this story. Hagar the slave represents the Law while Sarah, being a free woman, represents grace. Ishmael was conceived by the flesh, while Isaac was a miraculous birth. So these two boys represent the physical birth, Ishmael v29 "born according to the flesh" , and the spiritual birth, Isaac, v29 "born according to the Spirit." Abraham represents faith, Sarah grace, so Isaac was born "by grace through faith " Eph 2:8-9 Ishmael, the flesh, caused problems for the spiritual, just as our old nature competes with our new spiritual life. Hagar was not Abraham’s first wife, God’s plan was with Sarah, God began with grace but man rejected and lost grace. Hagar was also a slave, even though married to Abraham. The Law was given as a servant, Gal 3:23-25. Hagar was not part of God’s plan, it was Sarah’s and Abraham’s unbelief. Isaac was the heir, Ishmael could never be part of the spiritual inheritance. Law and grace cannot exist together, Ishmael had lived in the home for seventeen years, but when Isaac came he had to go. so we are unable to mix law and grace, faith and works, God’s gift or works. v30,31 The Blessings. We are supposed to throw out our old nature, we are children of freedom, heirs of the freedom, our life should be spiritual, "not children of the bondwoman." |
Easy English Translation
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