4 What I am saying is that as long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. 2 The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. 3 So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces [Or under the basic principles ] of the world. 4 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.[The Greek word for adoption to sonship is a legal term referring to the full legal standing of an adopted male heir in Roman culture.] 6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba,[Aramaic for Father] Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.
Paul’s Concern for the Galatians
8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. 9 But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces[Or principles]? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? 10 You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! 11 I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.
12 I plead with you, brothers and sisters, become like me, for I became like you. You did me no wrong. 13 As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you, 14 and even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself. 15 Where, then, is your blessing of me now? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. 16 Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?
17 Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may have zeal for them. 18 It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always, not just when I am with you. 19 My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, 20 how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you!
Hagar and Sarah
21 Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. 23 His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise.
24 These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. 27 For it is written:
“Be glad, barren woman,
you who never bore a child;
shout for joy and cry aloud,
you who were never in labor;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
than of her who has a husband.”[Isaiah 54:1 ]
28 Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29 At that time the son born according to the flesh persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. 30 But what does Scripture say? “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.”[Gen. 21:10] 31 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the freewoman.
NOTES:
4:1–7 What Paul has argued in Gal 3:26–29 is now elaborated
in terms of the Christian as the heir (Gal 4:1, 7; cf. Gal 3:18, 29) freed from
control by others. Again, as in Gal 3:2–5, the proof that Christians are
children of God is the gift of the Spirit of Christ relating them intimately to
God.
4:1, 3 Not of age: an infant or minor.
4:3 The elemental powers of the world: while the term can
refer to the “elements” like earth, air, fire, and water or to elementary forms
of religion, the sense here is more likely that of celestial beings that were
thought in pagan circles to control the world; cf. Gal 4:8; Col 2:8, 20.
4:6 Children: see note on Gal 3:26; here in contrast to the
infant or young person not of age (Gal 3:1, 3). Abba: cf. Mk 14:36 and the
note; Rom 8:15.
4:8–11 On the basis of the arguments advanced from Gal 3:1
through Gal 4:7, Paul now launches his appeal to the Galatians with the
question, how can you turn back to the slavery of the law (Gal 4:9)? The
question is posed with reference to bondage to the elemental powers (see note
on Gal 4:3) because the Galatians had originally been converted to Christianity
from paganism, not Judaism (Gal 4:8). The use of the direct question is like
Gal 3:3–5.
4:8 Things that by nature are not gods: or “gods that by
nature do not exist.”
4:10 This is likely a reference to ritual observances from
the Old Testament, promoted by opponents: sabbaths or Yom Kippur, new moon,
Passover or Pentecost, sabbatical years.
4:11 Cf. Gal 2:2. If the Galatians become slaves…all over
again to the law (Gal 4:9), Paul will have worked in vain among them.
4:12–20 A strongly personal section. Paul appeals to past
ties between the Galatians and himself. He speaks sharply of the opponents (Gal
4:17–18) and pastorally to the Galatians (Gal 4:19–20).
4:12 Because I have also become as you are: a terse phrase
in Greek, meaning “Be as I, Paul, am,” i.e., living by faith, independent of
the law, for, in spite of my background in Judaism (Gal 1:13), I have become as
you Galatians are now, a brother in Christ.
4:13 Physical illness: because its nature is not described,
some assume an eye disease (Gal 4:15); others, epilepsy; some relate it to 2
Cor 12:7–9. Originally: this may also be translated “formerly” or “on the first
(of two) visit(s)”; cf. Acts 16:6; 18:23.
4:15 That blessedness of yours: possibly a reference to the
Galatians’ initial happy reception of Paul (Gal 4:14) and of his gospel (Gal
1:6; 3:1–4) and their felicitation at such blessedness, but the phrase could
also refer ironically to earlier praise by Paul of the Galatians, no longer
possible when they turn from the gospel to the claims of the opponents (Gal
4:17–18; 1:7). If the word is a more literal reference to a beatitude, Gal 3:26–28
may be in view.
4:17 Isolate you: that is, from the blessings of the gospel
and/or from Paul.
4:21–31 Paul supports his appeal for the gospel (Gal 4:9;
1:6–9; 2:16; 3:2) by a further argument from scripture (cf. Gal 3:6–18). It
involves the relationship of Abraham (Gal 3:6–16) to his wife, Sarah, the
freeborn woman, and to Hagar, the slave woman, and the contrast between the
sons born to each, Isaac, child of promise, and Ishmael, son of Hagar (Gn 16;
21). Only through Isaac is the promise of God preserved. This allegory (Gal
4:24), with its equation of the Sinai covenant and Mosaic law with slavery and
of the promise of God with freedom, Paul uses only in light of previous
arguments. His quotation of Gn 21:10 at Gal 4:30 suggests on a scriptural basis
that the Galatians should expel those who are troubling them (Gal 1:7).
4:25 Hagar represents Sinai…: some manuscripts have what
seems a geographical note, “For Sinai is a mountain in Arabia.”
4:27 Is 54:1 in the Septuagint translation is applied to Sarah
as the barren one (in Gn 15) who ultimately becomes the mother not only of
Isaac but now of numerous children, i.e., of all those who believe, the
children of the promise (Gal 4:28).
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