Gal 4:1-3: “Now I am saying, for as much time as the enjoyer of an allotment is a minor, in nothing is he of more consequence than a slave, being master of all, but is under guardians and administrators until the time purposed by the father. Thus we also, when we were minors, were enslaved under the elements of the world.
The phrase “when we were minors”, like what we saw in Gal 3:23, “we were garrisoned under law” I believe is talking about Israelites (who are now members of the body of Christ) who had been given the law, and were essentially slaves under it. In this passage Paul likens the law to the “elements of the world”. In Colossians, Paul warns about the elements of the world: Col 2:8: "Beware that no one shall be despoiling you through philosophy and empty seduction, in accord with human tradition, in accord with the elements of the world, and not in accord with Christ,". As Paul had said earlier in this letter, the Galatians were being tempted by a different evangel (1:6-7) which was an attempt to mix grace and law, which are incompatible. “Doing something for God” is an empty seduction, is very much a human tradition in religion, and can be philosophically argued for, but it is not in accord with Christ and grace.
Gal 4:4-7: "Now when the full time came, God delegates His Son, come of a woman, come under law, that He should be reclaiming those under law, that we may be getting the place of a son. Now, seeing that you are sons, God delegates the spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying "Abba! Father!" So that you are no longer a slave, but a son. Now if a son, an enjoyer also of an allotment from God, through Christ."
When God gave the law to Israel it had a purpose, and it would fulfill its purpose until the full time came. God sent His Son, to reclaim those under the law. No longer minors, believers are sons. In this passage, Paul says the same thing here that he writes in Romans 8:15-17, which I printed out at the end of the Galatians 3 blog.
Gal 4:8-11: "But then, indeed, having no perception of God, you were slaves of those who, by nature, are not gods. Yet now, knowing God, yet rather being known by God, how are you turning back again to the infirm and poor elements for which you want to slave again anew? Days are you scrutinizing, and months and seasons and years. I fear for you, lest somehow I have toiled for you feignedly."
Here Paul uses the pronoun “you” instead of “we” like he had been using from 3:23 to 4:3. I believe that in the previous section, Paul was writing about Israelites who had become members of Christ’s body. In 4:8, he writes about those of the nations who had become part of Christ’s body. The nations had no perception of God, (unlike Israel) and they slaved for false gods. God had now called them into the body of Christ, through the evangel of the grace of God. The approach present of God (Eph 2:8, 5:2) does not require slavery of any kind, it is the message of what God through Christ has already done on the behalf of all. Paul calls the religious precepts of the nations, that they lived in before, “infirm and poor elements”. See Col 2:20-21, which fits perfectly here: "If, then, you died together with Christ from the elements of the world, why, as living in the world, are you subject to decrees: "You should not be touching, nor yet tasting, nor yet coming into contact,"" Just like in in Gal 4:11, religious decrees (scrutinizing days, months, and years, and not touching, tasting, coming into contact, superstitions) are slavery for no good reason and contrary to the evangel. The observance of rituals like this are possibly a sign of a feigned understanding of the evangel. It is interesting that Paul says both Israelites and the nations were slaves to the “elements of the world” before God called them in grace.
Gal 4:12-16: "Become as I, for I am even as you, brethren, I beseech you. In nothing do you injure me. Now you are aware that during an infirmity of the flesh I bring the evangel to you formerly. And your trial, in my flesh, you do not scorn, neither do you loathe it, but as a messenger of God you receive me, as Christ Jesus. Where, then, is your happiness? For I am testifying to you, that, if possible, gouging out your eyes, you would give them to me. So that I have become your enemy by being true to you!"
Paul initially brought the evangel to the Galatians in infirmity, possibly an affliction of the eyes as he mentions in vs. 15. This reminds me of this passage: 2Cor 12:9: "And He has protested to me, "Sufficient for you is My grace, for My power in infirmity is being perfected." With the greatest relish, then, will I rather be glorying in my infirmities, that the power of Christ should be tabernacling over me." God has chosen the weak to share the evangel, to highlight the fact that flesh can do nothing to please God and the evangel is a message of grace, which has all been accomplished by God through Christ. The Galatians recognized Paul as a messenger of God and loved him. I believe Paul wants the Galatians to know that he is not angry with them. He is perplexed and wants them to know he loves them enough to about them to tell them the truth, in all things.
Gal 4:17-18: "They are jealous over you, not ideally, but they want to debar you that you may be jealous over them. Now it is ideal for you to be jealous in the ideal always, and not only in my presence with you."
The word translated jealous here, zéloó, can also mean zealous. The base english elements of this word are “be boiling”. The “they” is talking about the judaizers who were trying to persuade (and succeeding it seems, because the writing of this letter was necessary) the Galatians to follow them and ignore Paul. Being zealous for the truth (the ideal) is good, but many are zealous for falsities.
Gal 4:19-21: "Little children mine, with whom I am travailing again until Christ may be formed in you! Yet I wanted to be present with you just now, and to change my voice, for I am perplexed about you. Tell me, you who want to be under law, are you not hearing the law?"
Paul calls the Galatians his children, again emphasizing his love for them. This matter couldn’t wait to be addressed until Paul could be there personally, it’s importance required this letter to be written. Paul is perplexed at how the Galatians could be turning from the freedom they have in Christ to slavery under the law (Gal 1:6-7, 3:1-4).
Gal 4:22-31: For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, one out of the maid and one out of the free woman. But the one, indeed, out of the maid is begotten according to flesh, yet the one out of the free woman through the promise: which is allegorizing, for these women are two covenants; one, indeed, from mount Sinai, generating into slavery, which is Hagar. Yet Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia; it is in line with the Jerusalem which now is, for she is in slavery with her children. Yet the Jerusalem above is free, who is mother of us all. For it is written, "Be glad, barren one, who art not bringing forth! Burst forth and implore, thou who art not travailing! For many are the children of the desolate, Rather than of her who has the husband." Now you, brethren, as Isaac, are children of promise. But even as then, the one generated according to flesh persecuted the one according to spirit, thus also it is now. But what is the scripture saying? Cast out this maid and her son, for by no means shall the son of the maid be enjoying the allotment with the son of the free woman. Wherefore, brethren, we are not children of the maid, but of the free woman."
I really like what A.E. Knoch said in his commentary on these verses: “The controversy turns on the question "Who are the heirs of Abraham?" Is the ground of sonship circumcision and law keeping, or faith? The Judaisers said, We are Abraham's sons! Abraham had two sons, says Paul. Which line do you belong to, Ishmael or Isaac? You are Ishmaelites, sons of Hagar, born of the flesh, born into slavery. You are not heirs of Abraham! Isaac, the child of promise, is the true heir. These two sons of Abraham illustrate the relation between law and promise, flesh and spirit. Ishmael came into Abraham's home between the promise and the advent of the true heir. Born of unbelief, he was a continual trial and persecuted the son of promise. But finally the decree went forth: Cast out this maid and her son! It could hardly be that the Galatians are listening to any but so-called "believing" Jews who were associated with the apostles, and with James. They would not listen to the persecutors of the ecclesia in Jerusalem. Tens of thousands of Jews believed but they all were zealous of the law (Ac.21:20). This shows that those associated with the Pentecostal administration were virulently opposed to Paul and his doctrine of grace. When he was in Jerusalem they led the multitude against him and nearly killed him. These Jewish Christians were the most troublesome enemies of the ecclesias among the nations which had been founded by Paul.”
The maid and her son had to be cast out, like law must be cast out when embracing grace. Law and grace cannot be mixed. Again, if Paul’s message of grace (evangel of the uncircumcision) was the same as as the message of the apostles (evangel of the circumcision) there would be no conflict between them, and no need for this letter to be written.
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