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Galatians 4 |
King James Version
Author: Youssef Rank: Bishop Posted on: 2023-01-26
The listed verse explanations of the individual persons have nothing to do with the explanations of the other persons. This also applies to the Bible translations.
Galatians 4:1 Now I say, [That] the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
The picture used here shows us a wealthy father who intends to transfer the management of his estate to his son once he reaches maturity. However, "as long as the heir is a child," the heir's position is similar to that of a "slave." He is constantly told to do this and not to do that. He has "guardians" who are in charge of his property and "trustees" who supervise him. Thus, even though the inheritance is assured to him, he cannot take possession of it until he has grown up.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-2
1Now I say, [That] the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;2But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.
Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-06-29 Source:
Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck
The folly of returning to legal observances for justification.
The apostle deals plainly with those who urged the law of Moses together with the gospel of Christ, and endeavored to bring believers under its bondage. They could not fully understand the meaning of the law as given by Moses. And as that was a dispensation of darkness, so of bondage; they were tied to many burdensome rites and observances, by which they were taught and kept subject like a child under tutors and governors. We learn the happier state of Christians under the gospel dispensation. From these verses see the wonders of Divine love and mercy; particularly of God the Father, in sending his Son into the world to redeem and save us; of the Son of God, in submitting so low, and suffering so much for us; and of the Holy Spirit, in condescending to dwell in the hearts of believers, for such gracious purposes. Also, the advantages Christians enjoy under the gospel. Although by nature children of wrath and disobedience, they become by grace children of love, and partake of the nature of the children of God; for he will have all his children resemble him. Among men the eldest son is heir; but all God’s children shall have the inheritance of eldest sons. May the temper and conduct of sons ever show our adoption; and may the Holy Spirit witness with our spirits that we are children and heirs of God.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-7
1Now I say, [That] the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;2But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.3Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:4But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,5To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.6And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.7Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source:
Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry
[Verse 1-2]. Chapter 4 is related to the previous chapter and in the first verses Paul takes a closer look at the heir. He describes the contrast between the heir under the law and those who are heirs through faith in Christ. The comparison between a child and a slave makes clear that, as long as a child is under the authority of his educators, there is no difference between them.
A child may have rich parents, but all those riches have no use for him as long as he is unable to access them independently. Until that time, in earlier days, a child lived under the authority of “guardians” (who especially took care of the personal well-being of the child) and “managers” (who especially watched over the possessions of the child). That lasted until the time when the father regarded the child as an adult who was responsible enough to make his own decisions.
[Verse 3]. The period in which the child was not allowed to act independently, can be compared with the period in which the believer lived before the coming of Christ. During that period the law controlled his relationship with God. There was no relationship possible with God as Father, and therefore the Father could not share His thoughts with the believer about being an heir. This period of childhood was marked by a sort of slavery to the law. Whoever is under the ‘law’, whatever that may be, is not free. By any definition, being under the law, means slavery and bearing a yoke, just as Peter calls the law in Acts 15 [Acts 15:10].
Here Paul uses another expression for the law, namely, “elemental things of the world”. The law belongs to the world. After all, the law was given to a people in the flesh, a natural people, without any questioning of the spiritual condition of that people. The law was never meant to bring man into relationship with God in order to know Him as a Father. The essence of the law is that man should learn to know himself.
[Verse 4]. The fact that the law didn’t bring man to know God as Father in order to possess the inheritance is most strikingly seen at the cross. The nation, to whom the law was given, brought the Giver of the law to the cross. Then “the fullness of the time” had come. The law had fully served its time as an opportunity for the nation to receive all the promises of God. Man is found to be a sinner to the deepest of his being and has forfeited all rights to the fulfillment of the promises. When the time had come that man revealed himself in full depravity, that was the moment that God fully revealed Who He is.
God gave the law through angels [Gal 3:19], but He gave His Son Himself, without involving anyone else. Christ was “born of a woman”, because sin also came into the world through a woman. He was born of a woman, but begotten by the Holy Spirit – therefore without the nature of sin. He always had the form of God [Phil 2:6], but took a body, a body God had prepared for Him [Heb 10:5]. That Christ was ‘born of a woman’ proves His true Manhood. It also proves His true pre-existence as God. If it had not been so, what then would have been remarkable about the fact that He was born of a woman?
[Verse 5]. It was also necessary that He was “born under the law”. Only then could He redeem those who were under the law. In His life He glorified the law, for He fulfilled it and bore in His death the curse of it. But by keeping the law faithfully He could never have saved a man. Moreover, His keeping of the law was an accusation against every man who violated the law. He became a substitute for the sinner not by His obedient life, but by bearing in the three hours of darkness the sins of all who believe in Him. And the magnificent result of His work on the cross is that we may stand as sons before God!
It is significant to know that there is a difference between being a child of God and being a son of God. To be a child of God means above all that you have the life of God, that you are a partaker of His nature [2Pet 1:4]. The nature and essence of God are light and love. That is what a child of God shows in his life; he’s walking in the light and in love.
Sonship especially has to do with a position, with the value you have for God. He wants fellowship with sons. Sons are predestined for Himself [Eph 1:5]. A believer is both a child and a son. It has nothing to do with a process of growing, in which you would outgrow the stage of being a child to become a son.
[Verse 6]. Then Paul connects sonship to the fact that “God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts”. First, God sent His Son; after that He sent the Spirit of His Son. Here you see how the three Persons of the Godhead accomplished the blessings of sonship in God’s plan of salvation. God sent His Son to give us sonship; He sent the Spirit of His Son in our hearts to give us the consciousness and the joy which come with that.
Here the Holy Spirit is called “the Spirit of His Son”. This emphasizes that sons of God possess the same Spirit as the Son of God. That which the Spirit of the Son works out in the sons, is the same as what characterizes the Son: the conscious relation to God as Father.
The word “Abba” speaks of confidence; it is the word the child of God uses when he speaks to his Father, just as we might call our father ‘daddy’. The Father is pleased when we come to Him in that way.
[Verse 7]. He who, conscious of being a son, says ’Abba, Father’, can’t be a slave anymore. Such a person knows that everything that belongs to the Father, He shares with His sons. They are the “fellow heirs” with the Son [Eph 3:6]. That and that only and nothing else is the place God has destined for those who are His sons.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-7
1Now I say, [That] the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;2But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.3Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:4But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,5To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.6And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.7Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-04-19 Source:
Title: Galatians Author: Ger de Koning Copyright: kingcomments.com Note General: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author or the publisher.
The word child in this place denotes not age but understanding; meaning that God had from the beginning designed for us these gifts, but, as we yet continued childish, He let us be under the elements of the world, that is, new moons and sabbaths, for these days are regulated by the course of sun and moon. If then also now they bring you under law they do nothing else but lead you backward now in the time of your perfect age and maturity. And see what is the consequence of observing days; the Lord, the Master of the house, the Sovereign Ruler, is thereby reduced to the rank of a servant.
The infant heir … signifies the whole human race up to the advent of Christ, and, to speak more largely, right up to the end of the world. For, just as all die in Adam the first man, though they are not yet born, so all those who were born before Christ’s advent are now made alive in the second Adam. And so it is that we served the law in the fathers and are saved by grace in the sons. This understanding fits the catholic church, which asserts a single providence in the Old and New Testaments and does not distinguish in time those whom it makes equal in condition. –.
The listed verse explanations of the individual persons have nothing to do with the explanations of the other persons. This also applies to the Bible translations.
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Galatians 4:2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.
The picture used here shows us a wealthy father who intends to transfer the management of his estate to his son once he reaches maturity. However, "as long as the heir is a child," the heir's position is similar to that of a "slave." He is constantly told to do this and not to do that. He has "guardians" who are in charge of his property and "trustees" who supervise him. Thus, even though the inheritance is assured to him, he cannot take possession of it until he has grown up.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-2
1Now I say, [That] the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;2But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.
Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-06-29 Source:
Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck
The folly of returning to legal observances for justification.
The apostle deals plainly with those who urged the law of Moses together with the gospel of Christ, and endeavored to bring believers under its bondage. They could not fully understand the meaning of the law as given by Moses. And as that was a dispensation of darkness, so of bondage; they were tied to many burdensome rites and observances, by which they were taught and kept subject like a child under tutors and governors. We learn the happier state of Christians under the gospel dispensation. From these verses see the wonders of Divine love and mercy; particularly of God the Father, in sending his Son into the world to redeem and save us; of the Son of God, in submitting so low, and suffering so much for us; and of the Holy Spirit, in condescending to dwell in the hearts of believers, for such gracious purposes. Also, the advantages Christians enjoy under the gospel. Although by nature children of wrath and disobedience, they become by grace children of love, and partake of the nature of the children of God; for he will have all his children resemble him. Among men the eldest son is heir; but all God’s children shall have the inheritance of eldest sons. May the temper and conduct of sons ever show our adoption; and may the Holy Spirit witness with our spirits that we are children and heirs of God.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-7
1Now I say, [That] the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;2But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.3Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:4But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,5To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.6And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.7Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source:
Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry
[Verse 1-2]. Chapter 4 is related to the previous chapter and in the first verses Paul takes a closer look at the heir. He describes the contrast between the heir under the law and those who are heirs through faith in Christ. The comparison between a child and a slave makes clear that, as long as a child is under the authority of his educators, there is no difference between them.
A child may have rich parents, but all those riches have no use for him as long as he is unable to access them independently. Until that time, in earlier days, a child lived under the authority of “guardians” (who especially took care of the personal well-being of the child) and “managers” (who especially watched over the possessions of the child). That lasted until the time when the father regarded the child as an adult who was responsible enough to make his own decisions.
[Verse 3]. The period in which the child was not allowed to act independently, can be compared with the period in which the believer lived before the coming of Christ. During that period the law controlled his relationship with God. There was no relationship possible with God as Father, and therefore the Father could not share His thoughts with the believer about being an heir. This period of childhood was marked by a sort of slavery to the law. Whoever is under the ‘law’, whatever that may be, is not free. By any definition, being under the law, means slavery and bearing a yoke, just as Peter calls the law in Acts 15 [Acts 15:10].
Here Paul uses another expression for the law, namely, “elemental things of the world”. The law belongs to the world. After all, the law was given to a people in the flesh, a natural people, without any questioning of the spiritual condition of that people. The law was never meant to bring man into relationship with God in order to know Him as a Father. The essence of the law is that man should learn to know himself.
[Verse 4]. The fact that the law didn’t bring man to know God as Father in order to possess the inheritance is most strikingly seen at the cross. The nation, to whom the law was given, brought the Giver of the law to the cross. Then “the fullness of the time” had come. The law had fully served its time as an opportunity for the nation to receive all the promises of God. Man is found to be a sinner to the deepest of his being and has forfeited all rights to the fulfillment of the promises. When the time had come that man revealed himself in full depravity, that was the moment that God fully revealed Who He is.
God gave the law through angels [Gal 3:19], but He gave His Son Himself, without involving anyone else. Christ was “born of a woman”, because sin also came into the world through a woman. He was born of a woman, but begotten by the Holy Spirit – therefore without the nature of sin. He always had the form of God [Phil 2:6], but took a body, a body God had prepared for Him [Heb 10:5]. That Christ was ‘born of a woman’ proves His true Manhood. It also proves His true pre-existence as God. If it had not been so, what then would have been remarkable about the fact that He was born of a woman?
[Verse 5]. It was also necessary that He was “born under the law”. Only then could He redeem those who were under the law. In His life He glorified the law, for He fulfilled it and bore in His death the curse of it. But by keeping the law faithfully He could never have saved a man. Moreover, His keeping of the law was an accusation against every man who violated the law. He became a substitute for the sinner not by His obedient life, but by bearing in the three hours of darkness the sins of all who believe in Him. And the magnificent result of His work on the cross is that we may stand as sons before God!
It is significant to know that there is a difference between being a child of God and being a son of God. To be a child of God means above all that you have the life of God, that you are a partaker of His nature [2Pet 1:4]. The nature and essence of God are light and love. That is what a child of God shows in his life; he’s walking in the light and in love.
Sonship especially has to do with a position, with the value you have for God. He wants fellowship with sons. Sons are predestined for Himself [Eph 1:5]. A believer is both a child and a son. It has nothing to do with a process of growing, in which you would outgrow the stage of being a child to become a son.
[Verse 6]. Then Paul connects sonship to the fact that “God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts”. First, God sent His Son; after that He sent the Spirit of His Son. Here you see how the three Persons of the Godhead accomplished the blessings of sonship in God’s plan of salvation. God sent His Son to give us sonship; He sent the Spirit of His Son in our hearts to give us the consciousness and the joy which come with that.
Here the Holy Spirit is called “the Spirit of His Son”. This emphasizes that sons of God possess the same Spirit as the Son of God. That which the Spirit of the Son works out in the sons, is the same as what characterizes the Son: the conscious relation to God as Father.
The word “Abba” speaks of confidence; it is the word the child of God uses when he speaks to his Father, just as we might call our father ‘daddy’. The Father is pleased when we come to Him in that way.
[Verse 7]. He who, conscious of being a son, says ’Abba, Father’, can’t be a slave anymore. Such a person knows that everything that belongs to the Father, He shares with His sons. They are the “fellow heirs” with the Son [Eph 3:6]. That and that only and nothing else is the place God has destined for those who are His sons.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-7
1Now I say, [That] the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;2But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.3Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:4But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,5To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.6And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.7Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-04-19 Source:
Title: Galatians Author: Ger de Koning Copyright: kingcomments.com Note General: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author or the publisher.
“Guardians and trustees” could be taken as the prophets, by whose words we were made ready, day by day, for the coming of the Savior, just as the law of Moses is described above as a custodian…. Or the phrase could be taken to refer to priests and princes, who then held power over the people and are now a reflection of God’s purpose. People are correctly said to live under tutors and overseers when, having the spirit of fear, they have not yet deserved to receive the spirit of freedom and adoption. For the age of infancy feels dread in relation to sin, fears its custodian and does not believe in its own freedom, even if it is sovereign by nature.
The listed verse explanations of the individual persons have nothing to do with the explanations of the other persons. This also applies to the Bible translations.
Please log in to use all functions!
There are currently no tags for this verse.
Galatians 4:3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
This was also the condition of the Jews under the law. They were "minors" over whom the law exercised strict control, like that over slaves. They were "enslaved under the basic principles of the world," referring to the fundamental elements of Jewish worship. The ceremonies and rites of Judaism were instituted for those who did not know God the Father as He is revealed in Christ. An illustration of this can be seen in a child learning the basics of the alphabet. Initially, the child engages with shapes by playing with building blocks or learning to name objects using picture books. The law was full of shadows and images that addressed the spiritual meaning through the tangible and external. Circumcision is an example in this regard. Judaism dealt with objects and external, temporal things, while Christianity is oriented toward the spiritual, internal, and eternal. These externals were a form of slavery for the children.
Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-06-29 Source:
Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck
The folly of returning to legal observances for justification.
The apostle deals plainly with those who urged the law of Moses together with the gospel of Christ, and endeavored to bring believers under its bondage. They could not fully understand the meaning of the law as given by Moses. And as that was a dispensation of darkness, so of bondage; they were tied to many burdensome rites and observances, by which they were taught and kept subject like a child under tutors and governors. We learn the happier state of Christians under the gospel dispensation. From these verses see the wonders of Divine love and mercy; particularly of God the Father, in sending his Son into the world to redeem and save us; of the Son of God, in submitting so low, and suffering so much for us; and of the Holy Spirit, in condescending to dwell in the hearts of believers, for such gracious purposes. Also, the advantages Christians enjoy under the gospel. Although by nature children of wrath and disobedience, they become by grace children of love, and partake of the nature of the children of God; for he will have all his children resemble him. Among men the eldest son is heir; but all God’s children shall have the inheritance of eldest sons. May the temper and conduct of sons ever show our adoption; and may the Holy Spirit witness with our spirits that we are children and heirs of God.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-7
1Now I say, [That] the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;2But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.3Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:4But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,5To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.6And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.7Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source:
Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry
[Verse 1-2]. Chapter 4 is related to the previous chapter and in the first verses Paul takes a closer look at the heir. He describes the contrast between the heir under the law and those who are heirs through faith in Christ. The comparison between a child and a slave makes clear that, as long as a child is under the authority of his educators, there is no difference between them.
A child may have rich parents, but all those riches have no use for him as long as he is unable to access them independently. Until that time, in earlier days, a child lived under the authority of “guardians” (who especially took care of the personal well-being of the child) and “managers” (who especially watched over the possessions of the child). That lasted until the time when the father regarded the child as an adult who was responsible enough to make his own decisions.
[Verse 3]. The period in which the child was not allowed to act independently, can be compared with the period in which the believer lived before the coming of Christ. During that period the law controlled his relationship with God. There was no relationship possible with God as Father, and therefore the Father could not share His thoughts with the believer about being an heir. This period of childhood was marked by a sort of slavery to the law. Whoever is under the ‘law’, whatever that may be, is not free. By any definition, being under the law, means slavery and bearing a yoke, just as Peter calls the law in Acts 15 [Acts 15:10].
Here Paul uses another expression for the law, namely, “elemental things of the world”. The law belongs to the world. After all, the law was given to a people in the flesh, a natural people, without any questioning of the spiritual condition of that people. The law was never meant to bring man into relationship with God in order to know Him as a Father. The essence of the law is that man should learn to know himself.
[Verse 4]. The fact that the law didn’t bring man to know God as Father in order to possess the inheritance is most strikingly seen at the cross. The nation, to whom the law was given, brought the Giver of the law to the cross. Then “the fullness of the time” had come. The law had fully served its time as an opportunity for the nation to receive all the promises of God. Man is found to be a sinner to the deepest of his being and has forfeited all rights to the fulfillment of the promises. When the time had come that man revealed himself in full depravity, that was the moment that God fully revealed Who He is.
God gave the law through angels [Gal 3:19], but He gave His Son Himself, without involving anyone else. Christ was “born of a woman”, because sin also came into the world through a woman. He was born of a woman, but begotten by the Holy Spirit – therefore without the nature of sin. He always had the form of God [Phil 2:6], but took a body, a body God had prepared for Him [Heb 10:5]. That Christ was ‘born of a woman’ proves His true Manhood. It also proves His true pre-existence as God. If it had not been so, what then would have been remarkable about the fact that He was born of a woman?
[Verse 5]. It was also necessary that He was “born under the law”. Only then could He redeem those who were under the law. In His life He glorified the law, for He fulfilled it and bore in His death the curse of it. But by keeping the law faithfully He could never have saved a man. Moreover, His keeping of the law was an accusation against every man who violated the law. He became a substitute for the sinner not by His obedient life, but by bearing in the three hours of darkness the sins of all who believe in Him. And the magnificent result of His work on the cross is that we may stand as sons before God!
It is significant to know that there is a difference between being a child of God and being a son of God. To be a child of God means above all that you have the life of God, that you are a partaker of His nature [2Pet 1:4]. The nature and essence of God are light and love. That is what a child of God shows in his life; he’s walking in the light and in love.
Sonship especially has to do with a position, with the value you have for God. He wants fellowship with sons. Sons are predestined for Himself [Eph 1:5]. A believer is both a child and a son. It has nothing to do with a process of growing, in which you would outgrow the stage of being a child to become a son.
[Verse 6]. Then Paul connects sonship to the fact that “God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts”. First, God sent His Son; after that He sent the Spirit of His Son. Here you see how the three Persons of the Godhead accomplished the blessings of sonship in God’s plan of salvation. God sent His Son to give us sonship; He sent the Spirit of His Son in our hearts to give us the consciousness and the joy which come with that.
Here the Holy Spirit is called “the Spirit of His Son”. This emphasizes that sons of God possess the same Spirit as the Son of God. That which the Spirit of the Son works out in the sons, is the same as what characterizes the Son: the conscious relation to God as Father.
The word “Abba” speaks of confidence; it is the word the child of God uses when he speaks to his Father, just as we might call our father ‘daddy’. The Father is pleased when we come to Him in that way.
[Verse 7]. He who, conscious of being a son, says ’Abba, Father’, can’t be a slave anymore. Such a person knows that everything that belongs to the Father, He shares with His sons. They are the “fellow heirs” with the Son [Eph 3:6]. That and that only and nothing else is the place God has destined for those who are His sons.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-7
1Now I say, [That] the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;2But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.3Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:4But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,5To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.6And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.7Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-04-19 Source:
Title: Galatians Author: Ger de Koning Copyright: kingcomments.com Note General: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author or the publisher.
He has used the name “elements of the world” for those whom he called tutors and overseers above…. Some hold that these are angels that preside over the four elements. … Many think that it is the heaven and earth with their inhabitants that are called the elements of the world, because the wise Greeks, the barbarians and the Romans, the dregs of all superstition, venerate the sun, the moon, … from which we are liberated by Christ’s coming, knowing them to be creatures and not divinities. Others interpret the elements of the world as the law of Moses and the utterances of the prophets, because, commencing and setting out with these letters, we imbibe the fear of God, which is the beginning of wisdom…. The Mosaic law and the prophets can be taken as the elements of writing, because through them syllables and names are put together, and they are learned not so much for their own sake as for their usefulness to others…. Regarding our interpretation of the law and the prophets as the elements of the world, “world” is customarily taken to signify those who are in the world. .
The elements of the world were thought to have in themselves at the same time their own motions and, as it were, certain necessary consequences of the motion of other beings, such as stars, by whose revolution human life was brought under necessity. And so humans served the elements as the stars ordained and the course of the world required. –.
Author: Gaius Marius Victorinus Rank: Author AD: 400
Why does Paul include his own character in this description? He says not “When you were small, you were subject to the elements of this world” but “When we were small we were in servitude under the elements of this world.” This does not have any reference to the Jews, from whom Paul derived his origin. Rather it refers to his identification with the Gentiles in this place at least, since he can properly join himself with the character of those whom he was sent to evangelize.
By the “elements” he means new moons and the sabbath. New moons are the lunar days that the Jews observe, while the sabbath is the day of rest. Therefore, before the promise came (that is, the gift of God’s grace) and justified believers by purifying them, we were subject, like those who are infants and imperfect, to our fellow servants as though to custodians. Our pernicious freedom was the matrix of sin.
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Galatians 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
"The fullness of time" refers to the time set by the heavenly Father when the heirs would come of age (cf. [Verse 2]).
In this verse, we have a wonderful statement about the divinity and humanity of the Savior in just a few words. He is the eternal Son of God, and yet He was "born of a woman." If Jesus had only been a human, it would be unnecessary to say He was "born of a woman." How else can a human be born? The expression, in the case of our Lord, speaks of His uniqueness and His miraculous birth.
He was born into this world as an Israelite. Therefore, He was "born under the law." As the Son of God, the Lord Jesus would never have been under the law, for He was the one who instituted it. Yet, in His condescending goodness, He placed Himself "under the law," the very law He had ordained. He did so to elevate it to its true greatness through His life and to bear the curse of the law in His death.
Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-06-29 Source:
Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck
According to one of the Church Fathers, Christ was born from the Father before all time without a mother and from a virgin in the fullness of time without a father.
Thus, the Virgin gave birth to the Son of God, who was also the Son of Man, as He called Himself.
The Son, the Logos, filled the womb of the Holy Virgin, took His human nature from her, and then she brought Him forth.
This is distinct from the assertion of Nestorius, who claimed that the Virgin only gave birth to an ordinary human, and that later God dwelled in this human or filled him, or that Christ merely became a God-bearing nature without a consubstantial unity in the same essence.
Author: Shenouda III. Rank: Pope AD: 2012 Source:
Title: 18 Die Natur Christi Author: Pope Shenouda III, 117th Pope of Alexandria Number of pages: 40 Print: Anba Rewes Printing House, Kairo, Ägypten Translation: Bernhard und Marlene Wolf
The folly of returning to legal observances for justification.
The apostle deals plainly with those who urged the law of Moses together with the gospel of Christ, and endeavored to bring believers under its bondage. They could not fully understand the meaning of the law as given by Moses. And as that was a dispensation of darkness, so of bondage; they were tied to many burdensome rites and observances, by which they were taught and kept subject like a child under tutors and governors. We learn the happier state of Christians under the gospel dispensation. From these verses see the wonders of Divine love and mercy; particularly of God the Father, in sending his Son into the world to redeem and save us; of the Son of God, in submitting so low, and suffering so much for us; and of the Holy Spirit, in condescending to dwell in the hearts of believers, for such gracious purposes. Also, the advantages Christians enjoy under the gospel. Although by nature children of wrath and disobedience, they become by grace children of love, and partake of the nature of the children of God; for he will have all his children resemble him. Among men the eldest son is heir; but all God’s children shall have the inheritance of eldest sons. May the temper and conduct of sons ever show our adoption; and may the Holy Spirit witness with our spirits that we are children and heirs of God.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-7
1Now I say, [That] the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;2But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.3Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:4But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,5To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.6And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.7Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source:
Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry
[Verse 1-2]. Chapter 4 is related to the previous chapter and in the first verses Paul takes a closer look at the heir. He describes the contrast between the heir under the law and those who are heirs through faith in Christ. The comparison between a child and a slave makes clear that, as long as a child is under the authority of his educators, there is no difference between them.
A child may have rich parents, but all those riches have no use for him as long as he is unable to access them independently. Until that time, in earlier days, a child lived under the authority of “guardians” (who especially took care of the personal well-being of the child) and “managers” (who especially watched over the possessions of the child). That lasted until the time when the father regarded the child as an adult who was responsible enough to make his own decisions.
[Verse 3]. The period in which the child was not allowed to act independently, can be compared with the period in which the believer lived before the coming of Christ. During that period the law controlled his relationship with God. There was no relationship possible with God as Father, and therefore the Father could not share His thoughts with the believer about being an heir. This period of childhood was marked by a sort of slavery to the law. Whoever is under the ‘law’, whatever that may be, is not free. By any definition, being under the law, means slavery and bearing a yoke, just as Peter calls the law in Acts 15 [Acts 15:10].
Here Paul uses another expression for the law, namely, “elemental things of the world”. The law belongs to the world. After all, the law was given to a people in the flesh, a natural people, without any questioning of the spiritual condition of that people. The law was never meant to bring man into relationship with God in order to know Him as a Father. The essence of the law is that man should learn to know himself.
[Verse 4]. The fact that the law didn’t bring man to know God as Father in order to possess the inheritance is most strikingly seen at the cross. The nation, to whom the law was given, brought the Giver of the law to the cross. Then “the fullness of the time” had come. The law had fully served its time as an opportunity for the nation to receive all the promises of God. Man is found to be a sinner to the deepest of his being and has forfeited all rights to the fulfillment of the promises. When the time had come that man revealed himself in full depravity, that was the moment that God fully revealed Who He is.
God gave the law through angels [Gal 3:19], but He gave His Son Himself, without involving anyone else. Christ was “born of a woman”, because sin also came into the world through a woman. He was born of a woman, but begotten by the Holy Spirit – therefore without the nature of sin. He always had the form of God [Phil 2:6], but took a body, a body God had prepared for Him [Heb 10:5]. That Christ was ‘born of a woman’ proves His true Manhood. It also proves His true pre-existence as God. If it had not been so, what then would have been remarkable about the fact that He was born of a woman?
[Verse 5]. It was also necessary that He was “born under the law”. Only then could He redeem those who were under the law. In His life He glorified the law, for He fulfilled it and bore in His death the curse of it. But by keeping the law faithfully He could never have saved a man. Moreover, His keeping of the law was an accusation against every man who violated the law. He became a substitute for the sinner not by His obedient life, but by bearing in the three hours of darkness the sins of all who believe in Him. And the magnificent result of His work on the cross is that we may stand as sons before God!
It is significant to know that there is a difference between being a child of God and being a son of God. To be a child of God means above all that you have the life of God, that you are a partaker of His nature [2Pet 1:4]. The nature and essence of God are light and love. That is what a child of God shows in his life; he’s walking in the light and in love.
Sonship especially has to do with a position, with the value you have for God. He wants fellowship with sons. Sons are predestined for Himself [Eph 1:5]. A believer is both a child and a son. It has nothing to do with a process of growing, in which you would outgrow the stage of being a child to become a son.
[Verse 6]. Then Paul connects sonship to the fact that “God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts”. First, God sent His Son; after that He sent the Spirit of His Son. Here you see how the three Persons of the Godhead accomplished the blessings of sonship in God’s plan of salvation. God sent His Son to give us sonship; He sent the Spirit of His Son in our hearts to give us the consciousness and the joy which come with that.
Here the Holy Spirit is called “the Spirit of His Son”. This emphasizes that sons of God possess the same Spirit as the Son of God. That which the Spirit of the Son works out in the sons, is the same as what characterizes the Son: the conscious relation to God as Father.
The word “Abba” speaks of confidence; it is the word the child of God uses when he speaks to his Father, just as we might call our father ‘daddy’. The Father is pleased when we come to Him in that way.
[Verse 7]. He who, conscious of being a son, says ’Abba, Father’, can’t be a slave anymore. Such a person knows that everything that belongs to the Father, He shares with His sons. They are the “fellow heirs” with the Son [Eph 3:6]. That and that only and nothing else is the place God has destined for those who are His sons.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-7
1Now I say, [That] the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;2But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.3Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:4But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,5To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.6And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.7Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-04-19 Source:
Title: Galatians Author: Ger de Koning Copyright: kingcomments.com Note General: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author or the publisher.
A certain person thought that he had cleverly solved this question: that Mary was called a woman by the angel and the apostle because she was already betrothed. For a betrothed is in some sense a bride. Yet between “in some sense” and “truly” there is a great distance…. He spoke of one who was a virgin and was called woman according to a proper usage of this term with respect to the basic quality of a virgin, which is therefore vindicated by the generic term woman.
Author: Tertullian of Carthage Rank: Author AD: 220
"But when the fulness of time was come, God sent forth His Son".
Since, then, the Creator promised the gift of His Spirit in the latter days; and since Christ has in these last days appeared as the dispenser of spiritual gifts (as the apostle says, "When the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son; ".
When he says, "God sent forth His Son, made of a woman."
Author: Tertullian of Carthage Rank: Author AD: 220
But when He says, "As the years draw nigh, thou shalt be recognised "He means, as has been said before, that glorious recognition of our Saviour, God in the flesh, who is otherwise invisible to mortal eye; as somewhere Paul, that great interpreter of sacred mysteries, says: "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons."
Here he states two objects and effects of the Incarnation, deliverance from evil and supply of good, things which none could compass but Christ. They are these; deliverance from the curse of the Law, and promotion to sonship. Fitly does he say, that we might receive, [be paid,] implying that it was due; for the promise was of old time made for these objects to Abraham, as the Apostle has himself shown at great length. And how does it appear that we have become sons? He has told us one mode, in that we have put on Christ who is the Son; and now he mentions another, in that we have received the Spirit of adoption.
And again, in his Epistle to the Galatians, he says: "But when the fulness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption; ".
Paul also says: "But when the fulness of time came, God sent forth His Son.".
The Apostle Paul, moreover, in the Epistle to the Galatians, declares plainly, "God sent His Son, made of a woman.".
This fact is exhibited in a still clearer light in the same Epistle, where he thus speaks: "But when the fulness of time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman."
Because he is brought forth from a woman he can be said to be made, but made for this temporary purpose: to be subject to the law…. The Galatians were to understand from this that they had fallen into error, for the Savior himself, in whom they believed, was made subject to the law though he remained the Lord of the law. –.
Author: Gaius Marius Victorinus Rank: Author AD: 400
As there is a fullness in things, so there is in times. For each thing has its fullness in a full and copious perfection that abounds in everything. Christ is the fullness of things. The fullness of times is the consummation of freedom. So that his fullness may be whole and perfect Christ collects his members who are scattered, and in this way his fullness is achieved. So in the same way the fullness of times was achieved when all had become ripe for faith and sins had increased to the utmost, so that a remedy was necessarily sought in the judgment of all things. Hence Christ came when the fullness of time was completed. –.
Author: Gaius Marius Victorinus Rank: Author AD: 400
“The fullness of time” is the completed time which had been foreordained by God the Father for the sending of his Son, so that, made from a virgin, he might be born like a man, subjecting himself to the law up to the time of his baptism, so that he might provide a way by which sinners, washed and snatched away from the yoke of the law, might be adopted as God’s sons by his condescension, as he had promised to those redeemed by the blood of his Son. It was necessary, indeed, that the Savior should be made subject to the law, as a son of Abraham according to the flesh, so that, having been circumcised, he could be seen as the one promised to Abraham, who had come to justify the Gentiles through faith, since he bore the sign of the one to whom the promise had been made. .
He says “his Son,” not one of many, not “a Son” but his own. When he says “his own” he confirms that he has the property of eternal generation. This is the one whom he subsequently declares to have been born from a woman, so as to ascribe the fact of being born not to the Godhead but to the assumed body. He was made from a woman by assuming flesh and made under the law by observing the law. But that heavenly birth of his is prior to the law, while the incarnation happens later.
Author: Ambrosius von Mailand Rank: Bishop AD: 397
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Galatians 4:5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
The law demanded a price from those who did not keep it: the price of death. Before God could elevate people to the wonderful status of sonship, the price had to be paid. Therefore, the Lord Jesus paid the price required by the law after becoming a man and coming into the world as a member of the Jewish people. Because He is God, His death was of infinite value, meaning it was sufficient to redeem all sinners. Because He was a man, He could die as a substitute for humans. Govett says, "Christ, by nature the Son of God, became the Son of Man, so that we, by nature sons of men, might become sons of God. What a wonderful exchange!"
As long as people were still slaves, they could not become "sons." Christ freed them from the bondage of the law so that they might receive "sonship." Note the difference here between becoming a child of God and becoming a son of God (cf. [Rom 8:14-16]). The believer is born into the family of God as a child (see [John 1:12]). The emphasis here is on the fact of divine birth, not on the privileges and responsibilities of sonship. The believer is taken into the family as a son. Every Christian is immediately a son and can inherit what is rightfully his. Therefore, the instructions of the New Testament assume that there is no "spiritual immaturity" among the saints. All are treated as mature sons.
In Roman culture, when someone attained "sonship" (was adopted), it differed from the adoption we know. For us, adoption means taking someone else's child as our own. But in the New Testament, adoption means that believers are placed in the position of mature sons, with all the rights and responsibilities that come with it.
Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-06-29 Source:
Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck
The folly of returning to legal observances for justification.
The apostle deals plainly with those who urged the law of Moses together with the gospel of Christ, and endeavored to bring believers under its bondage. They could not fully understand the meaning of the law as given by Moses. And as that was a dispensation of darkness, so of bondage; they were tied to many burdensome rites and observances, by which they were taught and kept subject like a child under tutors and governors. We learn the happier state of Christians under the gospel dispensation. From these verses see the wonders of Divine love and mercy; particularly of God the Father, in sending his Son into the world to redeem and save us; of the Son of God, in submitting so low, and suffering so much for us; and of the Holy Spirit, in condescending to dwell in the hearts of believers, for such gracious purposes. Also, the advantages Christians enjoy under the gospel. Although by nature children of wrath and disobedience, they become by grace children of love, and partake of the nature of the children of God; for he will have all his children resemble him. Among men the eldest son is heir; but all God’s children shall have the inheritance of eldest sons. May the temper and conduct of sons ever show our adoption; and may the Holy Spirit witness with our spirits that we are children and heirs of God.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-7
1Now I say, [That] the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;2But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.3Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:4But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,5To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.6And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.7Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source:
Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry
[Verse 1-2]. Chapter 4 is related to the previous chapter and in the first verses Paul takes a closer look at the heir. He describes the contrast between the heir under the law and those who are heirs through faith in Christ. The comparison between a child and a slave makes clear that, as long as a child is under the authority of his educators, there is no difference between them.
A child may have rich parents, but all those riches have no use for him as long as he is unable to access them independently. Until that time, in earlier days, a child lived under the authority of “guardians” (who especially took care of the personal well-being of the child) and “managers” (who especially watched over the possessions of the child). That lasted until the time when the father regarded the child as an adult who was responsible enough to make his own decisions.
[Verse 3]. The period in which the child was not allowed to act independently, can be compared with the period in which the believer lived before the coming of Christ. During that period the law controlled his relationship with God. There was no relationship possible with God as Father, and therefore the Father could not share His thoughts with the believer about being an heir. This period of childhood was marked by a sort of slavery to the law. Whoever is under the ‘law’, whatever that may be, is not free. By any definition, being under the law, means slavery and bearing a yoke, just as Peter calls the law in Acts 15 [Acts 15:10].
Here Paul uses another expression for the law, namely, “elemental things of the world”. The law belongs to the world. After all, the law was given to a people in the flesh, a natural people, without any questioning of the spiritual condition of that people. The law was never meant to bring man into relationship with God in order to know Him as a Father. The essence of the law is that man should learn to know himself.
[Verse 4]. The fact that the law didn’t bring man to know God as Father in order to possess the inheritance is most strikingly seen at the cross. The nation, to whom the law was given, brought the Giver of the law to the cross. Then “the fullness of the time” had come. The law had fully served its time as an opportunity for the nation to receive all the promises of God. Man is found to be a sinner to the deepest of his being and has forfeited all rights to the fulfillment of the promises. When the time had come that man revealed himself in full depravity, that was the moment that God fully revealed Who He is.
God gave the law through angels [Gal 3:19], but He gave His Son Himself, without involving anyone else. Christ was “born of a woman”, because sin also came into the world through a woman. He was born of a woman, but begotten by the Holy Spirit – therefore without the nature of sin. He always had the form of God [Phil 2:6], but took a body, a body God had prepared for Him [Heb 10:5]. That Christ was ‘born of a woman’ proves His true Manhood. It also proves His true pre-existence as God. If it had not been so, what then would have been remarkable about the fact that He was born of a woman?
[Verse 5]. It was also necessary that He was “born under the law”. Only then could He redeem those who were under the law. In His life He glorified the law, for He fulfilled it and bore in His death the curse of it. But by keeping the law faithfully He could never have saved a man. Moreover, His keeping of the law was an accusation against every man who violated the law. He became a substitute for the sinner not by His obedient life, but by bearing in the three hours of darkness the sins of all who believe in Him. And the magnificent result of His work on the cross is that we may stand as sons before God!
It is significant to know that there is a difference between being a child of God and being a son of God. To be a child of God means above all that you have the life of God, that you are a partaker of His nature [2Pet 1:4]. The nature and essence of God are light and love. That is what a child of God shows in his life; he’s walking in the light and in love.
Sonship especially has to do with a position, with the value you have for God. He wants fellowship with sons. Sons are predestined for Himself [Eph 1:5]. A believer is both a child and a son. It has nothing to do with a process of growing, in which you would outgrow the stage of being a child to become a son.
[Verse 6]. Then Paul connects sonship to the fact that “God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts”. First, God sent His Son; after that He sent the Spirit of His Son. Here you see how the three Persons of the Godhead accomplished the blessings of sonship in God’s plan of salvation. God sent His Son to give us sonship; He sent the Spirit of His Son in our hearts to give us the consciousness and the joy which come with that.
Here the Holy Spirit is called “the Spirit of His Son”. This emphasizes that sons of God possess the same Spirit as the Son of God. That which the Spirit of the Son works out in the sons, is the same as what characterizes the Son: the conscious relation to God as Father.
The word “Abba” speaks of confidence; it is the word the child of God uses when he speaks to his Father, just as we might call our father ‘daddy’. The Father is pleased when we come to Him in that way.
[Verse 7]. He who, conscious of being a son, says ’Abba, Father’, can’t be a slave anymore. Such a person knows that everything that belongs to the Father, He shares with His sons. They are the “fellow heirs” with the Son [Eph 3:6]. That and that only and nothing else is the place God has destined for those who are His sons.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-7
1Now I say, [That] the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;2But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.3Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:4But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,5To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.6And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.7Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-04-19 Source:
Title: Galatians Author: Ger de Koning Copyright: kingcomments.com Note General: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author or the publisher.
Ever done to bring about the fulness of time, or to wait patiently its completion? If nothing, what an impotent state to have to wait for the Creator's time, in servility to the Creator! But for what end did He send His Son? "To redeem them that were under the law".
and "that we might receive the adoption of sons"
Author: Tertullian of Carthage Rank: Author AD: 220
Someone might raise the problem: “If then he was made subject to the law to redeem those who were subject to the law … if he himself was not made also outside the law, he did not redeem those who had not been subject to the law.” Another, however, will scrutinize the word redeemed more closely and will say that by the “redeemed” are meant those who were once of God’s party and later ceased to be so, whereas those who were not subject to the law were not so much redeemed as purchased. .
Since the law by its precepts held people bound, as it were, only to decency of life but not to the hope of deliverance and eternity, God sent his own Son. He sent him subject to the law, that is, the law of Israel, that he might redeem those who were there and lived under the law. Now this is a great thing, that he says [Christ came] not merely to show them the way of life or to stir them up toward eternity with harsh commands but to redeem them. This is the mystery of what he performed, the redemption of all who believed in him, that they might become sons by adoption. When, therefore, such a great benefit came from Christ, nothing was to be added beside this. The law was no longer a matter of servitude. .
Author: Gaius Marius Victorinus Rank: Author AD: 400
He says “adoption” so that we may clearly understand that the Son of God is unique. For we are sons of God through his generosity and the condescension of his mercy, whereas he is Son by nature, sharing the same divinity with the Father.
The listed verse explanations of the individual persons have nothing to do with the explanations of the other persons. This also applies to the Bible translations.
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Galatians 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
So that those who are "sons" might recognize the dignity of their position, "God sent" His Holy "Spirit" at Pentecost. The Spirit now dwells within believers. The Spirit creates the awareness of sonship and enables us to address the holy God as "Father." "Abba, Father" is a term of endearment. In the original text, both the Aramaic and Greek words for "Father" are used. No slave would dare to address the head of the family in this manner; these words were reserved exclusively for the family and express love and trust. Note the mention of the Trinity in this verse: Spirit, Son, and Father – in that order.
Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-06-29 Source:
Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck
The folly of returning to legal observances for justification.
The apostle deals plainly with those who urged the law of Moses together with the gospel of Christ, and endeavored to bring believers under its bondage. They could not fully understand the meaning of the law as given by Moses. And as that was a dispensation of darkness, so of bondage; they were tied to many burdensome rites and observances, by which they were taught and kept subject like a child under tutors and governors. We learn the happier state of Christians under the gospel dispensation. From these verses see the wonders of Divine love and mercy; particularly of God the Father, in sending his Son into the world to redeem and save us; of the Son of God, in submitting so low, and suffering so much for us; and of the Holy Spirit, in condescending to dwell in the hearts of believers, for such gracious purposes. Also, the advantages Christians enjoy under the gospel. Although by nature children of wrath and disobedience, they become by grace children of love, and partake of the nature of the children of God; for he will have all his children resemble him. Among men the eldest son is heir; but all God’s children shall have the inheritance of eldest sons. May the temper and conduct of sons ever show our adoption; and may the Holy Spirit witness with our spirits that we are children and heirs of God.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-7
1Now I say, [That] the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;2But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.3Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:4But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,5To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.6And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.7Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source:
Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry
[Verse 1-2]. Chapter 4 is related to the previous chapter and in the first verses Paul takes a closer look at the heir. He describes the contrast between the heir under the law and those who are heirs through faith in Christ. The comparison between a child and a slave makes clear that, as long as a child is under the authority of his educators, there is no difference between them.
A child may have rich parents, but all those riches have no use for him as long as he is unable to access them independently. Until that time, in earlier days, a child lived under the authority of “guardians” (who especially took care of the personal well-being of the child) and “managers” (who especially watched over the possessions of the child). That lasted until the time when the father regarded the child as an adult who was responsible enough to make his own decisions.
[Verse 3]. The period in which the child was not allowed to act independently, can be compared with the period in which the believer lived before the coming of Christ. During that period the law controlled his relationship with God. There was no relationship possible with God as Father, and therefore the Father could not share His thoughts with the believer about being an heir. This period of childhood was marked by a sort of slavery to the law. Whoever is under the ‘law’, whatever that may be, is not free. By any definition, being under the law, means slavery and bearing a yoke, just as Peter calls the law in Acts 15 [Acts 15:10].
Here Paul uses another expression for the law, namely, “elemental things of the world”. The law belongs to the world. After all, the law was given to a people in the flesh, a natural people, without any questioning of the spiritual condition of that people. The law was never meant to bring man into relationship with God in order to know Him as a Father. The essence of the law is that man should learn to know himself.
[Verse 4]. The fact that the law didn’t bring man to know God as Father in order to possess the inheritance is most strikingly seen at the cross. The nation, to whom the law was given, brought the Giver of the law to the cross. Then “the fullness of the time” had come. The law had fully served its time as an opportunity for the nation to receive all the promises of God. Man is found to be a sinner to the deepest of his being and has forfeited all rights to the fulfillment of the promises. When the time had come that man revealed himself in full depravity, that was the moment that God fully revealed Who He is.
God gave the law through angels [Gal 3:19], but He gave His Son Himself, without involving anyone else. Christ was “born of a woman”, because sin also came into the world through a woman. He was born of a woman, but begotten by the Holy Spirit – therefore without the nature of sin. He always had the form of God [Phil 2:6], but took a body, a body God had prepared for Him [Heb 10:5]. That Christ was ‘born of a woman’ proves His true Manhood. It also proves His true pre-existence as God. If it had not been so, what then would have been remarkable about the fact that He was born of a woman?
[Verse 5]. It was also necessary that He was “born under the law”. Only then could He redeem those who were under the law. In His life He glorified the law, for He fulfilled it and bore in His death the curse of it. But by keeping the law faithfully He could never have saved a man. Moreover, His keeping of the law was an accusation against every man who violated the law. He became a substitute for the sinner not by His obedient life, but by bearing in the three hours of darkness the sins of all who believe in Him. And the magnificent result of His work on the cross is that we may stand as sons before God!
It is significant to know that there is a difference between being a child of God and being a son of God. To be a child of God means above all that you have the life of God, that you are a partaker of His nature [2Pet 1:4]. The nature and essence of God are light and love. That is what a child of God shows in his life; he’s walking in the light and in love.
Sonship especially has to do with a position, with the value you have for God. He wants fellowship with sons. Sons are predestined for Himself [Eph 1:5]. A believer is both a child and a son. It has nothing to do with a process of growing, in which you would outgrow the stage of being a child to become a son.
[Verse 6]. Then Paul connects sonship to the fact that “God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts”. First, God sent His Son; after that He sent the Spirit of His Son. Here you see how the three Persons of the Godhead accomplished the blessings of sonship in God’s plan of salvation. God sent His Son to give us sonship; He sent the Spirit of His Son in our hearts to give us the consciousness and the joy which come with that.
Here the Holy Spirit is called “the Spirit of His Son”. This emphasizes that sons of God possess the same Spirit as the Son of God. That which the Spirit of the Son works out in the sons, is the same as what characterizes the Son: the conscious relation to God as Father.
The word “Abba” speaks of confidence; it is the word the child of God uses when he speaks to his Father, just as we might call our father ‘daddy’. The Father is pleased when we come to Him in that way.
[Verse 7]. He who, conscious of being a son, says ’Abba, Father’, can’t be a slave anymore. Such a person knows that everything that belongs to the Father, He shares with His sons. They are the “fellow heirs” with the Son [Eph 3:6]. That and that only and nothing else is the place God has destined for those who are His sons.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-7
1Now I say, [That] the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;2But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.3Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:4But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,5To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.6And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.7Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-04-19 Source:
Title: Galatians Author: Ger de Koning Copyright: kingcomments.com Note General: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author or the publisher.
Had not we been first made sons, we could not have called Him Father. If then grace has made us freemen instead of slaves, men instead of children, heirs and sons instead of aliens, is it not utter absurdity and stupidity to desert this grace, and to turn away backwards?
Behold the whole array of those three powers through one power and one Godhead. For God, he says, who is the Father, sent his own Son, who is Christ, and again Christ, who himself being the power of God is God, … sent the spirit of his Son, who is the Holy Spirit. .
Author: Gaius Marius Victorinus Rank: Author AD: 400
There are two words that he has set down so that the former may be interpreted by the latter, “for Abba” means the same as “Father.” Now we see that he has elegantly, and not without reason, put together words from two languages signifying the same thing because of the whole people, which has been called from Jews and Gentiles into the unity of faith.
He says of the Gentiles who believed in Christ, “You are sons,” having previously been enemies. There can be no doubt that believing Jews were also said to be sons of God, since they had long been called by that name. They had received the name of sons at one time as though by anticipation in order that this sonship might subsequently be understood in Christ, being incomplete without the Spirit. .
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Galatians 4:7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
The believer is "no longer a slave," and is no longer under the law. He is now a "son" of God. Because Christ, as God's Son, is the heir of all God's riches, the Christian is an "heir of God through Christ" (NASB). [1] Everything that belongs to God is also appropriated to him by faith.
In today's rabbinical schools in Israel, students are not permitted to read the Song of Solomon or [Ezek 1] until they are forty years old. The Song of Solomon is considered unsuitable for younger readers due to its explicitly sensual imagery, and [Ezek 1] contains a description of the glory of the indescribably great Lord. The Talmud reports that once a person, who was not yet forty, began to read [Ezek 1]. A fire came out of the scroll and consumed him. This shows that a person under the law is not recognized as a man until he is forty years old. (The well-known Bar Mitzvah at age thirteen only makes a Jewish boy a "son of the commandment" [corresponding to the meaning of the term regarding this celebration] and obligates him to keep the law.) Until the age of forty, a representative of Jewish orthodoxy is considered immature.
This is not the case for believers under grace. As soon as they are redeemed, the entire inheritance belongs to them. They are treated like mature, adult sons and daughters, and they are allowed to read, enjoy, and obey the entire Bible.
In light of these truths, Harrison's admonition is extremely appropriate:
Child of His love, everything is yours! He tells you that in [1Cor 3:22-23]. With this, He wants to make you aware of riches beyond all imagination and comprehension. Look at the universe. To whom does it belong if not to Him and to you? Then live royally. [2]
Footnote [1] The Majority Text (and with it, among others, the ESV) reads only heir through God.
[2] Norman B. Harrison, His Side Versus Our Side, S. 71.
Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-06-29 Source:
Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck
The folly of returning to legal observances for justification.
The apostle deals plainly with those who urged the law of Moses together with the gospel of Christ, and endeavored to bring believers under its bondage. They could not fully understand the meaning of the law as given by Moses. And as that was a dispensation of darkness, so of bondage; they were tied to many burdensome rites and observances, by which they were taught and kept subject like a child under tutors and governors. We learn the happier state of Christians under the gospel dispensation. From these verses see the wonders of Divine love and mercy; particularly of God the Father, in sending his Son into the world to redeem and save us; of the Son of God, in submitting so low, and suffering so much for us; and of the Holy Spirit, in condescending to dwell in the hearts of believers, for such gracious purposes. Also, the advantages Christians enjoy under the gospel. Although by nature children of wrath and disobedience, they become by grace children of love, and partake of the nature of the children of God; for he will have all his children resemble him. Among men the eldest son is heir; but all God’s children shall have the inheritance of eldest sons. May the temper and conduct of sons ever show our adoption; and may the Holy Spirit witness with our spirits that we are children and heirs of God.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-7
1Now I say, [That] the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;2But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.3Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:4But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,5To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.6And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.7Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source:
Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry
[Verse 1-2]. Chapter 4 is related to the previous chapter and in the first verses Paul takes a closer look at the heir. He describes the contrast between the heir under the law and those who are heirs through faith in Christ. The comparison between a child and a slave makes clear that, as long as a child is under the authority of his educators, there is no difference between them.
A child may have rich parents, but all those riches have no use for him as long as he is unable to access them independently. Until that time, in earlier days, a child lived under the authority of “guardians” (who especially took care of the personal well-being of the child) and “managers” (who especially watched over the possessions of the child). That lasted until the time when the father regarded the child as an adult who was responsible enough to make his own decisions.
[Verse 3]. The period in which the child was not allowed to act independently, can be compared with the period in which the believer lived before the coming of Christ. During that period the law controlled his relationship with God. There was no relationship possible with God as Father, and therefore the Father could not share His thoughts with the believer about being an heir. This period of childhood was marked by a sort of slavery to the law. Whoever is under the ‘law’, whatever that may be, is not free. By any definition, being under the law, means slavery and bearing a yoke, just as Peter calls the law in Acts 15 [Acts 15:10].
Here Paul uses another expression for the law, namely, “elemental things of the world”. The law belongs to the world. After all, the law was given to a people in the flesh, a natural people, without any questioning of the spiritual condition of that people. The law was never meant to bring man into relationship with God in order to know Him as a Father. The essence of the law is that man should learn to know himself.
[Verse 4]. The fact that the law didn’t bring man to know God as Father in order to possess the inheritance is most strikingly seen at the cross. The nation, to whom the law was given, brought the Giver of the law to the cross. Then “the fullness of the time” had come. The law had fully served its time as an opportunity for the nation to receive all the promises of God. Man is found to be a sinner to the deepest of his being and has forfeited all rights to the fulfillment of the promises. When the time had come that man revealed himself in full depravity, that was the moment that God fully revealed Who He is.
God gave the law through angels [Gal 3:19], but He gave His Son Himself, without involving anyone else. Christ was “born of a woman”, because sin also came into the world through a woman. He was born of a woman, but begotten by the Holy Spirit – therefore without the nature of sin. He always had the form of God [Phil 2:6], but took a body, a body God had prepared for Him [Heb 10:5]. That Christ was ‘born of a woman’ proves His true Manhood. It also proves His true pre-existence as God. If it had not been so, what then would have been remarkable about the fact that He was born of a woman?
[Verse 5]. It was also necessary that He was “born under the law”. Only then could He redeem those who were under the law. In His life He glorified the law, for He fulfilled it and bore in His death the curse of it. But by keeping the law faithfully He could never have saved a man. Moreover, His keeping of the law was an accusation against every man who violated the law. He became a substitute for the sinner not by His obedient life, but by bearing in the three hours of darkness the sins of all who believe in Him. And the magnificent result of His work on the cross is that we may stand as sons before God!
It is significant to know that there is a difference between being a child of God and being a son of God. To be a child of God means above all that you have the life of God, that you are a partaker of His nature [2Pet 1:4]. The nature and essence of God are light and love. That is what a child of God shows in his life; he’s walking in the light and in love.
Sonship especially has to do with a position, with the value you have for God. He wants fellowship with sons. Sons are predestined for Himself [Eph 1:5]. A believer is both a child and a son. It has nothing to do with a process of growing, in which you would outgrow the stage of being a child to become a son.
[Verse 6]. Then Paul connects sonship to the fact that “God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts”. First, God sent His Son; after that He sent the Spirit of His Son. Here you see how the three Persons of the Godhead accomplished the blessings of sonship in God’s plan of salvation. God sent His Son to give us sonship; He sent the Spirit of His Son in our hearts to give us the consciousness and the joy which come with that.
Here the Holy Spirit is called “the Spirit of His Son”. This emphasizes that sons of God possess the same Spirit as the Son of God. That which the Spirit of the Son works out in the sons, is the same as what characterizes the Son: the conscious relation to God as Father.
The word “Abba” speaks of confidence; it is the word the child of God uses when he speaks to his Father, just as we might call our father ‘daddy’. The Father is pleased when we come to Him in that way.
[Verse 7]. He who, conscious of being a son, says ’Abba, Father’, can’t be a slave anymore. Such a person knows that everything that belongs to the Father, He shares with His sons. They are the “fellow heirs” with the Son [Eph 3:6]. That and that only and nothing else is the place God has destined for those who are His sons.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-7
1Now I say, [That] the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;2But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.3Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:4But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,5To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.6And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.7Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-04-19 Source:
Title: Galatians Author: Ger de Koning Copyright: kingcomments.com Note General: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author or the publisher.
What we say in this place we should also observe in others, that the whole human race is being treated under a single term. For all we who believe are one in Christ Jesus and members of his body. .
See how He has admitted those to be children who are under fear and sins; but has conferred manhood on those who are under faith, by calling them sons, in contradistinction from the children that are under the law: "For thou art no more a servant "he says, "but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God."
Author: Clement Of Alexandria Rank: Author AD: 215
There is no doubt that one adopts a son in order to leave him an heir; but inheritance depends on the death of someone. How then can mortals be called the heirs of him who lives forever? The fact is that Scripture speaks in our own manner so that we may understand. In order to show that the Father will give from his goods those things that he is going to give his sons, it calls this “inheritance.”
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Galatians 4:8 Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.
The Galatians had once lived under the bondage of idols. Before their conversion, they had been Gentiles worshiping images made of wood and stone—false "gods." Now they were seeking a new bondage—the bondage of the law.
Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-06-29 Source:
Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck
The happy change whereby the Galatians were turned from idols to the living God, and through Christ had received the adoption of sons, was the effect of his free and rich grace; they were laid under the greater obligation to keep to the liberty wherewith he had made them free. All our knowledge of God begins on his part; we know him because we are known of him. Though our religion forbids idolatry, yet many practice spiritual idolatry in their hearts. For what a man loves most, and cares most for, that is his God: some have their riches for their God, some their pleasures, and some their lusts. And many ignorantly worship a God of their own making; a God made all of mercy and no justice. For they persuade themselves that there is mercy for them with God, though they repent not, but go on in their sins. It is possible for those who have made great professions of religion, to be afterwards drawn aside from purity and simplicity. And the more mercy God has shown, in bringing any to know the gospel, and the liberties and privileges of it, the greater their sin and folly in suffering themselves to be deprived of them. Hence all who are members of the outward church should learn to fear and to suspect themselves. We must not be content because we have some good things in ourselves. Paul fears lest his labor is in vain, yet he still labors; and thus to do, whatever follows, is true wisdom and the fear of God. This every man must remember in his place and calling.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 8-11
8Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.9But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?10Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.11I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source:
Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry
[Verse 8]. In the section of chapter 3:1 to chapter 4:7 Paul has made it clear that not the law, but only faith in the Lord Jesus is the way to salvation and all blessing. To this he now adds a serious warning to not place oneself under the law, nor allow anyone else to place you under the law. He reminds the Galatians of the time before their conversion when they didn’t know the true God and were prisoners of the idols they served as slaves.
In 1 Corinthians 12 he also gives a review of the past [1Cor 12:2]. It is a good thing to remind yourself sometimes of where you came from. This is not to throw yourself back into the past again; Paul warns about that in Ephesians 4 [Eph 4:17-19]. But if you are inclined to deviate in your faith, then you should think back on the simple gospel which was preached to you and which you have accepted.
[Verse 9]. Because the Galatians were in danger of falling back into idolatry, Paul on the one hand looks back to “then” and on the other hand exposes the present, “now”. The so-called 'gods' had brought them no benefit – because there is only one God and one Lord [1Cor 8:4-6]. They now knew the true God; they were brought into connection with Him, became His sons and could therefore call Him “Abba, Father”. That is quite a lot.
But it is even greater to be known by God. It shows that everything has proceeded from Him. He has accepted them; He has chosen them, even before they were born; He called them when they were in bondage to sin and idolatry. If you realize that, how could it then be possible that you turn away from Him and return to the things that belong to the past?
Now you might wonder how the law, which was once given by God, can be compared with returning to idolatry. Well, consider the following. In earlier days the law was indeed given by God to His people. By fulfilling all regulations and ordinances, God’s people would honor the Giver of the law. However, God’s people failed miserably. Even if they had fulfilled all regulations and ordinances, still their relation to God would only be that of a slave to his master.
Then the Lord Jesus came. He has fulfilled all that is written in the law. He takes as it were the place of the law as the only way to God, as Mediator between God and man which is infinitely more than the law. By this the law is completely set aside as a means to be connected to God. Now no one can come to the Father except through Him [John 14:6]. He who, in his relationship with the Father, wants to honor the law again, reverts to a means that brings him back into slavery again. The law cannot replace Christ; neither can it have a place beside Christ.
The law consists of all kinds of statutes and ceremonies. Anyone who submits to them again, gives credit to tangible things, outward ordinances, which belongs to the world. As long as these things were sanctified by God to serve Him, it was good to keep them. But now, because in Christ the reality has come, and God has abolished the law as a tutor, it is equal to returning to the world if these things take a place again in the service of God.
And besides that, they are also “weak and worthless elemental things”. They are ‘weak’, because the law with its ceremonies doesn’t have any power to deliver a man from his sins. They are ‘worthless’, because the law doesn’t have any possibility to make rich. The gospel possesses both power and richness for all who surrender to it in faith.
[Verse 10]. Paul mentions some things the Galatians were maintaining which were signs that they had already been caught up in Judaism. Keeping all kinds of special days and feasts does not fit the life of Christians. All Christian feast days and holy days are originally pagan festivals which are Christianized.
The only special day that the Christian knows is the first day of the week, the day of the Lord. That day speaks of the accomplished work of Christ which is accepted by God. On that day the church assembles together to remember all the great salvation truths, and above all Him, Who accomplished the work on the cross.
[Verse 11]. The concern Paul expresses that he might have labored in vain over the Galatians, has unfortunately come true in professing Christianity. By keeping of certain days we see how the evil that Paul demonstrates here has infiltrated Christianity.
[Verse 12]. After this urgent warning not to return to the ‘shadow service’ of the law, Paul even more intensely and emotionally appeals to the Galatian’s love for him. He beseeches them to become like him: that is being free from the law. At the same time, however, he is very careful not to give the impression that he was personally offended or hurt, in case they thought they may have wronged him personally. That they turned away from the true gospel was certainly a painful thing for him. But he speaks to them with a heart full of love and compassion, showing great concern about the way they had gone to their own detriment.
[Verse 13-14]. He reminds them of his first visit to them. They had accepted him and also the message of the gospel, despite his physically weak appearance. Many would rather have quickly run away (he was that repulsive), than listen to the message he preached. Still, the Galatians had listened to him and had not succumbed to the temptation to run away from him. They ignored Paul’s appearance because of the wonderful message of the gospel that he brought. They accepted him as a messenger from another world and they received him as if they received the Lord Jesus Himself (cf. [Matt 10:40]).
[Verse 15]. How happy they had been! But what was left of it? They had expressed their love and gratitude to him by putting their most valuable possession, their eyes, at his disposal. But their attitude has now changed. This is the result of their listening to false teachers.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 8-15
8Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.9But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?10Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.11I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.12Brethren, I beseech you, be as I [am]; for I [am] as ye [are]: ye have not injured me at all.13Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.14And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, [even] as Christ Jesus.15Where is then the blessedness ye spake 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.
Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-04-19 Source:
Title: Galatians Author: Ger de Koning Copyright: kingcomments.com Note General: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author or the publisher.
For the Jews say, that from the beginning God sanctified the seventh day, by resting on it from all His works which He made; and that thence it was, likewise, that Moses said to the People: "Remember the day of the sabbaths, to sanctify it: every servile work ye shall not do therein, except what pertaineth unto life.".
He did not therefore seek, by any depreciation of the mundane elements, to turn them away from their god, although, when he said just before, "Howbeit, then, ye serve them which by nature are no gods"
Author: Tertullian of Carthage Rank: Author AD: 220
Here turning to the Gentile believers he says that it is an idolatry, this rigid observance of days, and now incurs a severe punishment. To enforce this, and inspire them with a deeper anxiety, he calls the elements not by nature Gods. And his meaning is—Then indeed, as being benighted and bewildered, you lay grovelling upon the earth, but now that you have known God or rather are known of Him, how great and bitter will be the chastisement you draw upon you, if, after such a treatment, you relapse into the same disease. It was not by your own pains that you found out God, but while you continued in error, He drew you to Himself. He says weak and beggarly rudiments, in that they avail nothing towards the good things held out to us.
And "those which are not gods".
And the Apostle Paul also, saying, "For though ye have served them which are no gods; ye now know God, or rather, are known of God"
Not to know God is not to know Christ, for God is known through Christ. But now, since Christ has appeared, who has taught me and has revealed God through himself—both himself as God and the Father through himself—it is no longer permitted not to know God. .
Author: Gaius Marius Victorinus Rank: Author AD: 400
When, however, he says, “you were in servitude to those who are by nature no gods,” he sufficiently proves that one true God is God by nature, by whose name the triune God is received in the most faithful and catholic bosom of the heart. “Those who are by nature no gods” are described by him as governors and overseers. There is no creature, whether it abides in truth by giving glory to God or fails to abide in truth by seeking its own glory—there is, I say, no creature that does not willynilly serve divine providence…. But, just as the magistrate under the imperial law does nothing but what is permitted to him, so the governors and overseers of this world do nothing but whatever God allows.
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Galatians 4:9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
"How" could they justify their behavior? They had "come to know God." Even if it wasn't through experiential knowledge, they had at least been "known by God," that is, saved. Yet they turned away from His power and wealth (which they were to inherit) "to the weak and miserable principles" of the law, such as circumcision, holy days, and dietary restrictions. They enslaved themselves with things that could neither save nor enrich them, but only make them poorer. Paul describes the law and its ceremonies as "weak and miserable." God's laws were wonderful in their time and place, but they become outright obstacles when used as substitutes for the Lord Jesus. Turning away from Christ to the law is idolatry.
Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-06-29 Source:
Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck
The happy change whereby the Galatians were turned from idols to the living God, and through Christ had received the adoption of sons, was the effect of his free and rich grace; they were laid under the greater obligation to keep to the liberty wherewith he had made them free. All our knowledge of God begins on his part; we know him because we are known of him. Though our religion forbids idolatry, yet many practice spiritual idolatry in their hearts. For what a man loves most, and cares most for, that is his God: some have their riches for their God, some their pleasures, and some their lusts. And many ignorantly worship a God of their own making; a God made all of mercy and no justice. For they persuade themselves that there is mercy for them with God, though they repent not, but go on in their sins. It is possible for those who have made great professions of religion, to be afterwards drawn aside from purity and simplicity. And the more mercy God has shown, in bringing any to know the gospel, and the liberties and privileges of it, the greater their sin and folly in suffering themselves to be deprived of them. Hence all who are members of the outward church should learn to fear and to suspect themselves. We must not be content because we have some good things in ourselves. Paul fears lest his labor is in vain, yet he still labors; and thus to do, whatever follows, is true wisdom and the fear of God. This every man must remember in his place and calling.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 8-11
8Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.9But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?10Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.11I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source:
Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry
[Verse 8]. In the section of chapter 3:1 to chapter 4:7 Paul has made it clear that not the law, but only faith in the Lord Jesus is the way to salvation and all blessing. To this he now adds a serious warning to not place oneself under the law, nor allow anyone else to place you under the law. He reminds the Galatians of the time before their conversion when they didn’t know the true God and were prisoners of the idols they served as slaves.
In 1 Corinthians 12 he also gives a review of the past [1Cor 12:2]. It is a good thing to remind yourself sometimes of where you came from. This is not to throw yourself back into the past again; Paul warns about that in Ephesians 4 [Eph 4:17-19]. But if you are inclined to deviate in your faith, then you should think back on the simple gospel which was preached to you and which you have accepted.
[Verse 9]. Because the Galatians were in danger of falling back into idolatry, Paul on the one hand looks back to “then” and on the other hand exposes the present, “now”. The so-called 'gods' had brought them no benefit – because there is only one God and one Lord [1Cor 8:4-6]. They now knew the true God; they were brought into connection with Him, became His sons and could therefore call Him “Abba, Father”. That is quite a lot.
But it is even greater to be known by God. It shows that everything has proceeded from Him. He has accepted them; He has chosen them, even before they were born; He called them when they were in bondage to sin and idolatry. If you realize that, how could it then be possible that you turn away from Him and return to the things that belong to the past?
Now you might wonder how the law, which was once given by God, can be compared with returning to idolatry. Well, consider the following. In earlier days the law was indeed given by God to His people. By fulfilling all regulations and ordinances, God’s people would honor the Giver of the law. However, God’s people failed miserably. Even if they had fulfilled all regulations and ordinances, still their relation to God would only be that of a slave to his master.
Then the Lord Jesus came. He has fulfilled all that is written in the law. He takes as it were the place of the law as the only way to God, as Mediator between God and man which is infinitely more than the law. By this the law is completely set aside as a means to be connected to God. Now no one can come to the Father except through Him [John 14:6]. He who, in his relationship with the Father, wants to honor the law again, reverts to a means that brings him back into slavery again. The law cannot replace Christ; neither can it have a place beside Christ.
The law consists of all kinds of statutes and ceremonies. Anyone who submits to them again, gives credit to tangible things, outward ordinances, which belongs to the world. As long as these things were sanctified by God to serve Him, it was good to keep them. But now, because in Christ the reality has come, and God has abolished the law as a tutor, it is equal to returning to the world if these things take a place again in the service of God.
And besides that, they are also “weak and worthless elemental things”. They are ‘weak’, because the law with its ceremonies doesn’t have any power to deliver a man from his sins. They are ‘worthless’, because the law doesn’t have any possibility to make rich. The gospel possesses both power and richness for all who surrender to it in faith.
[Verse 10]. Paul mentions some things the Galatians were maintaining which were signs that they had already been caught up in Judaism. Keeping all kinds of special days and feasts does not fit the life of Christians. All Christian feast days and holy days are originally pagan festivals which are Christianized.
The only special day that the Christian knows is the first day of the week, the day of the Lord. That day speaks of the accomplished work of Christ which is accepted by God. On that day the church assembles together to remember all the great salvation truths, and above all Him, Who accomplished the work on the cross.
[Verse 11]. The concern Paul expresses that he might have labored in vain over the Galatians, has unfortunately come true in professing Christianity. By keeping of certain days we see how the evil that Paul demonstrates here has infiltrated Christianity.
[Verse 12]. After this urgent warning not to return to the ‘shadow service’ of the law, Paul even more intensely and emotionally appeals to the Galatian’s love for him. He beseeches them to become like him: that is being free from the law. At the same time, however, he is very careful not to give the impression that he was personally offended or hurt, in case they thought they may have wronged him personally. That they turned away from the true gospel was certainly a painful thing for him. But he speaks to them with a heart full of love and compassion, showing great concern about the way they had gone to their own detriment.
[Verse 13-14]. He reminds them of his first visit to them. They had accepted him and also the message of the gospel, despite his physically weak appearance. Many would rather have quickly run away (he was that repulsive), than listen to the message he preached. Still, the Galatians had listened to him and had not succumbed to the temptation to run away from him. They ignored Paul’s appearance because of the wonderful message of the gospel that he brought. They accepted him as a messenger from another world and they received him as if they received the Lord Jesus Himself (cf. [Matt 10:40]).
[Verse 15]. How happy they had been! But what was left of it? They had expressed their love and gratitude to him by putting their most valuable possession, their eyes, at his disposal. But their attitude has now changed. This is the result of their listening to false teachers.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 8-15
8Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.9But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?10Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.11I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.12Brethren, I beseech you, be as I [am]; for I [am] as ye [are]: ye have not injured me at all.13Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.14And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, [even] as Christ Jesus.15Where is then the blessedness ye spake 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.
Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-04-19 Source:
Title: Galatians Author: Ger de Koning Copyright: kingcomments.com Note General: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author or the publisher.
But to you, the converted of the Gentiles, is the kingdom given, because you, who knew not God, have believed by preaching, and "have known Him, or rather are known of Him"
Ten other ¦ons after them spring, and then the twelve others arise with their wonderful names, to complete the mere story of the thirty ¦ons. The same apostle, when disapproving of those who are "in bondage to elements".
Now, from whom comes this grace, but from Him who proclaimed the promise thereof? Who is (our) Father, but He who is also our Maker? Therefore, after such affluence (of grace), they should not have returned "to weak and beggarly elements."
Author: Tertullian of Carthage Rank: Author AD: 220
What he is saying is something like this: “When you were in darkness and lived in error you were in an abject condition. But now, when you have known God or rather been known by him, how can you not bring on yourselves a greater and harsher punishment, when you suffer the same disease after so much therapy?” Homily on Galatians
Now these same elements that he has now styled “weak and beggarly” he called above merely the “elements of the world.” … And so I think that so long as someone is an infant … he is subject to the elements, namely, the law of Moses. But when after [receiving] the freedom due to an heir he reverts again to the law, desiring to be circumcised and to follow the whole letter of Jewish legal illusions, then those things that were merely the elements of the world to him before are now said to be “weak and beggarly elements.” … The law of Moses, which before was rich, affluent and illustrious, became after Christ’s advent and in comparison with him “weak and beggarly.” … The “weak and beggarly elements” are those unworthy traditions of the Jews, which interpret according to the letter. They were poor excuses for interpretations and “commandments that were not good.” –.
When he introduces the “beggarly elements of this world,” this seems rather to concern the pagans, who make gods for themselves even from the elements of this world…. Since, however, the whole of his discourse and the whole of this treatise were undertaken to reprimand the Galatians for their conversion to Judaism, and all these things are to be understood of the Jews, how do we understand “you are turned again to the weak”? When therefore he says “the beggarly elements” of this world, he means those who, understanding the law carnally, have clung to the contingent elements of this world. For the flesh is always hungering. It yearns for the sustenance of food and drink and objects of desire, all of which, however, are weak . .
Author: Gaius Marius Victorinus Rank: Author AD: 400
He preserves the essence of his own teaching, that those who come to Christ are the ones whom God sends and God calls, and those who know God are the ones that God knows…. For those who are known of God receive the Spirit by which they know God. .
Author: Gaius Marius Victorinus Rank: Author AD: 400
What follows, as it were, reintroduces a question that has already been explored. Through the whole letter he has shown that no one has disturbed the faith of the Galatians except those who were of the circumcision, who wished to lead them into carnal observations of the law as though salvation were in them. In this place alone he seems to speak to those who were attempting to return to Gentile superstitions…. For in saying “you have reverted,” since he is speaking not to the circumcised but to Gentiles, as appears in the whole letter, he does not say at all that they have reverted to circumcision, in which they had never been, but he says “to the weak and beggarly elements,” which you wish to serve again as before.
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Galatians 4:10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
The Galatians observed the Jewish festival calendar with its Sabbaths, festivals, and "seasons." Paul fears for those who profess Christianity and yet try to be pleasing to God by keeping laws. Even people who are not born again can observe "days and months and seasons and years." Some people find it exceedingly satisfying to think that there is something they can do by their own effort to earn God's favorable glance. However, this idea assumes that man has his own power and thus, to some extent, does not need the Savior.
If Paul wrote to the Galatians in this way, the question arises: What would he write to professing Christians today who try to achieve sanctification through works of the law? Would he not condemn the traditions adopted from Judaism into Christianity? These include a human-established priesthood, special garments for pastors and other officials, feast days of "saints" and holidays without biblical basis, holy places, candles for worship services, holy water, and so on.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 10-11
10Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.11I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-06-29 Source:
Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck
The happy change whereby the Galatians were turned from idols to the living God, and through Christ had received the adoption of sons, was the effect of his free and rich grace; they were laid under the greater obligation to keep to the liberty wherewith he had made them free. All our knowledge of God begins on his part; we know him because we are known of him. Though our religion forbids idolatry, yet many practice spiritual idolatry in their hearts. For what a man loves most, and cares most for, that is his God: some have their riches for their God, some their pleasures, and some their lusts. And many ignorantly worship a God of their own making; a God made all of mercy and no justice. For they persuade themselves that there is mercy for them with God, though they repent not, but go on in their sins. It is possible for those who have made great professions of religion, to be afterwards drawn aside from purity and simplicity. And the more mercy God has shown, in bringing any to know the gospel, and the liberties and privileges of it, the greater their sin and folly in suffering themselves to be deprived of them. Hence all who are members of the outward church should learn to fear and to suspect themselves. We must not be content because we have some good things in ourselves. Paul fears lest his labor is in vain, yet he still labors; and thus to do, whatever follows, is true wisdom and the fear of God. This every man must remember in his place and calling.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 8-11
8Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.9But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?10Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.11I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source:
Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry
[Verse 8]. In the section of chapter 3:1 to chapter 4:7 Paul has made it clear that not the law, but only faith in the Lord Jesus is the way to salvation and all blessing. To this he now adds a serious warning to not place oneself under the law, nor allow anyone else to place you under the law. He reminds the Galatians of the time before their conversion when they didn’t know the true God and were prisoners of the idols they served as slaves.
In 1 Corinthians 12 he also gives a review of the past [1Cor 12:2]. It is a good thing to remind yourself sometimes of where you came from. This is not to throw yourself back into the past again; Paul warns about that in Ephesians 4 [Eph 4:17-19]. But if you are inclined to deviate in your faith, then you should think back on the simple gospel which was preached to you and which you have accepted.
[Verse 9]. Because the Galatians were in danger of falling back into idolatry, Paul on the one hand looks back to “then” and on the other hand exposes the present, “now”. The so-called 'gods' had brought them no benefit – because there is only one God and one Lord [1Cor 8:4-6]. They now knew the true God; they were brought into connection with Him, became His sons and could therefore call Him “Abba, Father”. That is quite a lot.
But it is even greater to be known by God. It shows that everything has proceeded from Him. He has accepted them; He has chosen them, even before they were born; He called them when they were in bondage to sin and idolatry. If you realize that, how could it then be possible that you turn away from Him and return to the things that belong to the past?
Now you might wonder how the law, which was once given by God, can be compared with returning to idolatry. Well, consider the following. In earlier days the law was indeed given by God to His people. By fulfilling all regulations and ordinances, God’s people would honor the Giver of the law. However, God’s people failed miserably. Even if they had fulfilled all regulations and ordinances, still their relation to God would only be that of a slave to his master.
Then the Lord Jesus came. He has fulfilled all that is written in the law. He takes as it were the place of the law as the only way to God, as Mediator between God and man which is infinitely more than the law. By this the law is completely set aside as a means to be connected to God. Now no one can come to the Father except through Him [John 14:6]. He who, in his relationship with the Father, wants to honor the law again, reverts to a means that brings him back into slavery again. The law cannot replace Christ; neither can it have a place beside Christ.
The law consists of all kinds of statutes and ceremonies. Anyone who submits to them again, gives credit to tangible things, outward ordinances, which belongs to the world. As long as these things were sanctified by God to serve Him, it was good to keep them. But now, because in Christ the reality has come, and God has abolished the law as a tutor, it is equal to returning to the world if these things take a place again in the service of God.
And besides that, they are also “weak and worthless elemental things”. They are ‘weak’, because the law with its ceremonies doesn’t have any power to deliver a man from his sins. They are ‘worthless’, because the law doesn’t have any possibility to make rich. The gospel possesses both power and richness for all who surrender to it in faith.
[Verse 10]. Paul mentions some things the Galatians were maintaining which were signs that they had already been caught up in Judaism. Keeping all kinds of special days and feasts does not fit the life of Christians. All Christian feast days and holy days are originally pagan festivals which are Christianized.
The only special day that the Christian knows is the first day of the week, the day of the Lord. That day speaks of the accomplished work of Christ which is accepted by God. On that day the church assembles together to remember all the great salvation truths, and above all Him, Who accomplished the work on the cross.
[Verse 11]. The concern Paul expresses that he might have labored in vain over the Galatians, has unfortunately come true in professing Christianity. By keeping of certain days we see how the evil that Paul demonstrates here has infiltrated Christianity.
[Verse 12]. After this urgent warning not to return to the ‘shadow service’ of the law, Paul even more intensely and emotionally appeals to the Galatian’s love for him. He beseeches them to become like him: that is being free from the law. At the same time, however, he is very careful not to give the impression that he was personally offended or hurt, in case they thought they may have wronged him personally. That they turned away from the true gospel was certainly a painful thing for him. But he speaks to them with a heart full of love and compassion, showing great concern about the way they had gone to their own detriment.
[Verse 13-14]. He reminds them of his first visit to them. They had accepted him and also the message of the gospel, despite his physically weak appearance. Many would rather have quickly run away (he was that repulsive), than listen to the message he preached. Still, the Galatians had listened to him and had not succumbed to the temptation to run away from him. They ignored Paul’s appearance because of the wonderful message of the gospel that he brought. They accepted him as a messenger from another world and they received him as if they received the Lord Jesus Himself (cf. [Matt 10:40]).
[Verse 15]. How happy they had been! But what was left of it? They had expressed their love and gratitude to him by putting their most valuable possession, their eyes, at his disposal. But their attitude has now changed. This is the result of their listening to false teachers.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 8-15
8Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.9But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?10Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.11I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.12Brethren, I beseech you, be as I [am]; for I [am] as ye [are]: ye have not injured me at all.13Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.14And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, [even] as Christ Jesus.15Where is then the blessedness ye spake 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.
Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-04-19 Source:
Title: Galatians Author: Ger de Koning Copyright: kingcomments.com Note General: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author or the publisher.
"even the rudiments of the law: "Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years".
(In burnt?) With what fires, prithee? The fires, I ween, which lead us to repeated contracting of nuptials and daily cooking of dinners! Thus, too, they affirm that we share with the Galatians the piercing rebuke (of the apostle), as "observers of days, and of months, and of years.".
Being, therefore, observers of "seasons "for these things, and of "days, and months, and years"
Author: Tertullian of Carthage Rank: Author AD: 220
So that he may be seen to say this to Jews and about Jews—that is, to the Galatians, who combine the Jews’ way of life with theirs—he adds, “You observe days and months and seasons and years.” … For it is one thing to observe days, as for example to rest on the sabbath, another to observe months, as for example to observe new moons, … another to observe years, another again [to observe] seasons such as fasting, the Passover, the feast of unleavened bread and other things of this kind. –.
Author: Gaius Marius Victorinus Rank: Author AD: 400
Accordingly some one well instructed in the doctrines taught by Moses, finding fault with the people for their sins, called them sons of the new moons and the sabbaths.
The observers of days are those who say, for example, “Tomorrow there must be no setting out on a journey.” … The observers of months are those who watch the course of the moon, saying, for example, “Contracts must not be sealed in the seventh month.” … Seasons are observed when people say, “Today is the first day of spring, it is a festival and after tomorrow is the feast of Vulcan.” … People pay respect to the year when they say, “The first day of January is the new year,” as though a year were not completed every day…. For if God is loved with the whole heart, there ought not to be any dread or suspicion of these phenomena so long as he is near. –.
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Galatians 4:11 I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
The Galatians observed the Jewish festival calendar with its Sabbaths, festivals, and "seasons." Paul fears for those who profess Christianity and yet try to be pleasing to God by keeping laws. Even people who are not born again can observe "days and months and seasons and years." Some people find it exceedingly satisfying to think that there is something they can do by their own effort to earn God's favorable glance. However, this idea assumes that man has his own power and thus, to some extent, does not need the Savior.
If Paul wrote to the Galatians in this way, the question arises: What would he write to professing Christians today who try to achieve sanctification through works of the law? Would he not condemn the traditions adopted from Judaism into Christianity? These include a human-established priesthood, special garments for pastors and other officials, feast days of "saints" and holidays without biblical basis, holy places, candles for worship services, holy water, and so on.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 10-11
10Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.11I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-06-29 Source:
Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck
The happy change whereby the Galatians were turned from idols to the living God, and through Christ had received the adoption of sons, was the effect of his free and rich grace; they were laid under the greater obligation to keep to the liberty wherewith he had made them free. All our knowledge of God begins on his part; we know him because we are known of him. Though our religion forbids idolatry, yet many practice spiritual idolatry in their hearts. For what a man loves most, and cares most for, that is his God: some have their riches for their God, some their pleasures, and some their lusts. And many ignorantly worship a God of their own making; a God made all of mercy and no justice. For they persuade themselves that there is mercy for them with God, though they repent not, but go on in their sins. It is possible for those who have made great professions of religion, to be afterwards drawn aside from purity and simplicity. And the more mercy God has shown, in bringing any to know the gospel, and the liberties and privileges of it, the greater their sin and folly in suffering themselves to be deprived of them. Hence all who are members of the outward church should learn to fear and to suspect themselves. We must not be content because we have some good things in ourselves. Paul fears lest his labor is in vain, yet he still labors; and thus to do, whatever follows, is true wisdom and the fear of God. This every man must remember in his place and calling.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 8-11
8Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.9But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?10Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.11I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source:
Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry
[Verse 8]. In the section of chapter 3:1 to chapter 4:7 Paul has made it clear that not the law, but only faith in the Lord Jesus is the way to salvation and all blessing. To this he now adds a serious warning to not place oneself under the law, nor allow anyone else to place you under the law. He reminds the Galatians of the time before their conversion when they didn’t know the true God and were prisoners of the idols they served as slaves.
In 1 Corinthians 12 he also gives a review of the past [1Cor 12:2]. It is a good thing to remind yourself sometimes of where you came from. This is not to throw yourself back into the past again; Paul warns about that in Ephesians 4 [Eph 4:17-19]. But if you are inclined to deviate in your faith, then you should think back on the simple gospel which was preached to you and which you have accepted.
[Verse 9]. Because the Galatians were in danger of falling back into idolatry, Paul on the one hand looks back to “then” and on the other hand exposes the present, “now”. The so-called 'gods' had brought them no benefit – because there is only one God and one Lord [1Cor 8:4-6]. They now knew the true God; they were brought into connection with Him, became His sons and could therefore call Him “Abba, Father”. That is quite a lot.
But it is even greater to be known by God. It shows that everything has proceeded from Him. He has accepted them; He has chosen them, even before they were born; He called them when they were in bondage to sin and idolatry. If you realize that, how could it then be possible that you turn away from Him and return to the things that belong to the past?
Now you might wonder how the law, which was once given by God, can be compared with returning to idolatry. Well, consider the following. In earlier days the law was indeed given by God to His people. By fulfilling all regulations and ordinances, God’s people would honor the Giver of the law. However, God’s people failed miserably. Even if they had fulfilled all regulations and ordinances, still their relation to God would only be that of a slave to his master.
Then the Lord Jesus came. He has fulfilled all that is written in the law. He takes as it were the place of the law as the only way to God, as Mediator between God and man which is infinitely more than the law. By this the law is completely set aside as a means to be connected to God. Now no one can come to the Father except through Him [John 14:6]. He who, in his relationship with the Father, wants to honor the law again, reverts to a means that brings him back into slavery again. The law cannot replace Christ; neither can it have a place beside Christ.
The law consists of all kinds of statutes and ceremonies. Anyone who submits to them again, gives credit to tangible things, outward ordinances, which belongs to the world. As long as these things were sanctified by God to serve Him, it was good to keep them. But now, because in Christ the reality has come, and God has abolished the law as a tutor, it is equal to returning to the world if these things take a place again in the service of God.
And besides that, they are also “weak and worthless elemental things”. They are ‘weak’, because the law with its ceremonies doesn’t have any power to deliver a man from his sins. They are ‘worthless’, because the law doesn’t have any possibility to make rich. The gospel possesses both power and richness for all who surrender to it in faith.
[Verse 10]. Paul mentions some things the Galatians were maintaining which were signs that they had already been caught up in Judaism. Keeping all kinds of special days and feasts does not fit the life of Christians. All Christian feast days and holy days are originally pagan festivals which are Christianized.
The only special day that the Christian knows is the first day of the week, the day of the Lord. That day speaks of the accomplished work of Christ which is accepted by God. On that day the church assembles together to remember all the great salvation truths, and above all Him, Who accomplished the work on the cross.
[Verse 11]. The concern Paul expresses that he might have labored in vain over the Galatians, has unfortunately come true in professing Christianity. By keeping of certain days we see how the evil that Paul demonstrates here has infiltrated Christianity.
[Verse 12]. After this urgent warning not to return to the ‘shadow service’ of the law, Paul even more intensely and emotionally appeals to the Galatian’s love for him. He beseeches them to become like him: that is being free from the law. At the same time, however, he is very careful not to give the impression that he was personally offended or hurt, in case they thought they may have wronged him personally. That they turned away from the true gospel was certainly a painful thing for him. But he speaks to them with a heart full of love and compassion, showing great concern about the way they had gone to their own detriment.
[Verse 13-14]. He reminds them of his first visit to them. They had accepted him and also the message of the gospel, despite his physically weak appearance. Many would rather have quickly run away (he was that repulsive), than listen to the message he preached. Still, the Galatians had listened to him and had not succumbed to the temptation to run away from him. They ignored Paul’s appearance because of the wonderful message of the gospel that he brought. They accepted him as a messenger from another world and they received him as if they received the Lord Jesus Himself (cf. [Matt 10:40]).
[Verse 15]. How happy they had been! But what was left of it? They had expressed their love and gratitude to him by putting their most valuable possession, their eyes, at his disposal. But their attitude has now changed. This is the result of their listening to false teachers.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 8-15
8Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.9But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?10Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.11I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.12Brethren, I beseech you, be as I [am]; for I [am] as ye [are]: ye have not injured me at all.13Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.14And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, [even] as Christ Jesus.15Where is then the blessedness ye spake 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.
Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-04-19 Source:
Title: Galatians Author: Ger de Koning Copyright: kingcomments.com Note General: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author or the publisher.
Do you see the compassion of the apostle? They were being corrupted. He trembles and fears. Therefore he expresses this in a very solicitous manner, saying “I labored for you,” as if to say, “Do not render such strenuous toils ineffectual for me.” In saying “I fear” … he has both stirred them up for a contest and directed them toward better hopes.
Observe the tender compassion of the Apostle; they were shaken and he trembles and fears. And hence he has put it so as thoroughly to shame them, I have bestowed labor upon you, saying, as it were, make not vain the labors which have cost me sweat and pain. By saying I fear, and subjoining the word lest, he both inspires alarm, and encourages good hope. He says not I have labored in vain, but lest, which is as much as to say, the wreck has not happened, but I see the storm big with it; so I am in fear, yet not in despair; you have the power to set all right, and to return into your former calm. Then, as it were stretching out a hand to them thus tempest-tost, he brings himself into the midst,
So, let the reader choose whichever interpretation he wishes, so long as he understands that such superstitious observances of times bring great peril to the soul, so much so that the apostle adds, “I am afraid, lest perhaps I should have labored in you in vain.” … And yet if someone, even a catechumen, is caught observing the sabbath by the Jewish rite, the church is confused. As it is, innumerable members of the church say with great complacency in open view of us, “I do not travel on the day after the first.” … Alas for human sinfulness, that we only denounce what is unfamiliar, but with familiar things we tolerate them, although they may be great and cause the kingdom of heaven to be shut against them absolutely. It is for them that the Son of God shed his blood. We come to tolerate them through frequent acquaintance with them, and through increased toleration we share in them.
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Galatians 4:12 Brethren, I beseech you, be as I [am]; for I [am] as ye [are]: ye have not injured me at all.
The Galatians had obviously forgotten how grateful they had been to Paul when he first preached the gospel to them. Yet he addresses them as "brothers," even though they are making such mistakes and despite his great concern for them. Paul was once a Jew under the law. Now, in Christ, he was free from the law. Therefore, he says: "Become like me"—free from the law, so that you no longer live under it. The Gentile Galatians had never been under the law and were not subject to it now. Therefore, the apostle says: "For I became like you." He rejoices in the freedom from the law that they Gentiles always had.
"You did me no wrong." It is not entirely clear what Paul is referring to here. Perhaps he means that he does not feel personally hurt by their behavior. Their turning away from him and towards false teachers did not affect him personally but was aimed at the truth of God and, ultimately, at themselves.
Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-06-29 Source:
Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck
The apostle reasons against following false teachers.
The apostle desires that they would be of one mind with him respecting the law of Moses, as well as united with him in love. In reproving others, we should take care to convince them that our reproofs are from sincere regard to the honor of God and religion and their welfare. The apostle reminds the Galatians of the difficulty under which he labored when he first came among them. But he notices, that he was a welcome messenger to them. Yet how very uncertain are the favor and respect of men! Let us labor to be accepted of God. You once thought yourselves happy in receiving the gospel; have you now reason to think otherwise? Christians must not forbear speaking the truth, for fear of offending others. The false teachers who drew the Galatians from the truth of the gospel were designing men. They pretended affection, but they were not sincere and upright. An excellent rule is given. It is good to be zealous always in a good thing; not for a time only, or now and then, but always. Happy would it be for the church of Christ, if this zeal was better maintained.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 12-18
12Brethren, I beseech you, be as I [am]; for I [am] as ye [are]: ye have not injured me at all.13Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.14And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, [even] as Christ Jesus.15Where is then the blessedness ye spake 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.16Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?17They zealously affect you, [but] not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.18But [it is] good to be zealously affected always in [a] good [thing], and not only when I am present with you.
Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source:
Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry
[Verse 8]. In the section of chapter 3:1 to chapter 4:7 Paul has made it clear that not the law, but only faith in the Lord Jesus is the way to salvation and all blessing. To this he now adds a serious warning to not place oneself under the law, nor allow anyone else to place you under the law. He reminds the Galatians of the time before their conversion when they didn’t know the true God and were prisoners of the idols they served as slaves.
In 1 Corinthians 12 he also gives a review of the past [1Cor 12:2]. It is a good thing to remind yourself sometimes of where you came from. This is not to throw yourself back into the past again; Paul warns about that in Ephesians 4 [Eph 4:17-19]. But if you are inclined to deviate in your faith, then you should think back on the simple gospel which was preached to you and which you have accepted.
[Verse 9]. Because the Galatians were in danger of falling back into idolatry, Paul on the one hand looks back to “then” and on the other hand exposes the present, “now”. The so-called 'gods' had brought them no benefit – because there is only one God and one Lord [1Cor 8:4-6]. They now knew the true God; they were brought into connection with Him, became His sons and could therefore call Him “Abba, Father”. That is quite a lot.
But it is even greater to be known by God. It shows that everything has proceeded from Him. He has accepted them; He has chosen them, even before they were born; He called them when they were in bondage to sin and idolatry. If you realize that, how could it then be possible that you turn away from Him and return to the things that belong to the past?
Now you might wonder how the law, which was once given by God, can be compared with returning to idolatry. Well, consider the following. In earlier days the law was indeed given by God to His people. By fulfilling all regulations and ordinances, God’s people would honor the Giver of the law. However, God’s people failed miserably. Even if they had fulfilled all regulations and ordinances, still their relation to God would only be that of a slave to his master.
Then the Lord Jesus came. He has fulfilled all that is written in the law. He takes as it were the place of the law as the only way to God, as Mediator between God and man which is infinitely more than the law. By this the law is completely set aside as a means to be connected to God. Now no one can come to the Father except through Him [John 14:6]. He who, in his relationship with the Father, wants to honor the law again, reverts to a means that brings him back into slavery again. The law cannot replace Christ; neither can it have a place beside Christ.
The law consists of all kinds of statutes and ceremonies. Anyone who submits to them again, gives credit to tangible things, outward ordinances, which belongs to the world. As long as these things were sanctified by God to serve Him, it was good to keep them. But now, because in Christ the reality has come, and God has abolished the law as a tutor, it is equal to returning to the world if these things take a place again in the service of God.
And besides that, they are also “weak and worthless elemental things”. They are ‘weak’, because the law with its ceremonies doesn’t have any power to deliver a man from his sins. They are ‘worthless’, because the law doesn’t have any possibility to make rich. The gospel possesses both power and richness for all who surrender to it in faith.
[Verse 10]. Paul mentions some things the Galatians were maintaining which were signs that they had already been caught up in Judaism. Keeping all kinds of special days and feasts does not fit the life of Christians. All Christian feast days and holy days are originally pagan festivals which are Christianized.
The only special day that the Christian knows is the first day of the week, the day of the Lord. That day speaks of the accomplished work of Christ which is accepted by God. On that day the church assembles together to remember all the great salvation truths, and above all Him, Who accomplished the work on the cross.
[Verse 11]. The concern Paul expresses that he might have labored in vain over the Galatians, has unfortunately come true in professing Christianity. By keeping of certain days we see how the evil that Paul demonstrates here has infiltrated Christianity.
[Verse 12]. After this urgent warning not to return to the ‘shadow service’ of the law, Paul even more intensely and emotionally appeals to the Galatian’s love for him. He beseeches them to become like him: that is being free from the law. At the same time, however, he is very careful not to give the impression that he was personally offended or hurt, in case they thought they may have wronged him personally. That they turned away from the true gospel was certainly a painful thing for him. But he speaks to them with a heart full of love and compassion, showing great concern about the way they had gone to their own detriment.
[Verse 13-14]. He reminds them of his first visit to them. They had accepted him and also the message of the gospel, despite his physically weak appearance. Many would rather have quickly run away (he was that repulsive), than listen to the message he preached. Still, the Galatians had listened to him and had not succumbed to the temptation to run away from him. They ignored Paul’s appearance because of the wonderful message of the gospel that he brought. They accepted him as a messenger from another world and they received him as if they received the Lord Jesus Himself (cf. [Matt 10:40]).
[Verse 15]. How happy they had been! But what was left of it? They had expressed their love and gratitude to him by putting their most valuable possession, their eyes, at his disposal. But their attitude has now changed. This is the result of their listening to false teachers.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 8-15
8Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.9But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?10Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.11I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.12Brethren, I beseech you, be as I [am]; for I [am] as ye [are]: ye have not injured me at all.13Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.14And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, [even] as Christ Jesus.15Where is then the blessedness ye spake 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.
Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-04-19 Source:
Title: Galatians Author: Ger de Koning Copyright: kingcomments.com Note General: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author or the publisher.
O trumpet of peace to the soul that is at war! O weapon that puttest to flight terrible passions! O instruction that quenches the innate fire of the soul! The Word exercises an influence which does not make poets: it does not equip philosophers nor skilled orators, but by its instruction it makes mortals immortal, mortals gods; and from the earth transports them to the realms above Olympus. Come, be taught; become as I am, for I, too, was as ye are.
See how again he addresses them by a name of honor, remembering to be gracious … for just as continual flattery ruins people, so a continuously severe mode of speech hardens them. Therefore it is good to maintain a balance everywhere. See now how he defends what he has said, showing that it was not in mere indignation but in concern for them that he said what he has said. For since he has given them a deep cut he next injects this appeal like oil. And showing that his words did not come from hatred or enmity, he reminds them of the charity that they displayed toward him and carries on his argument ironically.
He is saying this to those of a Jewish background, and so he brings himself to the fore, persuading them on this ground also to depart from the ancient ways. “For if you have no one else as a paradigm, it is enough simply to look at me as an instance of this change, and you will easily be encouraged. Consider then: I also was in this state and burned with great zeal for the law, and yet later I was not afraid to discard the law and depart from that way of life.”
You did me no wrong. Observe how he again addresses them by a title of honor, which was a reminder moreover of the doctrine of grace. Having chid them seriously, and brought things together from all quarters, and shown their violations of the Law, and hit them on many sides, he gives in and conciliates them speaking more tenderly. For as to do nothing but conciliate causes negligence, so to be constantly talked at with sharpness sours a man; so that it is proper to observe due proportion everywhere. See then how he excuses to them what he has said, and shows that it proceeded not simply because he did not like them, but from anxiety. After giving them a deep cut, he pours in this encouragement like oil; and, showing that his words were not words of hate or enmity, he reminds them of the love which they had evinced toward him, mixing his self-vindication with praises. Therefore he says, you did me no wrong.
I beseech you, brethren, be as I am; for I am as you are. This is addressed to his Jewish disciples, and he brings his own example forward, to induce them thereby to abandon their old customs. Though you had none other for a pattern, he says, to look at me only would have sufficed for such a change, and for your taking courage. Therefore gaze on me; I too was once in your state of mind, especially so; I had a burning zeal for the Law; yet afterwards I feared not to abandon the Law, to withdraw from that rule of life. And this you know full well how obstinately I clung hold of Judaism, and how with yet greater force I let it go. He does well to place this last in order: for most men, though they are given a thousand reasons, and those just ones, are more readily influenced by that which is like their own case, and more firmly hold to that which they see done by others.
A disciple harms his master if he wastes his precepts and his work by his own neglect. The Galatians had not harmed the apostle, because they had observed his gospel and his commands right up to the present. … Or else [he means]: “When I first preached the gospel to you … I pretended to be weak that I might be helpful to you in your weakness; did you not receive me as an angel, as Christ Jesus? When, therefore, you did me no harm at that time and thought me in my downcast and lowly state to be like the Son of God, why am I harmed by you when I stir you up to greater things?” Epistle to the Galatians.
He is saying something like this: “Just as I was made weak for your weakness and could not speak as to spiritual people … so you should also be as I am, that is, understand more spiritually.” … This he says indeed as an imitator of the Savior, who … “was found in fashion as a man,” that we might come to the divine life from being men. .
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Galatians 4:13 Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.
"The gospel" was initially "preached to you through a weakness of the flesh." [1] God often uses weak, despised, and poor instruments to do His work so that the honor goes to Him and not to humans.
Footnote [1] There are several theories about what the "weakness of the flesh" was that Paul suffered from. An eye disease (of which there are several types in the Middle East) is quite likely. Others have suggested malaria, migraines, epilepsy, and other ailments.
Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-06-29 Source:
Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck
The apostle reasons against following false teachers.
The apostle desires that they would be of one mind with him respecting the law of Moses, as well as united with him in love. In reproving others, we should take care to convince them that our reproofs are from sincere regard to the honor of God and religion and their welfare. The apostle reminds the Galatians of the difficulty under which he labored when he first came among them. But he notices, that he was a welcome messenger to them. Yet how very uncertain are the favor and respect of men! Let us labor to be accepted of God. You once thought yourselves happy in receiving the gospel; have you now reason to think otherwise? Christians must not forbear speaking the truth, for fear of offending others. The false teachers who drew the Galatians from the truth of the gospel were designing men. They pretended affection, but they were not sincere and upright. An excellent rule is given. It is good to be zealous always in a good thing; not for a time only, or now and then, but always. Happy would it be for the church of Christ, if this zeal was better maintained.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 12-18
12Brethren, I beseech you, be as I [am]; for I [am] as ye [are]: ye have not injured me at all.13Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.14And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, [even] as Christ Jesus.15Where is then the blessedness ye spake 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.16Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?17They zealously affect you, [but] not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.18But [it is] good to be zealously affected always in [a] good [thing], and not only when I am present with you.
Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source:
Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry
[Verse 8]. In the section of chapter 3:1 to chapter 4:7 Paul has made it clear that not the law, but only faith in the Lord Jesus is the way to salvation and all blessing. To this he now adds a serious warning to not place oneself under the law, nor allow anyone else to place you under the law. He reminds the Galatians of the time before their conversion when they didn’t know the true God and were prisoners of the idols they served as slaves.
In 1 Corinthians 12 he also gives a review of the past [1Cor 12:2]. It is a good thing to remind yourself sometimes of where you came from. This is not to throw yourself back into the past again; Paul warns about that in Ephesians 4 [Eph 4:17-19]. But if you are inclined to deviate in your faith, then you should think back on the simple gospel which was preached to you and which you have accepted.
[Verse 9]. Because the Galatians were in danger of falling back into idolatry, Paul on the one hand looks back to “then” and on the other hand exposes the present, “now”. The so-called 'gods' had brought them no benefit – because there is only one God and one Lord [1Cor 8:4-6]. They now knew the true God; they were brought into connection with Him, became His sons and could therefore call Him “Abba, Father”. That is quite a lot.
But it is even greater to be known by God. It shows that everything has proceeded from Him. He has accepted them; He has chosen them, even before they were born; He called them when they were in bondage to sin and idolatry. If you realize that, how could it then be possible that you turn away from Him and return to the things that belong to the past?
Now you might wonder how the law, which was once given by God, can be compared with returning to idolatry. Well, consider the following. In earlier days the law was indeed given by God to His people. By fulfilling all regulations and ordinances, God’s people would honor the Giver of the law. However, God’s people failed miserably. Even if they had fulfilled all regulations and ordinances, still their relation to God would only be that of a slave to his master.
Then the Lord Jesus came. He has fulfilled all that is written in the law. He takes as it were the place of the law as the only way to God, as Mediator between God and man which is infinitely more than the law. By this the law is completely set aside as a means to be connected to God. Now no one can come to the Father except through Him [John 14:6]. He who, in his relationship with the Father, wants to honor the law again, reverts to a means that brings him back into slavery again. The law cannot replace Christ; neither can it have a place beside Christ.
The law consists of all kinds of statutes and ceremonies. Anyone who submits to them again, gives credit to tangible things, outward ordinances, which belongs to the world. As long as these things were sanctified by God to serve Him, it was good to keep them. But now, because in Christ the reality has come, and God has abolished the law as a tutor, it is equal to returning to the world if these things take a place again in the service of God.
And besides that, they are also “weak and worthless elemental things”. They are ‘weak’, because the law with its ceremonies doesn’t have any power to deliver a man from his sins. They are ‘worthless’, because the law doesn’t have any possibility to make rich. The gospel possesses both power and richness for all who surrender to it in faith.
[Verse 10]. Paul mentions some things the Galatians were maintaining which were signs that they had already been caught up in Judaism. Keeping all kinds of special days and feasts does not fit the life of Christians. All Christian feast days and holy days are originally pagan festivals which are Christianized.
The only special day that the Christian knows is the first day of the week, the day of the Lord. That day speaks of the accomplished work of Christ which is accepted by God. On that day the church assembles together to remember all the great salvation truths, and above all Him, Who accomplished the work on the cross.
[Verse 11]. The concern Paul expresses that he might have labored in vain over the Galatians, has unfortunately come true in professing Christianity. By keeping of certain days we see how the evil that Paul demonstrates here has infiltrated Christianity.
[Verse 12]. After this urgent warning not to return to the ‘shadow service’ of the law, Paul even more intensely and emotionally appeals to the Galatian’s love for him. He beseeches them to become like him: that is being free from the law. At the same time, however, he is very careful not to give the impression that he was personally offended or hurt, in case they thought they may have wronged him personally. That they turned away from the true gospel was certainly a painful thing for him. But he speaks to them with a heart full of love and compassion, showing great concern about the way they had gone to their own detriment.
[Verse 13-14]. He reminds them of his first visit to them. They had accepted him and also the message of the gospel, despite his physically weak appearance. Many would rather have quickly run away (he was that repulsive), than listen to the message he preached. Still, the Galatians had listened to him and had not succumbed to the temptation to run away from him. They ignored Paul’s appearance because of the wonderful message of the gospel that he brought. They accepted him as a messenger from another world and they received him as if they received the Lord Jesus Himself (cf. [Matt 10:40]).
[Verse 15]. How happy they had been! But what was left of it? They had expressed their love and gratitude to him by putting their most valuable possession, their eyes, at his disposal. But their attitude has now changed. This is the result of their listening to false teachers.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 8-15
8Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.9But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?10Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.11I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.12Brethren, I beseech you, be as I [am]; for I [am] as ye [are]: ye have not injured me at all.13Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.14And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, [even] as Christ Jesus.15Where is then the blessedness ye spake 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.
Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-04-19 Source:
Title: Galatians Author: Ger de Koning Copyright: kingcomments.com Note General: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author or the publisher.
Not to have injured one is indeed no great thing, for no man whatever would choose to hurt wantonly and without object to annoy another who had never injured him. But for you, not only have you not injured me, but you have shown me great and inexpressible kindness, and it is impossible that one who has been treated with such attention should speak thus from any malevolent motive. My language then cannot be caused by ill-will; it follows, that it proceeds from affection and solicitude. You did me no wrong; you know that because of an infirmity of the flesh I preached the Gospel unto you. What can be gentler than this holy soul, what sweeter, or more affectionate! And the words he had already used, arose not from an unreasoning anger, nor from a passionate emotion, but from much solicitude. And why do I say, you have not injured me? Rather have you evinced a great and sincere regard for me. For you know, he says, that because of an infirmity of the flesh I preached the Gospel unto you; and that which was a temptation to you in my flesh you despised not, nor rejected. What does he mean? While I preached to you, I was driven about, I was scourged, I suffered a thousand deaths, yet you thought no scorn of me; for this is meant by that which was a temptation to you in my flesh you despised not, nor rejected. Observe his spiritual skill; in the midst of his self-vindication, he again appeals to their feelings by showing what he had suffered for their sakes. This however, says he, did not at all offend you, nor did you reject me on account of my sufferings and persecutions; or, as he now calls them, his infirmity and temptation.
This is an obscure passage and demands closer attention. “I preached to you initially,” he says, “as if to infants and sucklings on account of your bodily weakness…. This economy and pretense of weakness in preaching was my own policy. You were trying to decide whether things that were rather small in themselves and were presented by me as of little account would be acceptable.” … The passage could also be explained another way: “When I came to you … as a lowly and despised man … you perceived that my lowliness and the plainness of my dress were meant to try you.” … Or we might suppose that the apostle was sick when he came to the Galatians…. And this could also be said, that in his first coming to the Galatians he was subject to abuse and persecution and physical beatings from the adversaries of the gospel. .
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Galatians 4:14 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.
The illness was a "trial" for Paul and his listeners. Yet, the Galatians did not reject him because of his appearance or his manner of preaching. Instead, they received him "like an angel of God," that is, as a messenger sent by God Himself, and even "like Christ Jesus." Because he represented the Lord, they welcomed him as if they were welcoming the Lord Himself [Matt 10:40]. They accepted Paul's message as the word of God. This should be a lesson for all Christians on how to treat the Lord's messengers. When we receive them warmly, we receive the Lord in the same way [Luke 10:16].
Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-06-29 Source:
Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck
The apostle reasons against following false teachers.
The apostle desires that they would be of one mind with him respecting the law of Moses, as well as united with him in love. In reproving others, we should take care to convince them that our reproofs are from sincere regard to the honor of God and religion and their welfare. The apostle reminds the Galatians of the difficulty under which he labored when he first came among them. But he notices, that he was a welcome messenger to them. Yet how very uncertain are the favor and respect of men! Let us labor to be accepted of God. You once thought yourselves happy in receiving the gospel; have you now reason to think otherwise? Christians must not forbear speaking the truth, for fear of offending others. The false teachers who drew the Galatians from the truth of the gospel were designing men. They pretended affection, but they were not sincere and upright. An excellent rule is given. It is good to be zealous always in a good thing; not for a time only, or now and then, but always. Happy would it be for the church of Christ, if this zeal was better maintained.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 12-18
12Brethren, I beseech you, be as I [am]; for I [am] as ye [are]: ye have not injured me at all.13Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.14And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, [even] as Christ Jesus.15Where is then the blessedness ye spake 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.16Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?17They zealously affect you, [but] not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.18But [it is] good to be zealously affected always in [a] good [thing], and not only when I am present with you.
Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source:
Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry
[Verse 8]. In the section of chapter 3:1 to chapter 4:7 Paul has made it clear that not the law, but only faith in the Lord Jesus is the way to salvation and all blessing. To this he now adds a serious warning to not place oneself under the law, nor allow anyone else to place you under the law. He reminds the Galatians of the time before their conversion when they didn’t know the true God and were prisoners of the idols they served as slaves.
In 1 Corinthians 12 he also gives a review of the past [1Cor 12:2]. It is a good thing to remind yourself sometimes of where you came from. This is not to throw yourself back into the past again; Paul warns about that in Ephesians 4 [Eph 4:17-19]. But if you are inclined to deviate in your faith, then you should think back on the simple gospel which was preached to you and which you have accepted.
[Verse 9]. Because the Galatians were in danger of falling back into idolatry, Paul on the one hand looks back to “then” and on the other hand exposes the present, “now”. The so-called 'gods' had brought them no benefit – because there is only one God and one Lord [1Cor 8:4-6]. They now knew the true God; they were brought into connection with Him, became His sons and could therefore call Him “Abba, Father”. That is quite a lot.
But it is even greater to be known by God. It shows that everything has proceeded from Him. He has accepted them; He has chosen them, even before they were born; He called them when they were in bondage to sin and idolatry. If you realize that, how could it then be possible that you turn away from Him and return to the things that belong to the past?
Now you might wonder how the law, which was once given by God, can be compared with returning to idolatry. Well, consider the following. In earlier days the law was indeed given by God to His people. By fulfilling all regulations and ordinances, God’s people would honor the Giver of the law. However, God’s people failed miserably. Even if they had fulfilled all regulations and ordinances, still their relation to God would only be that of a slave to his master.
Then the Lord Jesus came. He has fulfilled all that is written in the law. He takes as it were the place of the law as the only way to God, as Mediator between God and man which is infinitely more than the law. By this the law is completely set aside as a means to be connected to God. Now no one can come to the Father except through Him [John 14:6]. He who, in his relationship with the Father, wants to honor the law again, reverts to a means that brings him back into slavery again. The law cannot replace Christ; neither can it have a place beside Christ.
The law consists of all kinds of statutes and ceremonies. Anyone who submits to them again, gives credit to tangible things, outward ordinances, which belongs to the world. As long as these things were sanctified by God to serve Him, it was good to keep them. But now, because in Christ the reality has come, and God has abolished the law as a tutor, it is equal to returning to the world if these things take a place again in the service of God.
And besides that, they are also “weak and worthless elemental things”. They are ‘weak’, because the law with its ceremonies doesn’t have any power to deliver a man from his sins. They are ‘worthless’, because the law doesn’t have any possibility to make rich. The gospel possesses both power and richness for all who surrender to it in faith.
[Verse 10]. Paul mentions some things the Galatians were maintaining which were signs that they had already been caught up in Judaism. Keeping all kinds of special days and feasts does not fit the life of Christians. All Christian feast days and holy days are originally pagan festivals which are Christianized.
The only special day that the Christian knows is the first day of the week, the day of the Lord. That day speaks of the accomplished work of Christ which is accepted by God. On that day the church assembles together to remember all the great salvation truths, and above all Him, Who accomplished the work on the cross.
[Verse 11]. The concern Paul expresses that he might have labored in vain over the Galatians, has unfortunately come true in professing Christianity. By keeping of certain days we see how the evil that Paul demonstrates here has infiltrated Christianity.
[Verse 12]. After this urgent warning not to return to the ‘shadow service’ of the law, Paul even more intensely and emotionally appeals to the Galatian’s love for him. He beseeches them to become like him: that is being free from the law. At the same time, however, he is very careful not to give the impression that he was personally offended or hurt, in case they thought they may have wronged him personally. That they turned away from the true gospel was certainly a painful thing for him. But he speaks to them with a heart full of love and compassion, showing great concern about the way they had gone to their own detriment.
[Verse 13-14]. He reminds them of his first visit to them. They had accepted him and also the message of the gospel, despite his physically weak appearance. Many would rather have quickly run away (he was that repulsive), than listen to the message he preached. Still, the Galatians had listened to him and had not succumbed to the temptation to run away from him. They ignored Paul’s appearance because of the wonderful message of the gospel that he brought. They accepted him as a messenger from another world and they received him as if they received the Lord Jesus Himself (cf. [Matt 10:40]).
[Verse 15]. How happy they had been! But what was left of it? They had expressed their love and gratitude to him by putting their most valuable possession, their eyes, at his disposal. But their attitude has now changed. This is the result of their listening to false teachers.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 8-15
8Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.9But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?10Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.11I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.12Brethren, I beseech you, be as I [am]; for I [am] as ye [are]: ye have not injured me at all.13Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.14And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, [even] as Christ Jesus.15Where is then the blessedness ye spake 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.
Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-04-19 Source:
Title: Galatians Author: Ger de Koning Copyright: kingcomments.com Note General: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author or the publisher.
Do you see the absurdity of receiving him as an angel of God when pursued and persecuted but not receiving him when he commands what is necessary? Homily on Galatians
What is he saying? “I was persecuted, I was flogged, I underwent many neardeaths in preaching to you, and even so you did not despise me.” For that is the meaning of “you did not scorn or despise me.” Do you perceive his spiritual understanding? For even in the course of his selfdefense he continues to exhort them anew, showing what he has suffered on their account.
Was it not then absurd in them to receive him as an Angel of God, when he was persecuted and driven about, and then not to receive him when pressing on them what was fitting?
The weakness in my body was no obstacle for you, but you received me as an angel of God, that is, as a messenger, a preacher sent from God (for that is an angel of God); and you received me like Christ Jesus, whom I was preaching to you. And so you truly received Christ Jesus, if you received me as an angel of God, in the same way you received Christ Jesus. .
Author: Gaius Marius Victorinus Rank: Author AD: 400
The ailment of the apostle was a temptation to the Galatians. But they were found constant, not doubting as to his faith. For they could have stumbled and said, “What virtue or hope is there in this faith when its minister is so humiliated?” But when he had inspired their minds with future hopes, they did not fear present death for the sake of Christ’s name…. This caused them later to blush, because after these laudable acts they became again entrapped so as to deserve reproach. –.
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Galatians 4:15 Where is then the blessedness ye spake 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.
When they first heard the gospel, they recognized what great "blessedness" it was for their souls. They valued this message so highly that they would have even "torn out their own eyes" to give them to Paul if it had been possible. (This may be a hint that the "thorn in the flesh" Paul mentions in [2Cor 12] was an eye disease.) But where had this gratitude gone? It had vanished like the morning dew.
Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-06-29 Source:
Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck
The apostle reasons against following false teachers.
The apostle desires that they would be of one mind with him respecting the law of Moses, as well as united with him in love. In reproving others, we should take care to convince them that our reproofs are from sincere regard to the honor of God and religion and their welfare. The apostle reminds the Galatians of the difficulty under which he labored when he first came among them. But he notices, that he was a welcome messenger to them. Yet how very uncertain are the favor and respect of men! Let us labor to be accepted of God. You once thought yourselves happy in receiving the gospel; have you now reason to think otherwise? Christians must not forbear speaking the truth, for fear of offending others. The false teachers who drew the Galatians from the truth of the gospel were designing men. They pretended affection, but they were not sincere and upright. An excellent rule is given. It is good to be zealous always in a good thing; not for a time only, or now and then, but always. Happy would it be for the church of Christ, if this zeal was better maintained.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 12-18
12Brethren, I beseech you, be as I [am]; for I [am] as ye [are]: ye have not injured me at all.13Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.14And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, [even] as Christ Jesus.15Where is then the blessedness ye spake 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.16Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?17They zealously affect you, [but] not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.18But [it is] good to be zealously affected always in [a] good [thing], and not only when I am present with you.
Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source:
Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry
[Verse 8]. In the section of chapter 3:1 to chapter 4:7 Paul has made it clear that not the law, but only faith in the Lord Jesus is the way to salvation and all blessing. To this he now adds a serious warning to not place oneself under the law, nor allow anyone else to place you under the law. He reminds the Galatians of the time before their conversion when they didn’t know the true God and were prisoners of the idols they served as slaves.
In 1 Corinthians 12 he also gives a review of the past [1Cor 12:2]. It is a good thing to remind yourself sometimes of where you came from. This is not to throw yourself back into the past again; Paul warns about that in Ephesians 4 [Eph 4:17-19]. But if you are inclined to deviate in your faith, then you should think back on the simple gospel which was preached to you and which you have accepted.
[Verse 9]. Because the Galatians were in danger of falling back into idolatry, Paul on the one hand looks back to “then” and on the other hand exposes the present, “now”. The so-called 'gods' had brought them no benefit – because there is only one God and one Lord [1Cor 8:4-6]. They now knew the true God; they were brought into connection with Him, became His sons and could therefore call Him “Abba, Father”. That is quite a lot.
But it is even greater to be known by God. It shows that everything has proceeded from Him. He has accepted them; He has chosen them, even before they were born; He called them when they were in bondage to sin and idolatry. If you realize that, how could it then be possible that you turn away from Him and return to the things that belong to the past?
Now you might wonder how the law, which was once given by God, can be compared with returning to idolatry. Well, consider the following. In earlier days the law was indeed given by God to His people. By fulfilling all regulations and ordinances, God’s people would honor the Giver of the law. However, God’s people failed miserably. Even if they had fulfilled all regulations and ordinances, still their relation to God would only be that of a slave to his master.
Then the Lord Jesus came. He has fulfilled all that is written in the law. He takes as it were the place of the law as the only way to God, as Mediator between God and man which is infinitely more than the law. By this the law is completely set aside as a means to be connected to God. Now no one can come to the Father except through Him [John 14:6]. He who, in his relationship with the Father, wants to honor the law again, reverts to a means that brings him back into slavery again. The law cannot replace Christ; neither can it have a place beside Christ.
The law consists of all kinds of statutes and ceremonies. Anyone who submits to them again, gives credit to tangible things, outward ordinances, which belongs to the world. As long as these things were sanctified by God to serve Him, it was good to keep them. But now, because in Christ the reality has come, and God has abolished the law as a tutor, it is equal to returning to the world if these things take a place again in the service of God.
And besides that, they are also “weak and worthless elemental things”. They are ‘weak’, because the law with its ceremonies doesn’t have any power to deliver a man from his sins. They are ‘worthless’, because the law doesn’t have any possibility to make rich. The gospel possesses both power and richness for all who surrender to it in faith.
[Verse 10]. Paul mentions some things the Galatians were maintaining which were signs that they had already been caught up in Judaism. Keeping all kinds of special days and feasts does not fit the life of Christians. All Christian feast days and holy days are originally pagan festivals which are Christianized.
The only special day that the Christian knows is the first day of the week, the day of the Lord. That day speaks of the accomplished work of Christ which is accepted by God. On that day the church assembles together to remember all the great salvation truths, and above all Him, Who accomplished the work on the cross.
[Verse 11]. The concern Paul expresses that he might have labored in vain over the Galatians, has unfortunately come true in professing Christianity. By keeping of certain days we see how the evil that Paul demonstrates here has infiltrated Christianity.
[Verse 12]. After this urgent warning not to return to the ‘shadow service’ of the law, Paul even more intensely and emotionally appeals to the Galatian’s love for him. He beseeches them to become like him: that is being free from the law. At the same time, however, he is very careful not to give the impression that he was personally offended or hurt, in case they thought they may have wronged him personally. That they turned away from the true gospel was certainly a painful thing for him. But he speaks to them with a heart full of love and compassion, showing great concern about the way they had gone to their own detriment.
[Verse 13-14]. He reminds them of his first visit to them. They had accepted him and also the message of the gospel, despite his physically weak appearance. Many would rather have quickly run away (he was that repulsive), than listen to the message he preached. Still, the Galatians had listened to him and had not succumbed to the temptation to run away from him. They ignored Paul’s appearance because of the wonderful message of the gospel that he brought. They accepted him as a messenger from another world and they received him as if they received the Lord Jesus Himself (cf. [Matt 10:40]).
[Verse 15]. How happy they had been! But what was left of it? They had expressed their love and gratitude to him by putting their most valuable possession, their eyes, at his disposal. But their attitude has now changed. This is the result of their listening to false teachers.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 8-15
8Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.9But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?10Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.11I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.12Brethren, I beseech you, be as I [am]; for I [am] as ye [are]: ye have not injured me at all.13Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.14And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, [even] as Christ Jesus.15Where is then the blessedness ye spake 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.
Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-04-19 Source:
Title: Galatians Author: Ger de Koning Copyright: kingcomments.com Note General: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author or the publisher.
Here he shows perplexity and amazement, and desires to learn of themselves the reason of their change. Who, says he, has deceived you, and caused a difference in your disposition towards me? Are you not the same who attended and ministered to me, counting me more precious than your own eyes? What then has happened? Whence this dislike? Whence this suspicion? Is it because I have told you the truth? You ought on this very account to pay me increased honor and attention; instead of which I have become your enemy, because I tell you the truth,— for I can find no other reason but this. Observe too what humbleness of mind appears in his defence of himself; he proves not by his conduct to them, but by theirs to him that his language could not possibly have proceeded from unkind feeling. For he says not; How is it supposable that one, who has been scourged and driven about, and ill-treated a thousand things for your sakes, should now have schemes against you? But he argues from what they had reason to boast of, saying, How can one who has been honored by you, and received as an Angel, repay you by conduct the very opposite?
You were satisfied at the time when you received the gospel, because you were zealous at the outset. Yet now, since I do not see the finishing of the edifice, I am forced to say, “where is your satisfaction?” Epistle to the Galatians–.
Author: Gaius Marius Victorinus Rank: Author AD: 400
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Galatians 4:16 Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?
What was the explanation for their change in attitude toward Paul? He was still preaching the same message and fervently fighting for the truth of the gospel. If they now saw him as an enemy, they were indeed in a dangerous position.
Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-06-29 Source:
Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck
The apostle reasons against following false teachers.
The apostle desires that they would be of one mind with him respecting the law of Moses, as well as united with him in love. In reproving others, we should take care to convince them that our reproofs are from sincere regard to the honor of God and religion and their welfare. The apostle reminds the Galatians of the difficulty under which he labored when he first came among them. But he notices, that he was a welcome messenger to them. Yet how very uncertain are the favor and respect of men! Let us labor to be accepted of God. You once thought yourselves happy in receiving the gospel; have you now reason to think otherwise? Christians must not forbear speaking the truth, for fear of offending others. The false teachers who drew the Galatians from the truth of the gospel were designing men. They pretended affection, but they were not sincere and upright. An excellent rule is given. It is good to be zealous always in a good thing; not for a time only, or now and then, but always. Happy would it be for the church of Christ, if this zeal was better maintained.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 12-18
12Brethren, I beseech you, be as I [am]; for I [am] as ye [are]: ye have not injured me at all.13Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.14And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, [even] as Christ Jesus.15Where is then the blessedness ye spake 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.16Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?17They zealously affect you, [but] not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.18But [it is] good to be zealously affected always in [a] good [thing], and not only when I am present with you.
Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source:
Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry
[Verse 16]. In an emotional argument Paul tries to make clear to the Galatians how mistaken they were. He had brought them the truth of the gospel, not to connect them to himself but to the Lord Jesus. They had embraced the gospel and received it in their hearts. How grateful they were then.
But now other people had come. They had told the Galatians that Paul deceived them with his gospel. Those others were well aware of the law and God’s commandments of the Old Testament. They said that Paul concealed that from them and that Paul didn’t seek the best for them. He wasn’t their friend but their enemy. Is this really so, Paul said, that I told you the truth by which you are saved and then I become your enemy?
Everyone who wants to minister the truth will experience what is happening to Paul here. When you teach the doctrine of Paul, it will be accepted gratefully as a commandment from God, especially by people who can find an answer to their need in this doctrine. But if someone dislikes that doctrine, it can be used to try to turn people against the teacher. Take, for example, Paul’s teachings about the silence of women in the meeting: he has subsequently been called a woman hater, although it is a commandment of God as well [1Cor 14:34-37].
[Verse 17]. Then Paul points the Galatians to the false teachers and the way they behave. They come and bring a different gospel that Paul didn’t preach; neither did the ones who were with him [Gal 1:8-9]; [2Cor 11:4]. And the Galatians paid attention to that gospel willingly. The false teachers were allowed to spout their ideas and these people were diligent! But, Paul says, beware of the fact that they bring a separation between us. Their intention is that you commit yourselves to them.
Paul is trying to make the Galatians understand, that, while he had sought their spiritual welfare, the false teachers had in mind to make them followers of themselves. They were like the pharisees, who were traveling all over the country to convince people of their doctrine. Then they could boast of a great number of followers. The Lord Jesus speaks the ‘Woe’ to them [Matt 23:15].
[Verse 18]. Now certainly there is a good kind of zeal, for example the kind of zeal the Lord Jesus showed. He was zealous for the honor of God’s house [John 2:17]. It seems that the Galatians showed this good zeal during the time Paul was with them. It would have been great if they had also continued to do so during his absence.
[Verse 19]. But no, Paul felt how the Galatians had departed “from the simplicity … to Christ” [2Cor 11:3]. Again, that caused him the pain and trouble he had experienced when he preached the gospel to them. In his spirit he experienced again the sufferings he had endured in his struggles to win the souls of the Galatians. At that time it was to deliver them from the slavery of idols. Now it was to deliver them from the legalistic and outward religion of the Jews.
Paul compares himself with a mother. How important are motherly feelings when you see that a believer is inclined to deviate. Only with such feelings it is possible to win the other. What a touching proof of his love for them this is: he could afford to suffer again the “labor” in birth. He wants to do everything possible to win them back and bring them back to the unmixed gospel. He appeals to them as “my children”. How this must have touched their hearts.
His only goal was that “Christ is formed” in them. Through the influence of legalism the image of Christ was disappearing more and more from the Galatians. All that a man wants to do in his own strength to serve God is detrimental to the image of Christ in his life.
[Verse 20]. Their deviation from the truth had given him a sense of perplexity. How he would love to be with them! How he would love to speak to them with more love – although this letter was exactly a clear expression that he loved them dearly.
[Verse 21]. After this emotional plea to win their hearts, from [Verse 21] on he makes a new attempt to make them understand that they were doing wrong. Now he addresses their mind or understanding. In [Verse 21] the word ‘law’ is used two times. The first time this word means a legalistic principle, something you impose on yourself as a law. You can impose yourself to keep the Ten Commandments. The second time, to listen to the law, ‘the law’ means the five books of Moses. You can see this in the example Paul is quoting from the law.
[Verse 22]. He brings forward Abraham, whose history is written in Genesis. Paul mentions Abraham, because the false teachers also mentioned him to emphasize their demand that the Galatians should be circumcised.
Paul introduces his example with “for it is written”. Thereby he focuses attention on the authority of the Scriptures (cf. [Matt 4:4], [Matt 4:7], [Matt 4:10]). Then he points to Isaac and Ishmael and their mothers, whose names he doesn’t mention. It is not about their names, but about their positions, because that is what the mothers transmit to their children.
[Verse 23]. After having discussed the position he points to the origin of both sons. Ishmael was born by a self-willed action of Abraham, but Isaac he received by God’s promise. The spiritual lessons to be drawn from this by Galatians, and by us, are discussed in the following verses.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 16-23
16Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?17They zealously affect you, [but] not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.18But [it is] good to be zealously affected always in [a] good [thing], and not only when I am present with you.19My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,20I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.21Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?22For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.23But he [who was] of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman [was] by promise.
Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-04-19 Source:
Title: Galatians Author: Ger de Koning Copyright: kingcomments.com Note General: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author or the publisher.
He has finished his sentence elegantly, asking: “Have I become an enemy for preaching the truth to you?” He says this to show that his initial bodily ailment in preaching was not so much truth as a shadow and image of truth…. He has tempered this sentence and made it personal because he has addressed it to the Galatians in person…. Today also, so long as we … explain the Scripture according to the letter, we are praised and respected and held in admiration. But when we make a small attempt to provoke people personally to pass on to greater things, they stop acclaiming us and become resistant. –.
And if, for the present, certain of our brethren seem to be made sorry by us, let us nevertheless remain in our wholesome persuasion, knowing that an apostle also has said, "Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth? "
Wherefore the apostle himself also in every case uses stringent language to the Churches, after the Lord's example; and conscious of his own boldness, and of the weakness of his hearers, he says to the Galatians: "Am I your enemy, because I tell you the truth? "
Author: Clement Of Alexandria Rank: Author AD: 215
He says this as to imply: “It is not possible that I should become an enemy to those from whom I received such services. But because no one wants to be exposed when he errs, I seem to be your enemy when I justly reprimand you.”
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Galatians 4:17 They zealously affect you, [but] not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.
The motives of the false teachers were very different from Paul's: They sought a following, while he was interested in the spiritual well-being of the Galatians [Gal 4:17-20]. The false teachers were zealous in their efforts to win the Galatians' affection, but their motives were not pure. "They want to exclude you." The Judaizing false teachers were trying to separate the Galatians from the Apostle Paul and other teachers. They sought their own following and wanted to form a sect to secure it for themselves. Stott warns: "If Christianity is made into a bondage of rules and regulations, its victims will inevitably be oppressed and tied to the apron strings of their teachers, as was the case in the Middle Ages." [1]
Footnote [1] Stott, Galatians, S. 116.
Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-06-29 Source:
Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck
The apostle reasons against following false teachers.
The apostle desires that they would be of one mind with him respecting the law of Moses, as well as united with him in love. In reproving others, we should take care to convince them that our reproofs are from sincere regard to the honor of God and religion and their welfare. The apostle reminds the Galatians of the difficulty under which he labored when he first came among them. But he notices, that he was a welcome messenger to them. Yet how very uncertain are the favor and respect of men! Let us labor to be accepted of God. You once thought yourselves happy in receiving the gospel; have you now reason to think otherwise? Christians must not forbear speaking the truth, for fear of offending others. The false teachers who drew the Galatians from the truth of the gospel were designing men. They pretended affection, but they were not sincere and upright. An excellent rule is given. It is good to be zealous always in a good thing; not for a time only, or now and then, but always. Happy would it be for the church of Christ, if this zeal was better maintained.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 12-18
12Brethren, I beseech you, be as I [am]; for I [am] as ye [are]: ye have not injured me at all.13Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.14And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, [even] as Christ Jesus.15Where is then the blessedness ye spake 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.16Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?17They zealously affect you, [but] not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.18But [it is] good to be zealously affected always in [a] good [thing], and not only when I am present with you.
Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source:
Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry
[Verse 16]. In an emotional argument Paul tries to make clear to the Galatians how mistaken they were. He had brought them the truth of the gospel, not to connect them to himself but to the Lord Jesus. They had embraced the gospel and received it in their hearts. How grateful they were then.
But now other people had come. They had told the Galatians that Paul deceived them with his gospel. Those others were well aware of the law and God’s commandments of the Old Testament. They said that Paul concealed that from them and that Paul didn’t seek the best for them. He wasn’t their friend but their enemy. Is this really so, Paul said, that I told you the truth by which you are saved and then I become your enemy?
Everyone who wants to minister the truth will experience what is happening to Paul here. When you teach the doctrine of Paul, it will be accepted gratefully as a commandment from God, especially by people who can find an answer to their need in this doctrine. But if someone dislikes that doctrine, it can be used to try to turn people against the teacher. Take, for example, Paul’s teachings about the silence of women in the meeting: he has subsequently been called a woman hater, although it is a commandment of God as well [1Cor 14:34-37].
[Verse 17]. Then Paul points the Galatians to the false teachers and the way they behave. They come and bring a different gospel that Paul didn’t preach; neither did the ones who were with him [Gal 1:8-9]; [2Cor 11:4]. And the Galatians paid attention to that gospel willingly. The false teachers were allowed to spout their ideas and these people were diligent! But, Paul says, beware of the fact that they bring a separation between us. Their intention is that you commit yourselves to them.
Paul is trying to make the Galatians understand, that, while he had sought their spiritual welfare, the false teachers had in mind to make them followers of themselves. They were like the pharisees, who were traveling all over the country to convince people of their doctrine. Then they could boast of a great number of followers. The Lord Jesus speaks the ‘Woe’ to them [Matt 23:15].
[Verse 18]. Now certainly there is a good kind of zeal, for example the kind of zeal the Lord Jesus showed. He was zealous for the honor of God’s house [John 2:17]. It seems that the Galatians showed this good zeal during the time Paul was with them. It would have been great if they had also continued to do so during his absence.
[Verse 19]. But no, Paul felt how the Galatians had departed “from the simplicity … to Christ” [2Cor 11:3]. Again, that caused him the pain and trouble he had experienced when he preached the gospel to them. In his spirit he experienced again the sufferings he had endured in his struggles to win the souls of the Galatians. At that time it was to deliver them from the slavery of idols. Now it was to deliver them from the legalistic and outward religion of the Jews.
Paul compares himself with a mother. How important are motherly feelings when you see that a believer is inclined to deviate. Only with such feelings it is possible to win the other. What a touching proof of his love for them this is: he could afford to suffer again the “labor” in birth. He wants to do everything possible to win them back and bring them back to the unmixed gospel. He appeals to them as “my children”. How this must have touched their hearts.
His only goal was that “Christ is formed” in them. Through the influence of legalism the image of Christ was disappearing more and more from the Galatians. All that a man wants to do in his own strength to serve God is detrimental to the image of Christ in his life.
[Verse 20]. Their deviation from the truth had given him a sense of perplexity. How he would love to be with them! How he would love to speak to them with more love – although this letter was exactly a clear expression that he loved them dearly.
[Verse 21]. After this emotional plea to win their hearts, from [Verse 21] on he makes a new attempt to make them understand that they were doing wrong. Now he addresses their mind or understanding. In [Verse 21] the word ‘law’ is used two times. The first time this word means a legalistic principle, something you impose on yourself as a law. You can impose yourself to keep the Ten Commandments. The second time, to listen to the law, ‘the law’ means the five books of Moses. You can see this in the example Paul is quoting from the law.
[Verse 22]. He brings forward Abraham, whose history is written in Genesis. Paul mentions Abraham, because the false teachers also mentioned him to emphasize their demand that the Galatians should be circumcised.
Paul introduces his example with “for it is written”. Thereby he focuses attention on the authority of the Scriptures (cf. [Matt 4:4], [Matt 4:7], [Matt 4:10]). Then he points to Isaac and Ishmael and their mothers, whose names he doesn’t mention. It is not about their names, but about their positions, because that is what the mothers transmit to their children.
[Verse 23]. After having discussed the position he points to the origin of both sons. Ishmael was born by a self-willed action of Abraham, but Isaac he received by God’s promise. The spiritual lessons to be drawn from this by Galatians, and by us, are discussed in the following verses.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 16-23
16Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?17They zealously affect you, [but] not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.18But [it is] good to be zealously affected always in [a] good [thing], and not only when I am present with you.19My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,20I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.21Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?22For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.23But he [who was] of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman [was] by promise.
Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-04-19 Source:
Title: Galatians Author: Ger de Koning Copyright: kingcomments.com Note General: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author or the publisher.
It is a wholesome emulation which leads to an imitation of virtue, but an evil one, which seduces from virtue him who is in the right path. And this is the object of those persons, who would deprive you of perfect knowledge, and impart to you that which is mutilated and spurious, and this for no other purpose than that they may occupy the rank of teachers, and degrade you, who now stand higher than themselves, to the position of disciples. For this is the meaning of the words that you may seek them. But I, says he, desire the reverse, that you may become a model for them, and a pattern of a higher perfection: a thing which actually happened when I was present with you.
Since emulate signifies two things—one when someone emulates what he finds pleasing because it is good and another when people are emulators because they feel envy—these people, he says, emulate you in a bad way, by which he means that they are imitators through envy…. When he adds the phrase “so that you may emulate them” [meaning] “that you may follow them,” he has thus used the double sense of emulation in different places, since emulation is imitation, and especially when it is also directed to what is good…. [He continues:] “Emulate therefore better gifts—not those of Jewish law, which are not gifts and are not better; but emulate those things which are good and better gifts. That is, whatever belongs to faith and love, emulate that with regard to Christ and follow it. It is always good to emulate better things. Emulation as such is not good, but the emulation of better things is always good, and not only when I am present.” –.
Author: Gaius Marius Victorinus Rank: Author AD: 400
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Galatians 4:18 But [it is] good to be zealously affected always in [a] good [thing], and not only when I am present with you.
Paul essentially says here: "I don't mind if others make a lot of fuss over you when I am not there. As long as they do it with pure motives and for the 'good,' it is all right."
Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-06-29 Source:
Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck
The apostle reasons against following false teachers.
The apostle desires that they would be of one mind with him respecting the law of Moses, as well as united with him in love. In reproving others, we should take care to convince them that our reproofs are from sincere regard to the honor of God and religion and their welfare. The apostle reminds the Galatians of the difficulty under which he labored when he first came among them. But he notices, that he was a welcome messenger to them. Yet how very uncertain are the favor and respect of men! Let us labor to be accepted of God. You once thought yourselves happy in receiving the gospel; have you now reason to think otherwise? Christians must not forbear speaking the truth, for fear of offending others. The false teachers who drew the Galatians from the truth of the gospel were designing men. They pretended affection, but they were not sincere and upright. An excellent rule is given. It is good to be zealous always in a good thing; not for a time only, or now and then, but always. Happy would it be for the church of Christ, if this zeal was better maintained.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 12-18
12Brethren, I beseech you, be as I [am]; for I [am] as ye [are]: ye have not injured me at all.13Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.14And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, [even] as Christ Jesus.15Where is then the blessedness ye spake 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.16Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?17They zealously affect you, [but] not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.18But [it is] good to be zealously affected always in [a] good [thing], and not only when I am present with you.
Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source:
Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry
[Verse 16]. In an emotional argument Paul tries to make clear to the Galatians how mistaken they were. He had brought them the truth of the gospel, not to connect them to himself but to the Lord Jesus. They had embraced the gospel and received it in their hearts. How grateful they were then.
But now other people had come. They had told the Galatians that Paul deceived them with his gospel. Those others were well aware of the law and God’s commandments of the Old Testament. They said that Paul concealed that from them and that Paul didn’t seek the best for them. He wasn’t their friend but their enemy. Is this really so, Paul said, that I told you the truth by which you are saved and then I become your enemy?
Everyone who wants to minister the truth will experience what is happening to Paul here. When you teach the doctrine of Paul, it will be accepted gratefully as a commandment from God, especially by people who can find an answer to their need in this doctrine. But if someone dislikes that doctrine, it can be used to try to turn people against the teacher. Take, for example, Paul’s teachings about the silence of women in the meeting: he has subsequently been called a woman hater, although it is a commandment of God as well [1Cor 14:34-37].
[Verse 17]. Then Paul points the Galatians to the false teachers and the way they behave. They come and bring a different gospel that Paul didn’t preach; neither did the ones who were with him [Gal 1:8-9]; [2Cor 11:4]. And the Galatians paid attention to that gospel willingly. The false teachers were allowed to spout their ideas and these people were diligent! But, Paul says, beware of the fact that they bring a separation between us. Their intention is that you commit yourselves to them.
Paul is trying to make the Galatians understand, that, while he had sought their spiritual welfare, the false teachers had in mind to make them followers of themselves. They were like the pharisees, who were traveling all over the country to convince people of their doctrine. Then they could boast of a great number of followers. The Lord Jesus speaks the ‘Woe’ to them [Matt 23:15].
[Verse 18]. Now certainly there is a good kind of zeal, for example the kind of zeal the Lord Jesus showed. He was zealous for the honor of God’s house [John 2:17]. It seems that the Galatians showed this good zeal during the time Paul was with them. It would have been great if they had also continued to do so during his absence.
[Verse 19]. But no, Paul felt how the Galatians had departed “from the simplicity … to Christ” [2Cor 11:3]. Again, that caused him the pain and trouble he had experienced when he preached the gospel to them. In his spirit he experienced again the sufferings he had endured in his struggles to win the souls of the Galatians. At that time it was to deliver them from the slavery of idols. Now it was to deliver them from the legalistic and outward religion of the Jews.
Paul compares himself with a mother. How important are motherly feelings when you see that a believer is inclined to deviate. Only with such feelings it is possible to win the other. What a touching proof of his love for them this is: he could afford to suffer again the “labor” in birth. He wants to do everything possible to win them back and bring them back to the unmixed gospel. He appeals to them as “my children”. How this must have touched their hearts.
His only goal was that “Christ is formed” in them. Through the influence of legalism the image of Christ was disappearing more and more from the Galatians. All that a man wants to do in his own strength to serve God is detrimental to the image of Christ in his life.
[Verse 20]. Their deviation from the truth had given him a sense of perplexity. How he would love to be with them! How he would love to speak to them with more love – although this letter was exactly a clear expression that he loved them dearly.
[Verse 21]. After this emotional plea to win their hearts, from [Verse 21] on he makes a new attempt to make them understand that they were doing wrong. Now he addresses their mind or understanding. In [Verse 21] the word ‘law’ is used two times. The first time this word means a legalistic principle, something you impose on yourself as a law. You can impose yourself to keep the Ten Commandments. The second time, to listen to the law, ‘the law’ means the five books of Moses. You can see this in the example Paul is quoting from the law.
[Verse 22]. He brings forward Abraham, whose history is written in Genesis. Paul mentions Abraham, because the false teachers also mentioned him to emphasize their demand that the Galatians should be circumcised.
Paul introduces his example with “for it is written”. Thereby he focuses attention on the authority of the Scriptures (cf. [Matt 4:4], [Matt 4:7], [Matt 4:10]). Then he points to Isaac and Ishmael and their mothers, whose names he doesn’t mention. It is not about their names, but about their positions, because that is what the mothers transmit to their children.
[Verse 23]. After having discussed the position he points to the origin of both sons. Ishmael was born by a self-willed action of Abraham, but Isaac he received by God’s promise. The spiritual lessons to be drawn from this by Galatians, and by us, are discussed in the following verses.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 16-23
16Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?17They zealously affect you, [but] not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.18But [it is] good to be zealously affected always in [a] good [thing], and not only when I am present with you.19My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,20I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.21Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?22For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.23But he [who was] of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman [was] by promise.
Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-04-19 Source:
Title: Galatians Author: Ger de Koning Copyright: kingcomments.com Note General: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author or the publisher.
Here he hints that his absence had caused these troubles and that the truly blessed state is one in which the disciples have the proper opinion not only when the teacher is present but also when he is absent. But since they have not yet advanced to this degree of responsiveness, he does everything to get them there.
Here he hints that his absence had been the cause of this, and that the true blessing was for disciples to hold right opinions not only in the presence but also in the absence of their master. But as they had not arrived at this point of perfection, he makes every effort to place them there.
No wonder indeed that on the apostle’s departure … the Galatians were changed, since even now we witness the same occurrence in the church. For never was there a teacher in the church so distinguished in speech and life. … We see people busy with haste and fervor about alms, fasting, sexual abstinence, relief of the poor, taking care of graves, etc. But when he departs we see that they waste away and, from loss of their food, grow thin, pale and languid. Then follows the death of all that was thriving before. –.
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Galatians 4:19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,
When Paul addresses the Galatians as his "children," he wants to remind them that he led them to Christ. And now he is again in the pains of childbirth for them, not because he is concerned about their salvation, but so that "Christ may be formed" in them. Christlikeness is God's highest goal for His people [Eph 4:13]; [Col 1:28].
Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-06-29 Source:
Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck
The Galatians were ready to account the apostle their enemy, but he assures them he was their friend; he had the feelings of a parent toward them. He was in doubt as to their state, and was anxious to know the result of their present delusions. Nothing is so sure a proof that a sinner has passed into a state of justification, as Christ being formed in him by the renewal of the Holy Spirit; but this cannot be hoped for, while men depend on the law for acceptance with God.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 19-20
19My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,20I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.
Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source:
Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry
[Verse 16]. In an emotional argument Paul tries to make clear to the Galatians how mistaken they were. He had brought them the truth of the gospel, not to connect them to himself but to the Lord Jesus. They had embraced the gospel and received it in their hearts. How grateful they were then.
But now other people had come. They had told the Galatians that Paul deceived them with his gospel. Those others were well aware of the law and God’s commandments of the Old Testament. They said that Paul concealed that from them and that Paul didn’t seek the best for them. He wasn’t their friend but their enemy. Is this really so, Paul said, that I told you the truth by which you are saved and then I become your enemy?
Everyone who wants to minister the truth will experience what is happening to Paul here. When you teach the doctrine of Paul, it will be accepted gratefully as a commandment from God, especially by people who can find an answer to their need in this doctrine. But if someone dislikes that doctrine, it can be used to try to turn people against the teacher. Take, for example, Paul’s teachings about the silence of women in the meeting: he has subsequently been called a woman hater, although it is a commandment of God as well [1Cor 14:34-37].
[Verse 17]. Then Paul points the Galatians to the false teachers and the way they behave. They come and bring a different gospel that Paul didn’t preach; neither did the ones who were with him [Gal 1:8-9]; [2Cor 11:4]. And the Galatians paid attention to that gospel willingly. The false teachers were allowed to spout their ideas and these people were diligent! But, Paul says, beware of the fact that they bring a separation between us. Their intention is that you commit yourselves to them.
Paul is trying to make the Galatians understand, that, while he had sought their spiritual welfare, the false teachers had in mind to make them followers of themselves. They were like the pharisees, who were traveling all over the country to convince people of their doctrine. Then they could boast of a great number of followers. The Lord Jesus speaks the ‘Woe’ to them [Matt 23:15].
[Verse 18]. Now certainly there is a good kind of zeal, for example the kind of zeal the Lord Jesus showed. He was zealous for the honor of God’s house [John 2:17]. It seems that the Galatians showed this good zeal during the time Paul was with them. It would have been great if they had also continued to do so during his absence.
[Verse 19]. But no, Paul felt how the Galatians had departed “from the simplicity … to Christ” [2Cor 11:3]. Again, that caused him the pain and trouble he had experienced when he preached the gospel to them. In his spirit he experienced again the sufferings he had endured in his struggles to win the souls of the Galatians. At that time it was to deliver them from the slavery of idols. Now it was to deliver them from the legalistic and outward religion of the Jews.
Paul compares himself with a mother. How important are motherly feelings when you see that a believer is inclined to deviate. Only with such feelings it is possible to win the other. What a touching proof of his love for them this is: he could afford to suffer again the “labor” in birth. He wants to do everything possible to win them back and bring them back to the unmixed gospel. He appeals to them as “my children”. How this must have touched their hearts.
His only goal was that “Christ is formed” in them. Through the influence of legalism the image of Christ was disappearing more and more from the Galatians. All that a man wants to do in his own strength to serve God is detrimental to the image of Christ in his life.
[Verse 20]. Their deviation from the truth had given him a sense of perplexity. How he would love to be with them! How he would love to speak to them with more love – although this letter was exactly a clear expression that he loved them dearly.
[Verse 21]. After this emotional plea to win their hearts, from [Verse 21] on he makes a new attempt to make them understand that they were doing wrong. Now he addresses their mind or understanding. In [Verse 21] the word ‘law’ is used two times. The first time this word means a legalistic principle, something you impose on yourself as a law. You can impose yourself to keep the Ten Commandments. The second time, to listen to the law, ‘the law’ means the five books of Moses. You can see this in the example Paul is quoting from the law.
[Verse 22]. He brings forward Abraham, whose history is written in Genesis. Paul mentions Abraham, because the false teachers also mentioned him to emphasize their demand that the Galatians should be circumcised.
Paul introduces his example with “for it is written”. Thereby he focuses attention on the authority of the Scriptures (cf. [Matt 4:4], [Matt 4:7], [Matt 4:10]). Then he points to Isaac and Ishmael and their mothers, whose names he doesn’t mention. It is not about their names, but about their positions, because that is what the mothers transmit to their children.
[Verse 23]. After having discussed the position he points to the origin of both sons. Ishmael was born by a self-willed action of Abraham, but Isaac he received by God’s promise. The spiritual lessons to be drawn from this by Galatians, and by us, are discussed in the following verses.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 16-23
16Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?17They zealously affect you, [but] not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.18But [it is] good to be zealously affected always in [a] good [thing], and not only when I am present with you.19My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,20I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.21Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?22For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.23But he [who was] of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman [was] by promise.
Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-04-19 Source:
Title: Galatians Author: Ger de Koning Copyright: kingcomments.com Note General: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author or the publisher.
For he says, "My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you; ".
Receive the features, and the image, and the manliness of Christ, the likeness of the form of the Word being stamped upon them, and begotten in them by a true knowledge and faith, so that in each one Christ is spiritually born. And, therefore, the Church swells and travails in birth until Christ is formed in us,
Do you see his parental compassion? Do you see the anguish that is fitting for an apostle? Do you see how he has lamented more bitterly than women giving birth? “You have ruined the image of God,” he is saying. “You have lost the kinship, you have exchanged the likeness. You need a rebirth and a reformation. Yet nonetheless I still call the miscarriages and the abortions my children.”
Observe his perplexity and perturbation, Brethren, I beseech you: My little children, of whom I am again in travail: He resembles a mother trembling for her children. Until Christ be formed in you. Behold his paternal tenderness, behold this despondency worthy of an Apostle. Observe what a wail he utters, far more piercing than of a woman in travail—You have defaced the likeness, you have destroyed the kinship, you have changed the form, you need another regeneration and refashioning; nevertheless I call you children, abortions and monsters though you be. However, he does not express himself in this way, but spares them, unwilling to strike, and to inflict wound upon wound. Wise physicians do not cure those who have fallen into a long sickness all at once, but little by little, lest they should faint and die. And so is it with this blessed man; for these pangs were more severe in proportion as the force of his affection was stronger. And the offense was of no trivial kind. And as I have ever said and ever will say, even a slight fault mars the appearance and distorts the figure of the whole.
This example which he has taken from a pregnant woman deserves our close attention, so that we may understand what is being said. Nature is something to be not ashamed of but revered. For just as the seed is unformed when first sown into the mother … then at a determined time issues into the light and is now born with difficulties as great as those with which it is later nourished to keep it from dying—so too, when the seed of Christ’s word falls into the soul of the hearer it increases by its proper degrees and … remains in jeopardy so long as the one who has conceived it is in labor. Nor does the work end as soon as it emerges This is but the beginning of a new labor, so that he may lead the infant, by diligent nourishment and study, up to the full maturity of Christ. .
He who in another place had spoken like a father now speaks not like a father but like a mother in Christ, so that they may recognize the dutiful anxiety of both parents. .
Sons are spoken of in many senses, sometimes as by love, sometimes as by nature, sometimes as by blood, sometimes even as by religion. This is what Paul means now by “my sons,” either because when the new birth occurs through faithful baptism, he who guides the baptized toward maturity or receives them when fully ready is called their father, or because when he calls them back into Christ he makes them his own sons. .
Author: Gaius Marius Victorinus Rank: Author AD: 400
Humans are conceived in their mother’s womb in order to be formed, yet only when fully formed do they go into labor. One might be surprised by his statement: “You with whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you.” We are to understand this travail to stand for the agonies of concern that they might be born in Christ. Then he labors for them once again because of the dangers of their seduction, by which he sees them being disturbed.
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Galatians 4:20 I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.
This verse might indicate that Paul was uncertain about the true spiritual state of the Galatians. Their deviation from the truth left him "perplexed" about them. He would like to "change his tone" and speak clearly about them. Perhaps he was unsure how they would receive his letter. He would prefer to speak with them in person. Then he could better express himself because he would be able to use a different tone. If they received his admonitions, he could speak gently; if they were arrogant and rebellious, he would speak harshly. However, he was unsure how they would react to his letter.
Because the Judaizing false teachers placed so much emphasis on Abraham and insisted that believers follow his example by consenting to circumcision, Paul now turns to the story of Abraham. He wants to show them that legalism is slavery and cannot be mixed with grace.
God had promised Abraham that he would have a son, even though he and Sarah were physically too old to have children. Abraham believed God and was thus justified [Gen 15:1-6]. Some time later, Sarah grew tired of waiting for the promised son and suggested that Abraham have a child with her slave Hagar. Abraham followed her advice, and Ishmael was born. Ishmael was not the promised heir from God but the son of Abraham's impatience, his fleshly act, and lack of trust [Gen 16].
When Abraham was a hundred years old, Isaac, the son of the promise, was born. This was clearly a miraculous conception, made possible only by the power of God [Gen 21:1-5]. At the customary feast for Isaac's weaning, Sarah saw that Ishmael was mocking her son. She then demanded that Abraham expel Ishmael and his mother from the household, saying, "The son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac" [Gen 21:8-11]. This is the background for the arguments that Paul now presents.
Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-06-29 Source:
Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck
The Galatians were ready to account the apostle their enemy, but he assures them he was their friend; he had the feelings of a parent toward them. He was in doubt as to their state, and was anxious to know the result of their present delusions. Nothing is so sure a proof that a sinner has passed into a state of justification, as Christ being formed in him by the renewal of the Holy Spirit; but this cannot be hoped for, while men depend on the law for acceptance with God.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 19-20
19My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,20I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.
Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source:
Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry
[Verse 16]. In an emotional argument Paul tries to make clear to the Galatians how mistaken they were. He had brought them the truth of the gospel, not to connect them to himself but to the Lord Jesus. They had embraced the gospel and received it in their hearts. How grateful they were then.
But now other people had come. They had told the Galatians that Paul deceived them with his gospel. Those others were well aware of the law and God’s commandments of the Old Testament. They said that Paul concealed that from them and that Paul didn’t seek the best for them. He wasn’t their friend but their enemy. Is this really so, Paul said, that I told you the truth by which you are saved and then I become your enemy?
Everyone who wants to minister the truth will experience what is happening to Paul here. When you teach the doctrine of Paul, it will be accepted gratefully as a commandment from God, especially by people who can find an answer to their need in this doctrine. But if someone dislikes that doctrine, it can be used to try to turn people against the teacher. Take, for example, Paul’s teachings about the silence of women in the meeting: he has subsequently been called a woman hater, although it is a commandment of God as well [1Cor 14:34-37].
[Verse 17]. Then Paul points the Galatians to the false teachers and the way they behave. They come and bring a different gospel that Paul didn’t preach; neither did the ones who were with him [Gal 1:8-9]; [2Cor 11:4]. And the Galatians paid attention to that gospel willingly. The false teachers were allowed to spout their ideas and these people were diligent! But, Paul says, beware of the fact that they bring a separation between us. Their intention is that you commit yourselves to them.
Paul is trying to make the Galatians understand, that, while he had sought their spiritual welfare, the false teachers had in mind to make them followers of themselves. They were like the pharisees, who were traveling all over the country to convince people of their doctrine. Then they could boast of a great number of followers. The Lord Jesus speaks the ‘Woe’ to them [Matt 23:15].
[Verse 18]. Now certainly there is a good kind of zeal, for example the kind of zeal the Lord Jesus showed. He was zealous for the honor of God’s house [John 2:17]. It seems that the Galatians showed this good zeal during the time Paul was with them. It would have been great if they had also continued to do so during his absence.
[Verse 19]. But no, Paul felt how the Galatians had departed “from the simplicity … to Christ” [2Cor 11:3]. Again, that caused him the pain and trouble he had experienced when he preached the gospel to them. In his spirit he experienced again the sufferings he had endured in his struggles to win the souls of the Galatians. At that time it was to deliver them from the slavery of idols. Now it was to deliver them from the legalistic and outward religion of the Jews.
Paul compares himself with a mother. How important are motherly feelings when you see that a believer is inclined to deviate. Only with such feelings it is possible to win the other. What a touching proof of his love for them this is: he could afford to suffer again the “labor” in birth. He wants to do everything possible to win them back and bring them back to the unmixed gospel. He appeals to them as “my children”. How this must have touched their hearts.
His only goal was that “Christ is formed” in them. Through the influence of legalism the image of Christ was disappearing more and more from the Galatians. All that a man wants to do in his own strength to serve God is detrimental to the image of Christ in his life.
[Verse 20]. Their deviation from the truth had given him a sense of perplexity. How he would love to be with them! How he would love to speak to them with more love – although this letter was exactly a clear expression that he loved them dearly.
[Verse 21]. After this emotional plea to win their hearts, from [Verse 21] on he makes a new attempt to make them understand that they were doing wrong. Now he addresses their mind or understanding. In [Verse 21] the word ‘law’ is used two times. The first time this word means a legalistic principle, something you impose on yourself as a law. You can impose yourself to keep the Ten Commandments. The second time, to listen to the law, ‘the law’ means the five books of Moses. You can see this in the example Paul is quoting from the law.
[Verse 22]. He brings forward Abraham, whose history is written in Genesis. Paul mentions Abraham, because the false teachers also mentioned him to emphasize their demand that the Galatians should be circumcised.
Paul introduces his example with “for it is written”. Thereby he focuses attention on the authority of the Scriptures (cf. [Matt 4:4], [Matt 4:7], [Matt 4:10]). Then he points to Isaac and Ishmael and their mothers, whose names he doesn’t mention. It is not about their names, but about their positions, because that is what the mothers transmit to their children.
[Verse 23]. After having discussed the position he points to the origin of both sons. Ishmael was born by a self-willed action of Abraham, but Isaac he received by God’s promise. The spiritual lessons to be drawn from this by Galatians, and by us, are discussed in the following verses.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 16-23
16Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?17They zealously affect you, [but] not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.18But [it is] good to be zealously affected always in [a] good [thing], and not only when I am present with you.19My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,20I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.21Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?22For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.23But he [who was] of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman [was] by promise.
Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-04-19 Source:
Title: Galatians Author: Ger de Koning Copyright: kingcomments.com Note General: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author or the publisher.
Let me show you how impatient, how incensed he is, how he cannot bear these things. For such is love: it is not content with words but seeks also to be personally present. “To change my tone,” he says, that is, to cry out and to make mournful noise and tears and to turn everything into lamentation. For in a letter it was not possible to show his tears and mourning.
For I am perplexed about you. I know not, says he, what to say, or what to think. How is it, that you who by dangers, which you endured for the faith's sake, and by miracles, which you performed through faith, had ascended to the highest heaven, should suddenly be brought to such a depth of degradation as to be drawn aside to circumcision or sabbaths, and should rely wholly upon Judaizers? Hence in the beginning he says, I marvel that you are so quickly removing, and here, I am perplexed about you, as if he said, What am I to speak? What am I to utter? What am I to think? I am bitterly perplexed. And so he must needs weep, as the prophets do when in perplexity; for not only admonition but mourning also is a form in which solicitous attention is often manifested. And what he said in his speech to those at Miletus, By the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one...with tears, he says here also, and to change my voice. Acts 20:31 When we find ourselves overcome by perplexity and helplessness which come contrary to expectation, we are driven to tears; and so Paul admonished them sharply, and endeavored to shame them, then in turn soothed them, and lastly he wept. And this weeping is not only a reproof but a blandishment; it does not exasperate like reproof, nor relax like indulgent treatment, but is a mixed remedy, and of great efficacy in the way of exhortation. Having thus softened and powerfully engaged their hearts by his tears, he again advances to the contest, and lays down a larger proposition, proving that the Law itself was opposed to its being kept. Before, he produced the example of Abraham, but now (what is more cogent) he brings forward the Law itself enjoining them not to keep itself, but to leave off. So that, says he, you must abandon the Law, if you would obey it, for this is its own wish: this however he does not say expressly, but enforces it in another mode, mixing up with it an account of facts.
Observe his warmth, his inability to refrain himself, and to conceal these his feelings; such is the nature of love; nor is he satisfied with words, but desires to be present with them, and so, as he says, to change his voice, that is, to change to lamentation, to shed tears, to turn every thing into mourning. For he could not by letter show his tears or cries of grief, and therefore he ardently desires to be present with them.
“I used coaxing words to you just now, … but for the sake of that love which prevents me from allowing my sons to perish and stray forever I wish that I were now present—if the bonds of my ministry did not prevent me—and change my coaxing tone to one of castigation. It is not because of fickleness that I am now coaxing, now irate. I am impelled to speak by love, by grief, by diverse emotions.” .
Holy Scripture edifies even when read but is much more profitable if one passes from written characters to the voice…. Knowing, then, that speech has more force when addressed to those who are present, the apostle longs to turn the epistolary voice, the voice confined within written characters, into actual presence. .
The listed verse explanations of the individual persons have nothing to do with the explanations of the other persons. This also applies to the Bible translations.
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Galatians 4:21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
"Law" in this verse means two things: First, the word refers to a means of attaining sanctification. Second, it pertains to the Old Testament books of the law (specifically the five books of Moses), particularly the book of Genesis. Paul says here: "Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, to attain favor before God by works of the law, do you not hear the message of the law?"
Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-06-29 Source:
Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck
The difference between believers who rested in Christ only, and those who trusted in the law, is explained by the histories of Isaac and Ishmael. These things are an allegory, wherein, beside the literal and historical sense of the words, the Spirit of God points out something further. Hagar and Sarah were apt emblems of the two different dispensations of the covenant. The heavenly Jerusalem, the true church from above, represented by Sarah, is in a state of freedom, and is the mother of all believers, who are born of the Holy Spirit. They were by regeneration and true faith, made a part of the true seed of Abraham, according to the promise made to him.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 21-27
21Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?22For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.23But he [who was] of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman [was] by promise.24Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.25For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.26But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.27For 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 which hath an husband.
Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source:
Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry
[Verse 16]. In an emotional argument Paul tries to make clear to the Galatians how mistaken they were. He had brought them the truth of the gospel, not to connect them to himself but to the Lord Jesus. They had embraced the gospel and received it in their hearts. How grateful they were then.
But now other people had come. They had told the Galatians that Paul deceived them with his gospel. Those others were well aware of the law and God’s commandments of the Old Testament. They said that Paul concealed that from them and that Paul didn’t seek the best for them. He wasn’t their friend but their enemy. Is this really so, Paul said, that I told you the truth by which you are saved and then I become your enemy?
Everyone who wants to minister the truth will experience what is happening to Paul here. When you teach the doctrine of Paul, it will be accepted gratefully as a commandment from God, especially by people who can find an answer to their need in this doctrine. But if someone dislikes that doctrine, it can be used to try to turn people against the teacher. Take, for example, Paul’s teachings about the silence of women in the meeting: he has subsequently been called a woman hater, although it is a commandment of God as well [1Cor 14:34-37].
[Verse 17]. Then Paul points the Galatians to the false teachers and the way they behave. They come and bring a different gospel that Paul didn’t preach; neither did the ones who were with him [Gal 1:8-9]; [2Cor 11:4]. And the Galatians paid attention to that gospel willingly. The false teachers were allowed to spout their ideas and these people were diligent! But, Paul says, beware of the fact that they bring a separation between us. Their intention is that you commit yourselves to them.
Paul is trying to make the Galatians understand, that, while he had sought their spiritual welfare, the false teachers had in mind to make them followers of themselves. They were like the pharisees, who were traveling all over the country to convince people of their doctrine. Then they could boast of a great number of followers. The Lord Jesus speaks the ‘Woe’ to them [Matt 23:15].
[Verse 18]. Now certainly there is a good kind of zeal, for example the kind of zeal the Lord Jesus showed. He was zealous for the honor of God’s house [John 2:17]. It seems that the Galatians showed this good zeal during the time Paul was with them. It would have been great if they had also continued to do so during his absence.
[Verse 19]. But no, Paul felt how the Galatians had departed “from the simplicity … to Christ” [2Cor 11:3]. Again, that caused him the pain and trouble he had experienced when he preached the gospel to them. In his spirit he experienced again the sufferings he had endured in his struggles to win the souls of the Galatians. At that time it was to deliver them from the slavery of idols. Now it was to deliver them from the legalistic and outward religion of the Jews.
Paul compares himself with a mother. How important are motherly feelings when you see that a believer is inclined to deviate. Only with such feelings it is possible to win the other. What a touching proof of his love for them this is: he could afford to suffer again the “labor” in birth. He wants to do everything possible to win them back and bring them back to the unmixed gospel. He appeals to them as “my children”. How this must have touched their hearts.
His only goal was that “Christ is formed” in them. Through the influence of legalism the image of Christ was disappearing more and more from the Galatians. All that a man wants to do in his own strength to serve God is detrimental to the image of Christ in his life.
[Verse 20]. Their deviation from the truth had given him a sense of perplexity. How he would love to be with them! How he would love to speak to them with more love – although this letter was exactly a clear expression that he loved them dearly.
[Verse 21]. After this emotional plea to win their hearts, from [Verse 21] on he makes a new attempt to make them understand that they were doing wrong. Now he addresses their mind or understanding. In [Verse 21] the word ‘law’ is used two times. The first time this word means a legalistic principle, something you impose on yourself as a law. You can impose yourself to keep the Ten Commandments. The second time, to listen to the law, ‘the law’ means the five books of Moses. You can see this in the example Paul is quoting from the law.
[Verse 22]. He brings forward Abraham, whose history is written in Genesis. Paul mentions Abraham, because the false teachers also mentioned him to emphasize their demand that the Galatians should be circumcised.
Paul introduces his example with “for it is written”. Thereby he focuses attention on the authority of the Scriptures (cf. [Matt 4:4], [Matt 4:7], [Matt 4:10]). Then he points to Isaac and Ishmael and their mothers, whose names he doesn’t mention. It is not about their names, but about their positions, because that is what the mothers transmit to their children.
[Verse 23]. After having discussed the position he points to the origin of both sons. Ishmael was born by a self-willed action of Abraham, but Isaac he received by God’s promise. The spiritual lessons to be drawn from this by Galatians, and by us, are discussed in the following verses.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 16-23
16Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?17They zealously affect you, [but] not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.18But [it is] good to be zealously affected always in [a] good [thing], and not only when I am present with you.19My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,20I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.21Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?22For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.23But he [who was] of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman [was] by promise.
Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-04-19 Source:
Title: Galatians Author: Ger de Koning Copyright: kingcomments.com Note General: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author or the publisher.
Ai "in relation to the synagogue of the Jews, according to the law, "which gendereth to bondage"-"the other gendereth "(to liberty, being raised) above all principality, and power, and dominion, and every name that is l named, not only in this world, but in that which is to come, "which is the mother of us all "in which we have the promise of (Christ's) holy church; by reason of which he adds in conclusion: "So then, brethren, we are not children of the bond woman, but of the free.".
Images prophesy: statutes govern. What that digamy of Abraham portends, the same apostle fully teaches,
Author: Tertullian of Carthage Rank: Author AD: 220
He says rightly, you that desire, for the matter was not one of a proper and orderly succession of things but of their own unseasonable contentiousness. It is the Book of Creation which he here calls the Law, which name he often gives to the whole Old Testament.
One should note that the whole narrative in Genesis is here called Law, not, according to the popular assumption, simply statements of what is to be done or avoided but everything that is rehearsed concerning Abraham and his wives and sons. .
Like and equal light over all, how much more does Christ, who is the true sun and the true day, bestow in His Church the light of eternal life with the like equality! Of which equality we see the sacrament celebrated in Exodus, when the manna flowed down from heaven, and, prefiguring the things to come, showed forth the nourishment of the heavenly bread and the food of the coming Christ. For there, without distinction either of sex or of age, an omer was collected equally by each one.
Because in the Old Testament the New is prefigured, those men of God who then understood this in the manner appropriate to their times are shown to have been ministers and performers of the old covenant but heirs of the new.
People might suppose that in the case of Hagar Abraham acted [merely from human desire for procreation]. But the apostle makes the reverse clear, viewing this in relation to prophecy.
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Galatians 4:22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
The "two sons" were Ishmael and Isaac. The "slave woman" was Hagar, and the "free woman" was Sarah. Ishmael was born through Abraham's willful intervention. Isaac, on the other hand, was given to Abraham through God's "promise."
Verses that belong to this explanation: 22-23
22For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.23But he [who was] of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman [was] by promise.
Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-06-29 Source:
Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck
The difference between believers who rested in Christ only, and those who trusted in the law, is explained by the histories of Isaac and Ishmael. These things are an allegory, wherein, beside the literal and historical sense of the words, the Spirit of God points out something further. Hagar and Sarah were apt emblems of the two different dispensations of the covenant. The heavenly Jerusalem, the true church from above, represented by Sarah, is in a state of freedom, and is the mother of all believers, who are born of the Holy Spirit. They were by regeneration and true faith, made a part of the true seed of Abraham, according to the promise made to him.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 21-27
21Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?22For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.23But he [who was] of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman [was] by promise.24Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.25For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.26But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.27For 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 which hath an husband.
Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source:
Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry
[Verse 16]. In an emotional argument Paul tries to make clear to the Galatians how mistaken they were. He had brought them the truth of the gospel, not to connect them to himself but to the Lord Jesus. They had embraced the gospel and received it in their hearts. How grateful they were then.
But now other people had come. They had told the Galatians that Paul deceived them with his gospel. Those others were well aware of the law and God’s commandments of the Old Testament. They said that Paul concealed that from them and that Paul didn’t seek the best for them. He wasn’t their friend but their enemy. Is this really so, Paul said, that I told you the truth by which you are saved and then I become your enemy?
Everyone who wants to minister the truth will experience what is happening to Paul here. When you teach the doctrine of Paul, it will be accepted gratefully as a commandment from God, especially by people who can find an answer to their need in this doctrine. But if someone dislikes that doctrine, it can be used to try to turn people against the teacher. Take, for example, Paul’s teachings about the silence of women in the meeting: he has subsequently been called a woman hater, although it is a commandment of God as well [1Cor 14:34-37].
[Verse 17]. Then Paul points the Galatians to the false teachers and the way they behave. They come and bring a different gospel that Paul didn’t preach; neither did the ones who were with him [Gal 1:8-9]; [2Cor 11:4]. And the Galatians paid attention to that gospel willingly. The false teachers were allowed to spout their ideas and these people were diligent! But, Paul says, beware of the fact that they bring a separation between us. Their intention is that you commit yourselves to them.
Paul is trying to make the Galatians understand, that, while he had sought their spiritual welfare, the false teachers had in mind to make them followers of themselves. They were like the pharisees, who were traveling all over the country to convince people of their doctrine. Then they could boast of a great number of followers. The Lord Jesus speaks the ‘Woe’ to them [Matt 23:15].
[Verse 18]. Now certainly there is a good kind of zeal, for example the kind of zeal the Lord Jesus showed. He was zealous for the honor of God’s house [John 2:17]. It seems that the Galatians showed this good zeal during the time Paul was with them. It would have been great if they had also continued to do so during his absence.
[Verse 19]. But no, Paul felt how the Galatians had departed “from the simplicity … to Christ” [2Cor 11:3]. Again, that caused him the pain and trouble he had experienced when he preached the gospel to them. In his spirit he experienced again the sufferings he had endured in his struggles to win the souls of the Galatians. At that time it was to deliver them from the slavery of idols. Now it was to deliver them from the legalistic and outward religion of the Jews.
Paul compares himself with a mother. How important are motherly feelings when you see that a believer is inclined to deviate. Only with such feelings it is possible to win the other. What a touching proof of his love for them this is: he could afford to suffer again the “labor” in birth. He wants to do everything possible to win them back and bring them back to the unmixed gospel. He appeals to them as “my children”. How this must have touched their hearts.
His only goal was that “Christ is formed” in them. Through the influence of legalism the image of Christ was disappearing more and more from the Galatians. All that a man wants to do in his own strength to serve God is detrimental to the image of Christ in his life.
[Verse 20]. Their deviation from the truth had given him a sense of perplexity. How he would love to be with them! How he would love to speak to them with more love – although this letter was exactly a clear expression that he loved them dearly.
[Verse 21]. After this emotional plea to win their hearts, from [Verse 21] on he makes a new attempt to make them understand that they were doing wrong. Now he addresses their mind or understanding. In [Verse 21] the word ‘law’ is used two times. The first time this word means a legalistic principle, something you impose on yourself as a law. You can impose yourself to keep the Ten Commandments. The second time, to listen to the law, ‘the law’ means the five books of Moses. You can see this in the example Paul is quoting from the law.
[Verse 22]. He brings forward Abraham, whose history is written in Genesis. Paul mentions Abraham, because the false teachers also mentioned him to emphasize their demand that the Galatians should be circumcised.
Paul introduces his example with “for it is written”. Thereby he focuses attention on the authority of the Scriptures (cf. [Matt 4:4], [Matt 4:7], [Matt 4:10]). Then he points to Isaac and Ishmael and their mothers, whose names he doesn’t mention. It is not about their names, but about their positions, because that is what the mothers transmit to their children.
[Verse 23]. After having discussed the position he points to the origin of both sons. Ishmael was born by a self-willed action of Abraham, but Isaac he received by God’s promise. The spiritual lessons to be drawn from this by Galatians, and by us, are discussed in the following verses.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 16-23
16Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?17They zealously affect you, [but] not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.18But [it is] good to be zealously affected always in [a] good [thing], and not only when I am present with you.19My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,20I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.21Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?22For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.23But he [who was] of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman [was] by promise.
Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-04-19 Source:
Title: Galatians Author: Ger de Koning Copyright: kingcomments.com Note General: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author or the publisher.
He returns once again to Abraham, not repeating the same thing but because the reputation of Abraham was great among the Jews. He shows that the types have their origin in him and that present things were adumbrated in him.
He returns again to Abraham, not in the way of repetition, but, inasmuch as the Patriarch's fame was great among the Jews, to show that the types had their origin from thence, and that present events were pictured aforetime in him. Having previously shown that the Galatians were sons of Abraham, now, in that the Patriarch's sons were not of equal dignity, one being by a bondwoman, the other by a free-woman, he shows that they were not only his sons, but sons in the same sense as he that was freeborn and noble. Such is the power of Faith.
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Galatians 4:23 But he [who was] of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman [was] by promise.
The "two sons" were Ishmael and Isaac. The "slave woman" was Hagar, and the "free woman" was Sarah. Ishmael was born through Abraham's willful intervention. Isaac, on the other hand, was given to Abraham through God's "promise."
Verses that belong to this explanation: 22-23
22For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.23But he [who was] of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman [was] by promise.
Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-06-29 Source:
Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck
The difference between believers who rested in Christ only, and those who trusted in the law, is explained by the histories of Isaac and Ishmael. These things are an allegory, wherein, beside the literal and historical sense of the words, the Spirit of God points out something further. Hagar and Sarah were apt emblems of the two different dispensations of the covenant. The heavenly Jerusalem, the true church from above, represented by Sarah, is in a state of freedom, and is the mother of all believers, who are born of the Holy Spirit. They were by regeneration and true faith, made a part of the true seed of Abraham, according to the promise made to him.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 21-27
21Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?22For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.23But he [who was] of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman [was] by promise.24Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.25For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.26But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.27For 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 which hath an husband.
Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source:
Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry
[Verse 16]. In an emotional argument Paul tries to make clear to the Galatians how mistaken they were. He had brought them the truth of the gospel, not to connect them to himself but to the Lord Jesus. They had embraced the gospel and received it in their hearts. How grateful they were then.
But now other people had come. They had told the Galatians that Paul deceived them with his gospel. Those others were well aware of the law and God’s commandments of the Old Testament. They said that Paul concealed that from them and that Paul didn’t seek the best for them. He wasn’t their friend but their enemy. Is this really so, Paul said, that I told you the truth by which you are saved and then I become your enemy?
Everyone who wants to minister the truth will experience what is happening to Paul here. When you teach the doctrine of Paul, it will be accepted gratefully as a commandment from God, especially by people who can find an answer to their need in this doctrine. But if someone dislikes that doctrine, it can be used to try to turn people against the teacher. Take, for example, Paul’s teachings about the silence of women in the meeting: he has subsequently been called a woman hater, although it is a commandment of God as well [1Cor 14:34-37].
[Verse 17]. Then Paul points the Galatians to the false teachers and the way they behave. They come and bring a different gospel that Paul didn’t preach; neither did the ones who were with him [Gal 1:8-9]; [2Cor 11:4]. And the Galatians paid attention to that gospel willingly. The false teachers were allowed to spout their ideas and these people were diligent! But, Paul says, beware of the fact that they bring a separation between us. Their intention is that you commit yourselves to them.
Paul is trying to make the Galatians understand, that, while he had sought their spiritual welfare, the false teachers had in mind to make them followers of themselves. They were like the pharisees, who were traveling all over the country to convince people of their doctrine. Then they could boast of a great number of followers. The Lord Jesus speaks the ‘Woe’ to them [Matt 23:15].
[Verse 18]. Now certainly there is a good kind of zeal, for example the kind of zeal the Lord Jesus showed. He was zealous for the honor of God’s house [John 2:17]. It seems that the Galatians showed this good zeal during the time Paul was with them. It would have been great if they had also continued to do so during his absence.
[Verse 19]. But no, Paul felt how the Galatians had departed “from the simplicity … to Christ” [2Cor 11:3]. Again, that caused him the pain and trouble he had experienced when he preached the gospel to them. In his spirit he experienced again the sufferings he had endured in his struggles to win the souls of the Galatians. At that time it was to deliver them from the slavery of idols. Now it was to deliver them from the legalistic and outward religion of the Jews.
Paul compares himself with a mother. How important are motherly feelings when you see that a believer is inclined to deviate. Only with such feelings it is possible to win the other. What a touching proof of his love for them this is: he could afford to suffer again the “labor” in birth. He wants to do everything possible to win them back and bring them back to the unmixed gospel. He appeals to them as “my children”. How this must have touched their hearts.
His only goal was that “Christ is formed” in them. Through the influence of legalism the image of Christ was disappearing more and more from the Galatians. All that a man wants to do in his own strength to serve God is detrimental to the image of Christ in his life.
[Verse 20]. Their deviation from the truth had given him a sense of perplexity. How he would love to be with them! How he would love to speak to them with more love – although this letter was exactly a clear expression that he loved them dearly.
[Verse 21]. After this emotional plea to win their hearts, from [Verse 21] on he makes a new attempt to make them understand that they were doing wrong. Now he addresses their mind or understanding. In [Verse 21] the word ‘law’ is used two times. The first time this word means a legalistic principle, something you impose on yourself as a law. You can impose yourself to keep the Ten Commandments. The second time, to listen to the law, ‘the law’ means the five books of Moses. You can see this in the example Paul is quoting from the law.
[Verse 22]. He brings forward Abraham, whose history is written in Genesis. Paul mentions Abraham, because the false teachers also mentioned him to emphasize their demand that the Galatians should be circumcised.
Paul introduces his example with “for it is written”. Thereby he focuses attention on the authority of the Scriptures (cf. [Matt 4:4], [Matt 4:7], [Matt 4:10]). Then he points to Isaac and Ishmael and their mothers, whose names he doesn’t mention. It is not about their names, but about their positions, because that is what the mothers transmit to their children.
[Verse 23]. After having discussed the position he points to the origin of both sons. Ishmael was born by a self-willed action of Abraham, but Isaac he received by God’s promise. The spiritual lessons to be drawn from this by Galatians, and by us, are discussed in the following verses.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 16-23
16Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?17They zealously affect you, [but] not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.18But [it is] good to be zealously affected always in [a] good [thing], and not only when I am present with you.19My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,20I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.21Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?22For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.23But he [who was] of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman [was] by promise.
Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-04-19 Source:
Title: Galatians Author: Ger de Koning Copyright: kingcomments.com Note General: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author or the publisher.
Isaac was not born in the natural manner usual in marriages, or according to the body’s natural power, and yet was a lawful son…. Natural processes did not produce his conception, nor did the seed conceive him. For Sarah’s womb was dead both through age and through sterility. But the Word of God formed him…. Nevertheless the one not born according to the flesh was in greater honor than the one who was. Do not, then, be dismayed that you were not born according to the flesh, for your not being born according to the flesh makes you all the more kin to him. For conception that is not according to natural processes is more remarkable and more spiritual.
What is the meaning of after the flesh? Having said that Faith united us to Abraham, and it having seemed incredible to his hearers, that those who were not begotten by Abraham should be called his sons, he proves that this paradox had actually happened long ago; for that Isaac, born not according to the order of nature, nor the law of marriage, nor the power of the flesh, was yet truly his own son. He was the issue of bodies that were dead, and of a womb that was dead; his conception was not by the flesh, nor his birth by the seed, for the womb was dead both through age and barrenness, but the Word of God fashioned Him. Not so in the case of the bondman; He came by virtue of the laws of nature, and after the manner of marriage. Nevertheless, he that was not according to the flesh was more honorable than he that was born after the flesh. Therefore let it not disturb you that you are not born after the flesh; for from the very reason that you are not so born, are you most of all Abraham's kindred. The being born after the flesh renders one not more honorable, but less so, for a birth not after the flesh is more marvellous and more spiritual. And this is plain from the case of those who were born of old time; Ishmael, for instance, who was born according to the flesh, was not only a bondman, but was cast out of his father's house; but Isaac, who was born according to the promise, being a true son and free, was lord of all.
From God’s own Scripture it is evident that the birth of Ishmael also was according to promise. But the answer is that a promise is truly fulfilled in the giving of a covenant. It is one thing to bless, increase and multiply greatly, as is written in Ishmael’s case, but another to make an heir through a covenant. –.
Now the fact that Isaac was born of a free wife is not enough to make him signify the people who inherit the New Covenant. What is more important is that he was born according to the promise. For he could have been born according to nature’s norms from a slave and in the same way from a free woman, just as Abraham received from Katurah, whom he subsequently married, sons not according to a promise but according to nature.
The listed verse explanations of the individual persons have nothing to do with the explanations of the other persons. This also applies to the Bible translations.
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Galatians 4:24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
The story "has an allegorical meaning," i.e., it has a deeper significance than it appears on the surface. The true meaning of the events is not explicitly stated but is hidden within the story. Thus, the historical account of Isaac and Ishmael contains profound spiritual truths that Paul now seeks to explain.
The two women represent "two covenants": "Hagar" embodies the covenant of the law, while Sarah represents the covenant of grace. The law was given on "Mount Sinai." Interestingly, "Hagar" means "rock" in Arabic, and the Arabs referred to Mount Sinai as "the Rock."
Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-06-29 Source:
Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck
The difference between believers who rested in Christ only, and those who trusted in the law, is explained by the histories of Isaac and Ishmael. These things are an allegory, wherein, beside the literal and historical sense of the words, the Spirit of God points out something further. Hagar and Sarah were apt emblems of the two different dispensations of the covenant. The heavenly Jerusalem, the true church from above, represented by Sarah, is in a state of freedom, and is the mother of all believers, who are born of the Holy Spirit. They were by regeneration and true faith, made a part of the true seed of Abraham, according to the promise made to him.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 21-27
21Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?22For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.23But he [who was] of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman [was] by promise.24Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.25For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.26But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.27For 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 which hath an husband.
Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source:
Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry
[Verse 24]. What Paul said in [Verse 21-22] “is allegorically speaking”. It means that this history has a deeper meaning than you would think at first glance. When the Holy Spirit inspired Moses to write down this history, He did it just because of that deep meaning. In 1 Corinthians 10 you find the same and also in Romans 15 [1Cor 10:6-11]; [Rom 15:4]. Apart from that, the fact that Old Testament histories often have a deeper meaning doesn’t change the historical accuracy of the history itself.
What then is the deeper meaning Paul is quoting here? The two sons of Abraham “are two covenants”, that means, they represent two covenants. You can compare it with what the Lord Jesus says about the bread when He instituted the Supper: “This is My body” [Matt 26:26]. That also means: ‘This represents My body’.
[Verse 25]. The one covenant, the first one, is the covenant that is made at Sinai. This is what Hagar reminds us of. Hagar was Abraham’s slave who gave birth to Ishmael. And because she was a slave, automatically Ishmael was a slave as well. Children get the position of the mother. At Sinai the law was given. That’s why the people of Israel came into bondage. Whoever puts himself under the law puts himself in the position of slave. The “present Jerusalem” [i.e. the earthly Jerusalem] is the center of the law and therefore “is in slavery with her children” [her children are the citizens].
If the Galatians therefore, or like so many Christians today, accept the law in their lives, it means that they accept Hagar as mother. They want to keep the covenant of Sinai and therefore declare themselves citizens of the earthly Jerusalem. Another character of Mount Sinai is, it says, that it is situated “in Arabia”. That emphasizes again, that whoever connects himself with this, connects himself with a place outside the land of blessing which is Canaan. Whoever connects himself with the law, will be deprived of every blessing in Christ [Gal 5:4].
[Verse 26]. After stating the position of Christians who wish to give the law a place again in the Christian's life, Paul moves on to the real “mother” of the Christian: the free, heavenly Jerusalem. It is the place God has given, from where His promises in grace are given and where the Christian is at home. This is his ‘mother-city’. Here he gets his education and his Christian character is formed. It relates to what is written in the letter to the Philippians: “Our citizenship is in heaven” [Phil 3:20]. The big question today in professing Christianity is: By which mother are you being raised, or what is your mother-city?
[Verse 27]. Paul cites from Isaiah 54 [Isa 54:1] to show what it means to belong to “the Jerusalem above”. This verse is originally meant as a comfort for Israel after a time of being dominated by foreign powers. It is a song of joy at the beginning of the millennium, when God has accepted His people – that is the remnant – again into His favor after they have confessed their sins in humility to God. Then they will be free to enjoy everything that God has prepared for them.
Paul uses this event and the time it will happen as an application for the Christian in the present time. There, where there was nothing to be expected from human efforts and where there was only unfruitfulness, God performed a wonder in His grace and brought people to repentance. Like Isaac, the Galatians and all Christians are born in a supernatural manner. For the Christian it means that he is born “not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” [John 1:13].
The amazing thing about this quotation from Isaiah is also that all Christians belong to the Jerusalem that soon will be the center of the millennium. The present Jerusalem is not related to God. It is illustrated as the sent away woman because of her unfaithfulness (cf. [Hos 1:6], [Hos 1:8-9]). As mentioned earlier, this situation will come to an end. Jerusalem will then look back to a time when she was not fruitful for God. But then she will see that in that fruitless period, God Himself has begotten a numerous posterity which He accounts to her.
In that time grace has made Jerusalem what God always had in mind: a city by which He can freely bless all people. It is the same grace by which He in these days has redeemed so many from the yoke of sin and has set them free.
[Verse 28]. Paul assumes that the Galatians went in the wrong direction only outwardly, but that they inwardly had not yet accepted the wrong teachings. He speaks to them as being convinced that at heart they were true children of God.
[Verse 29]. To this is connected a life by grace alone. To live that life consistently means persecution from people who want to serve God in their own strength. Persecution is inevitable because living by faith is one big indictment of any form of religion that emphasizes its own performance.
[Verse 30]. The blessing of God can never be obtained by a kind of cooperation between law and grace. Everything that has to do with the law cannot be allowed anymore in the life and the mind of a Christian. Unfortunately, many Christians do not heed this call. Many are in the hands of the ‘wrong mother’, so they are constantly in doubt about their relationship with God. The influence of Judaism in professing Christianity is clearly visible: everywhere you see sacred buildings, and a spiritual class is also maintained.
[Verse 31]. It all fits in with the “children of a bondwoman”, but not with the children “of the free woman” and that is what we are!
Verses that belong to this explanation: 24-31
24Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.25For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.26But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.27For 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 which hath an husband.28Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.29But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him [that was born] after the Spirit, even so [it is] now.30Nevertheless 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 freewoman.31So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-04-19 Source:
Title: Galatians Author: Ger de Koning Copyright: kingcomments.com Note General: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author or the publisher.
Allegory is used improperly for typology. His meaning is this: “This story does not say only what is evident but relates other things as well; hence it is called allegory.”
Which things contain an allegory.
Contrary to usage, he calls a type an allegory; his meaning is as follows; this history not only declares that which appears on the face of it, but announces somewhat farther, whence it is called an allegory. And what has it announced? No less than all the things now present.
For these women, he says, are two covenants; one from mount Sinai, bearing children unto bondage, which is Hagar. These: who? The mothers of those children, Sarah and Hagar; and what are they? Two covenants, two laws. As the names of the women were given in the history, he abides by this designation of the two races, showing how much follows from the very names. How from the names?
Allegory is properly a term in the art of grammar. How it differs from metaphor and other figures of speech we learn as children. It presents one thing in words and signifies another in sense. … Understanding this, Paul (who had a certain knowledge of secular literature also) used the name of the figure of speech and called it allegory according to the usage of his own circle. .
Under the sure guidance of the apostle we see how clearly he shows that these two are to be taken allegorically. One may also consider the sons of Keturah under some figure of things to come. The fact that such people did these things is recorded not without purpose but under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We will perhaps find that heresies and schisms are signified in this allegory. For these are sons of the free woman, that is, of the church, and yet they again revert to life according to the flesh, not spiritually according to a promise.
These women represent the two covenants. Moses, taking the blood of a calf in a vessel, sprinkled the people, saying “this is the blood of the covenant, etc.” … The law was given on Mount Sinai. In reciting it to the people, Moses called this the book of the testament. He then sprinkled the people with blood, as I have said. This law held sinners as offenders. They soon began to be slaves of sin, as if they had been made sons of Hagar, as if returning to slavery. –.
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Galatians 4:25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
The covenant given at "Sinai" led to "slavery." Hagar represents the "present Jerusalem," the capital of the Jewish nation and the center of the unredeemed Israelites who were still trying to obtain righteousness through works of the law. These, along with their "children, are in slavery." For Paul, it was an apt description to associate the unbelievers with Hagar rather than Sarah. Additionally, he connected them with Ishmael instead of Isaac.
Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-06-29 Source:
Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck
The difference between believers who rested in Christ only, and those who trusted in the law, is explained by the histories of Isaac and Ishmael. These things are an allegory, wherein, beside the literal and historical sense of the words, the Spirit of God points out something further. Hagar and Sarah were apt emblems of the two different dispensations of the covenant. The heavenly Jerusalem, the true church from above, represented by Sarah, is in a state of freedom, and is the mother of all believers, who are born of the Holy Spirit. They were by regeneration and true faith, made a part of the true seed of Abraham, according to the promise made to him.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 21-27
21Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?22For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.23But he [who was] of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman [was] by promise.24Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.25For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.26But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.27For 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 which hath an husband.
Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source:
Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry
[Verse 24]. What Paul said in [Verse 21-22] “is allegorically speaking”. It means that this history has a deeper meaning than you would think at first glance. When the Holy Spirit inspired Moses to write down this history, He did it just because of that deep meaning. In 1 Corinthians 10 you find the same and also in Romans 15 [1Cor 10:6-11]; [Rom 15:4]. Apart from that, the fact that Old Testament histories often have a deeper meaning doesn’t change the historical accuracy of the history itself.
What then is the deeper meaning Paul is quoting here? The two sons of Abraham “are two covenants”, that means, they represent two covenants. You can compare it with what the Lord Jesus says about the bread when He instituted the Supper: “This is My body” [Matt 26:26]. That also means: ‘This represents My body’.
[Verse 25]. The one covenant, the first one, is the covenant that is made at Sinai. This is what Hagar reminds us of. Hagar was Abraham’s slave who gave birth to Ishmael. And because she was a slave, automatically Ishmael was a slave as well. Children get the position of the mother. At Sinai the law was given. That’s why the people of Israel came into bondage. Whoever puts himself under the law puts himself in the position of slave. The “present Jerusalem” [i.e. the earthly Jerusalem] is the center of the law and therefore “is in slavery with her children” [her children are the citizens].
If the Galatians therefore, or like so many Christians today, accept the law in their lives, it means that they accept Hagar as mother. They want to keep the covenant of Sinai and therefore declare themselves citizens of the earthly Jerusalem. Another character of Mount Sinai is, it says, that it is situated “in Arabia”. That emphasizes again, that whoever connects himself with this, connects himself with a place outside the land of blessing which is Canaan. Whoever connects himself with the law, will be deprived of every blessing in Christ [Gal 5:4].
[Verse 26]. After stating the position of Christians who wish to give the law a place again in the Christian's life, Paul moves on to the real “mother” of the Christian: the free, heavenly Jerusalem. It is the place God has given, from where His promises in grace are given and where the Christian is at home. This is his ‘mother-city’. Here he gets his education and his Christian character is formed. It relates to what is written in the letter to the Philippians: “Our citizenship is in heaven” [Phil 3:20]. The big question today in professing Christianity is: By which mother are you being raised, or what is your mother-city?
[Verse 27]. Paul cites from Isaiah 54 [Isa 54:1] to show what it means to belong to “the Jerusalem above”. This verse is originally meant as a comfort for Israel after a time of being dominated by foreign powers. It is a song of joy at the beginning of the millennium, when God has accepted His people – that is the remnant – again into His favor after they have confessed their sins in humility to God. Then they will be free to enjoy everything that God has prepared for them.
Paul uses this event and the time it will happen as an application for the Christian in the present time. There, where there was nothing to be expected from human efforts and where there was only unfruitfulness, God performed a wonder in His grace and brought people to repentance. Like Isaac, the Galatians and all Christians are born in a supernatural manner. For the Christian it means that he is born “not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” [John 1:13].
The amazing thing about this quotation from Isaiah is also that all Christians belong to the Jerusalem that soon will be the center of the millennium. The present Jerusalem is not related to God. It is illustrated as the sent away woman because of her unfaithfulness (cf. [Hos 1:6], [Hos 1:8-9]). As mentioned earlier, this situation will come to an end. Jerusalem will then look back to a time when she was not fruitful for God. But then she will see that in that fruitless period, God Himself has begotten a numerous posterity which He accounts to her.
In that time grace has made Jerusalem what God always had in mind: a city by which He can freely bless all people. It is the same grace by which He in these days has redeemed so many from the yoke of sin and has set them free.
[Verse 28]. Paul assumes that the Galatians went in the wrong direction only outwardly, but that they inwardly had not yet accepted the wrong teachings. He speaks to them as being convinced that at heart they were true children of God.
[Verse 29]. To this is connected a life by grace alone. To live that life consistently means persecution from people who want to serve God in their own strength. Persecution is inevitable because living by faith is one big indictment of any form of religion that emphasizes its own performance.
[Verse 30]. The blessing of God can never be obtained by a kind of cooperation between law and grace. Everything that has to do with the law cannot be allowed anymore in the life and the mind of a Christian. Unfortunately, many Christians do not heed this call. Many are in the hands of the ‘wrong mother’, so they are constantly in doubt about their relationship with God. The influence of Judaism in professing Christianity is clearly visible: everywhere you see sacred buildings, and a spiritual class is also maintained.
[Verse 31]. It all fits in with the “children of a bondwoman”, but not with the children “of the free woman” and that is what we are!
Verses that belong to this explanation: 24-31
24Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.25For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.26But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.27For 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 which hath an husband.28Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.29But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him [that was born] after the Spirit, even so [it is] now.30Nevertheless 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 freewoman.31So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-04-19 Source:
Title: Galatians Author: Ger de Koning Copyright: kingcomments.com Note General: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author or the publisher.
The bond-woman was called Hagar, and Hagar is the word for Mount Sinai in the language of that country. So that it is necessary that all who are born of the Old Covenant should be bondmen, for that mountain where the Old Covenant was delivered has a name in common with the bondwoman. And it includes Jerusalem, for this is the meaning of,
For she is in bondage with her children. What follows from hence? Not only that she was in bondage and brought forth bondmen, but that this Covenant is so too, whereof the bondwoman was a type. For Jerusalem is adjacent to the mountain of the same name with the bondwoman, and in this mountain the Covenant was delivered. Now where is the type of Sarah?
Hagar, who is interpreted as “sojourning,” “wandering” or “tarrying,” gives birth to Ishmael…. No wonder that the Old Covenant, which is on Mount Sinai, which is in Arabia and nearby to Jerusalem, is stated and alleged in writing to be ephemeral and not perpetual. The sojourning of Hagar stands in contrast with perpetual possession. The name of Mount Sinai means “tribulation,” while Arabia means “death.” –.
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Galatians 4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
The desires of those who are justified by faith are set on the heavenly "Jerusalem." The heavenly city is the "mother" of all believers, who have both Jewish and Gentile roots.
Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-06-29 Source:
Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck
The difference between believers who rested in Christ only, and those who trusted in the law, is explained by the histories of Isaac and Ishmael. These things are an allegory, wherein, beside the literal and historical sense of the words, the Spirit of God points out something further. Hagar and Sarah were apt emblems of the two different dispensations of the covenant. The heavenly Jerusalem, the true church from above, represented by Sarah, is in a state of freedom, and is the mother of all believers, who are born of the Holy Spirit. They were by regeneration and true faith, made a part of the true seed of Abraham, according to the promise made to him.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 21-27
21Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?22For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.23But he [who was] of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman [was] by promise.24Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.25For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.26But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.27For 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 which hath an husband.
Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source:
Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry
[Verse 24]. What Paul said in [Verse 21-22] “is allegorically speaking”. It means that this history has a deeper meaning than you would think at first glance. When the Holy Spirit inspired Moses to write down this history, He did it just because of that deep meaning. In 1 Corinthians 10 you find the same and also in Romans 15 [1Cor 10:6-11]; [Rom 15:4]. Apart from that, the fact that Old Testament histories often have a deeper meaning doesn’t change the historical accuracy of the history itself.
What then is the deeper meaning Paul is quoting here? The two sons of Abraham “are two covenants”, that means, they represent two covenants. You can compare it with what the Lord Jesus says about the bread when He instituted the Supper: “This is My body” [Matt 26:26]. That also means: ‘This represents My body’.
[Verse 25]. The one covenant, the first one, is the covenant that is made at Sinai. This is what Hagar reminds us of. Hagar was Abraham’s slave who gave birth to Ishmael. And because she was a slave, automatically Ishmael was a slave as well. Children get the position of the mother. At Sinai the law was given. That’s why the people of Israel came into bondage. Whoever puts himself under the law puts himself in the position of slave. The “present Jerusalem” [i.e. the earthly Jerusalem] is the center of the law and therefore “is in slavery with her children” [her children are the citizens].
If the Galatians therefore, or like so many Christians today, accept the law in their lives, it means that they accept Hagar as mother. They want to keep the covenant of Sinai and therefore declare themselves citizens of the earthly Jerusalem. Another character of Mount Sinai is, it says, that it is situated “in Arabia”. That emphasizes again, that whoever connects himself with this, connects himself with a place outside the land of blessing which is Canaan. Whoever connects himself with the law, will be deprived of every blessing in Christ [Gal 5:4].
[Verse 26]. After stating the position of Christians who wish to give the law a place again in the Christian's life, Paul moves on to the real “mother” of the Christian: the free, heavenly Jerusalem. It is the place God has given, from where His promises in grace are given and where the Christian is at home. This is his ‘mother-city’. Here he gets his education and his Christian character is formed. It relates to what is written in the letter to the Philippians: “Our citizenship is in heaven” [Phil 3:20]. The big question today in professing Christianity is: By which mother are you being raised, or what is your mother-city?
[Verse 27]. Paul cites from Isaiah 54 [Isa 54:1] to show what it means to belong to “the Jerusalem above”. This verse is originally meant as a comfort for Israel after a time of being dominated by foreign powers. It is a song of joy at the beginning of the millennium, when God has accepted His people – that is the remnant – again into His favor after they have confessed their sins in humility to God. Then they will be free to enjoy everything that God has prepared for them.
Paul uses this event and the time it will happen as an application for the Christian in the present time. There, where there was nothing to be expected from human efforts and where there was only unfruitfulness, God performed a wonder in His grace and brought people to repentance. Like Isaac, the Galatians and all Christians are born in a supernatural manner. For the Christian it means that he is born “not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” [John 1:13].
The amazing thing about this quotation from Isaiah is also that all Christians belong to the Jerusalem that soon will be the center of the millennium. The present Jerusalem is not related to God. It is illustrated as the sent away woman because of her unfaithfulness (cf. [Hos 1:6], [Hos 1:8-9]). As mentioned earlier, this situation will come to an end. Jerusalem will then look back to a time when she was not fruitful for God. But then she will see that in that fruitless period, God Himself has begotten a numerous posterity which He accounts to her.
In that time grace has made Jerusalem what God always had in mind: a city by which He can freely bless all people. It is the same grace by which He in these days has redeemed so many from the yoke of sin and has set them free.
[Verse 28]. Paul assumes that the Galatians went in the wrong direction only outwardly, but that they inwardly had not yet accepted the wrong teachings. He speaks to them as being convinced that at heart they were true children of God.
[Verse 29]. To this is connected a life by grace alone. To live that life consistently means persecution from people who want to serve God in their own strength. Persecution is inevitable because living by faith is one big indictment of any form of religion that emphasizes its own performance.
[Verse 30]. The blessing of God can never be obtained by a kind of cooperation between law and grace. Everything that has to do with the law cannot be allowed anymore in the life and the mind of a Christian. Unfortunately, many Christians do not heed this call. Many are in the hands of the ‘wrong mother’, so they are constantly in doubt about their relationship with God. The influence of Judaism in professing Christianity is clearly visible: everywhere you see sacred buildings, and a spiritual class is also maintained.
[Verse 31]. It all fits in with the “children of a bondwoman”, but not with the children “of the free woman” and that is what we are!
Verses that belong to this explanation: 24-31
24Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.25For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.26But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.27For 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 which hath an husband.28Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.29But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him [that was born] after the Spirit, even so [it is] now.30Nevertheless 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 freewoman.31So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-04-19 Source:
Title: Galatians Author: Ger de Koning Copyright: kingcomments.com Note General: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author or the publisher.
Which the apostle also calls "our mother from above; ".
I find it was in their foresight of all this, that the heavenly intelligences gazed with admiration on "the Jerusalem which is above"
Author: Tertullian of Carthage Rank: Author AD: 220
Which, if you carefully study, you will find to be the means of building you up in that faith which has been given you, and which, being followed by hope, and preceded by love towards God, and Christ, and our neighbour, "is the mother of us all."
Those therefore, who are born of her are not bondmen. Thus the type of the Jerusalem below was Hagar, as is plain from the mountain being so called; but of that which is above is the Church. Nevertheless he is not content with these types, but adds the testimony of Isaiah to what he has spoken. Having said that Jerusalem which is above is our Mother, and having given that name to the Church, he cites the suffrage of the Prophet in his favor,
One and the same Jerusalem can be understood in a fourfold way: historically as the city of the Jews, allegorically as the church of Christ, anagogically as the heavenly city of God, which is the mother of all, and tropologically as the human soul, which is often upbraided or praised under this name by the Lord. .
"If ye hasten to fly out of Egypt, and repair beyond the Red Sea into the wilderness "that is, from earthly intercourse to the Jerusalem above, which is the mother of the living;
Jerusalem, which he calls our mother, represents the Lord’s mystery, through which we are reborn into freedom, just as she is free. And she is called heavenly because heaven is her seat. Those to whom she gives birth will be there with her.
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Galatians 4:27 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 which hath an husband.
In this quote from [Isa 54:1], it is predicted that the children of the heavenly city will be more numerous than the descendants of the earthly Jerusalem. Sarah was the woman who remained "barren" for so long. Hagar was the woman "who has the husband." How should we understand the ultimate victory of Sarah or the heavenly Jerusalem? The answer is that the "children" of the promise are all those who come to God in faith, both Gentiles and Jews. They are "more numerous" than the children of Hagar, who remain under the law.
Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-06-29 Source:
Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck
The difference between believers who rested in Christ only, and those who trusted in the law, is explained by the histories of Isaac and Ishmael. These things are an allegory, wherein, beside the literal and historical sense of the words, the Spirit of God points out something further. Hagar and Sarah were apt emblems of the two different dispensations of the covenant. The heavenly Jerusalem, the true church from above, represented by Sarah, is in a state of freedom, and is the mother of all believers, who are born of the Holy Spirit. They were by regeneration and true faith, made a part of the true seed of Abraham, according to the promise made to him.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 21-27
21Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?22For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.23But he [who was] of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman [was] by promise.24Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.25For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.26But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.27For 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 which hath an husband.
Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source:
Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry
[Verse 24]. What Paul said in [Verse 21-22] “is allegorically speaking”. It means that this history has a deeper meaning than you would think at first glance. When the Holy Spirit inspired Moses to write down this history, He did it just because of that deep meaning. In 1 Corinthians 10 you find the same and also in Romans 15 [1Cor 10:6-11]; [Rom 15:4]. Apart from that, the fact that Old Testament histories often have a deeper meaning doesn’t change the historical accuracy of the history itself.
What then is the deeper meaning Paul is quoting here? The two sons of Abraham “are two covenants”, that means, they represent two covenants. You can compare it with what the Lord Jesus says about the bread when He instituted the Supper: “This is My body” [Matt 26:26]. That also means: ‘This represents My body’.
[Verse 25]. The one covenant, the first one, is the covenant that is made at Sinai. This is what Hagar reminds us of. Hagar was Abraham’s slave who gave birth to Ishmael. And because she was a slave, automatically Ishmael was a slave as well. Children get the position of the mother. At Sinai the law was given. That’s why the people of Israel came into bondage. Whoever puts himself under the law puts himself in the position of slave. The “present Jerusalem” [i.e. the earthly Jerusalem] is the center of the law and therefore “is in slavery with her children” [her children are the citizens].
If the Galatians therefore, or like so many Christians today, accept the law in their lives, it means that they accept Hagar as mother. They want to keep the covenant of Sinai and therefore declare themselves citizens of the earthly Jerusalem. Another character of Mount Sinai is, it says, that it is situated “in Arabia”. That emphasizes again, that whoever connects himself with this, connects himself with a place outside the land of blessing which is Canaan. Whoever connects himself with the law, will be deprived of every blessing in Christ [Gal 5:4].
[Verse 26]. After stating the position of Christians who wish to give the law a place again in the Christian's life, Paul moves on to the real “mother” of the Christian: the free, heavenly Jerusalem. It is the place God has given, from where His promises in grace are given and where the Christian is at home. This is his ‘mother-city’. Here he gets his education and his Christian character is formed. It relates to what is written in the letter to the Philippians: “Our citizenship is in heaven” [Phil 3:20]. The big question today in professing Christianity is: By which mother are you being raised, or what is your mother-city?
[Verse 27]. Paul cites from Isaiah 54 [Isa 54:1] to show what it means to belong to “the Jerusalem above”. This verse is originally meant as a comfort for Israel after a time of being dominated by foreign powers. It is a song of joy at the beginning of the millennium, when God has accepted His people – that is the remnant – again into His favor after they have confessed their sins in humility to God. Then they will be free to enjoy everything that God has prepared for them.
Paul uses this event and the time it will happen as an application for the Christian in the present time. There, where there was nothing to be expected from human efforts and where there was only unfruitfulness, God performed a wonder in His grace and brought people to repentance. Like Isaac, the Galatians and all Christians are born in a supernatural manner. For the Christian it means that he is born “not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” [John 1:13].
The amazing thing about this quotation from Isaiah is also that all Christians belong to the Jerusalem that soon will be the center of the millennium. The present Jerusalem is not related to God. It is illustrated as the sent away woman because of her unfaithfulness (cf. [Hos 1:6], [Hos 1:8-9]). As mentioned earlier, this situation will come to an end. Jerusalem will then look back to a time when she was not fruitful for God. But then she will see that in that fruitless period, God Himself has begotten a numerous posterity which He accounts to her.
In that time grace has made Jerusalem what God always had in mind: a city by which He can freely bless all people. It is the same grace by which He in these days has redeemed so many from the yoke of sin and has set them free.
[Verse 28]. Paul assumes that the Galatians went in the wrong direction only outwardly, but that they inwardly had not yet accepted the wrong teachings. He speaks to them as being convinced that at heart they were true children of God.
[Verse 29]. To this is connected a life by grace alone. To live that life consistently means persecution from people who want to serve God in their own strength. Persecution is inevitable because living by faith is one big indictment of any form of religion that emphasizes its own performance.
[Verse 30]. The blessing of God can never be obtained by a kind of cooperation between law and grace. Everything that has to do with the law cannot be allowed anymore in the life and the mind of a Christian. Unfortunately, many Christians do not heed this call. Many are in the hands of the ‘wrong mother’, so they are constantly in doubt about their relationship with God. The influence of Judaism in professing Christianity is clearly visible: everywhere you see sacred buildings, and a spiritual class is also maintained.
[Verse 31]. It all fits in with the “children of a bondwoman”, but not with the children “of the free woman” and that is what we are!
Verses that belong to this explanation: 24-31
24Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.25For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.26But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.27For 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 which hath an husband.28Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.29But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him [that was born] after the Spirit, even so [it is] now.30Nevertheless 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 freewoman.31So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-04-19 Source:
Title: Galatians Author: Ger de Koning Copyright: kingcomments.com Note General: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author or the publisher.
Who is the woman with the husband? Is it not obviously the synagogue [as married to the law]? Yet the barren one has surpassed her in childbearing. For the synagogue contains one nation, whereas the children of the church fill Greece, Africa, land, sea and the whole inhabited world. Do you see how Sarah foreshadowed our future in deeds and the prophet in words? Homily on Galatians
The church was not only barren like Sarah and did not only become rich in children like her, but it also gave birth in the same way as Sarah. For just as it was not nature but the word of God that made her a mother … so too in our own regeneration it is not nature of any kind but the word of God spoken through the presbyter, as the faithful know, in the waters of the font, as in a womb, that fashions and regenerates the one who is being baptized.
Who is this who before was barren, and desolate? Clearly it is the Church of the Gentiles, that was before deprived of the knowledge of God? Who, she which has the husband? plainly the Synagogue. Yet the barren woman surpassed her in the number of her children, for the other embraces one nation, but the children of the Church have filled the country of the Greeks and of the Barbarians, the earth and sea, the whole habitable world. Observe how Sarah by acts, and the Prophet by words, have described the events about to befal us. Observe too, that he whom Isaiah called barren, Paul has proved to have many children, which also happened typically in the case of Sarah. For she too, although barren, became the mother of a numerous progeny. This however does not suffice Paul, but he carefully follows out the mode whereby the barren woman became a mother, that in this particular likewise the type might harmonize with the truth.
And the Phrygians style him, he says, "very fruitful "likewise, "because "says he, "more numerous are the children of the desolate one, than those of her which hath an husband; "
"Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not; for she that is desolate hath many more children than she that hath an husband.".
"Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not; for she that is desolate hath many more children than she that hath an husband."
Sarah signifies the heavenly Jerusalem, having been deserted for a long time by her husband’s embraces because of her perceived sterility. For men such as Abraham did not use women to satisfy lust but for the procreation of offspring. Now to her sterility age had also been added…. The age of Isaac’s parents serves to signify that, new though the people of the New Covenant are, their predestination lies nonetheless with God and is that heavenly Jerusalem of old.
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Galatians 4:28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
True believers are not born of the will of man or the will of the flesh, but of God. Physical ancestry does not matter; what is important is the miraculous divine birth through faith in the Lord Jesus.
Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-06-29 Source:
Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck
The history thus explained is applied. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bond-woman, but of the free. If the privileges of all believers were so great, according to the new covenant, how absurd for the Gentile converts to be under that law, which could not deliver the unbelieving Jews from bondage or condemnation! We should not have found out this allegory in the history of Sarah and Hagar, if it had not been shown to us, yet we cannot doubt it was intended by the Holy Spirit. It is an explanation of the subject, not an argument in proof of it. The two covenants of works and grace, and legal and evangelical professors, are shadowed forth. Works and fruits brought forth in a man’s own strength, are legal. But if arising from faith in Christ, they are evangelical. The first covenant spirit is of bondage unto sin and death. The second covenant spirit is of liberty and freedom; not liberty to sin, but in and unto duty. The first is a spirit of persecution; the second is a spirit of love. Let those professors look to it, who have a violent, harsh, imposing spirit, towards the people of God. Yet as Abraham turned aside to Hagar, so it is possible a believer may turn aside in some things to the covenant of works, when through unbelief and neglect of the promise he acts according to the law, in his own strength; or in a way of violence, not of love, towards the brethren. Yet it is not his way, not his spirit to do so; hence he is never at rest, till he returns to his dependence on Christ again. Let us rest our souls on the Scriptures, and by a gospel hope and cheerful obedience, show that our conversation and treasure are indeed in heaven.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 28-31
28Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.29But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him [that was born] after the Spirit, even so [it is] now.30Nevertheless 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 freewoman.31So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source:
Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry
[Verse 24]. What Paul said in [Verse 21-22] “is allegorically speaking”. It means that this history has a deeper meaning than you would think at first glance. When the Holy Spirit inspired Moses to write down this history, He did it just because of that deep meaning. In 1 Corinthians 10 you find the same and also in Romans 15 [1Cor 10:6-11]; [Rom 15:4]. Apart from that, the fact that Old Testament histories often have a deeper meaning doesn’t change the historical accuracy of the history itself.
What then is the deeper meaning Paul is quoting here? The two sons of Abraham “are two covenants”, that means, they represent two covenants. You can compare it with what the Lord Jesus says about the bread when He instituted the Supper: “This is My body” [Matt 26:26]. That also means: ‘This represents My body’.
[Verse 25]. The one covenant, the first one, is the covenant that is made at Sinai. This is what Hagar reminds us of. Hagar was Abraham’s slave who gave birth to Ishmael. And because she was a slave, automatically Ishmael was a slave as well. Children get the position of the mother. At Sinai the law was given. That’s why the people of Israel came into bondage. Whoever puts himself under the law puts himself in the position of slave. The “present Jerusalem” [i.e. the earthly Jerusalem] is the center of the law and therefore “is in slavery with her children” [her children are the citizens].
If the Galatians therefore, or like so many Christians today, accept the law in their lives, it means that they accept Hagar as mother. They want to keep the covenant of Sinai and therefore declare themselves citizens of the earthly Jerusalem. Another character of Mount Sinai is, it says, that it is situated “in Arabia”. That emphasizes again, that whoever connects himself with this, connects himself with a place outside the land of blessing which is Canaan. Whoever connects himself with the law, will be deprived of every blessing in Christ [Gal 5:4].
[Verse 26]. After stating the position of Christians who wish to give the law a place again in the Christian's life, Paul moves on to the real “mother” of the Christian: the free, heavenly Jerusalem. It is the place God has given, from where His promises in grace are given and where the Christian is at home. This is his ‘mother-city’. Here he gets his education and his Christian character is formed. It relates to what is written in the letter to the Philippians: “Our citizenship is in heaven” [Phil 3:20]. The big question today in professing Christianity is: By which mother are you being raised, or what is your mother-city?
[Verse 27]. Paul cites from Isaiah 54 [Isa 54:1] to show what it means to belong to “the Jerusalem above”. This verse is originally meant as a comfort for Israel after a time of being dominated by foreign powers. It is a song of joy at the beginning of the millennium, when God has accepted His people – that is the remnant – again into His favor after they have confessed their sins in humility to God. Then they will be free to enjoy everything that God has prepared for them.
Paul uses this event and the time it will happen as an application for the Christian in the present time. There, where there was nothing to be expected from human efforts and where there was only unfruitfulness, God performed a wonder in His grace and brought people to repentance. Like Isaac, the Galatians and all Christians are born in a supernatural manner. For the Christian it means that he is born “not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” [John 1:13].
The amazing thing about this quotation from Isaiah is also that all Christians belong to the Jerusalem that soon will be the center of the millennium. The present Jerusalem is not related to God. It is illustrated as the sent away woman because of her unfaithfulness (cf. [Hos 1:6], [Hos 1:8-9]). As mentioned earlier, this situation will come to an end. Jerusalem will then look back to a time when she was not fruitful for God. But then she will see that in that fruitless period, God Himself has begotten a numerous posterity which He accounts to her.
In that time grace has made Jerusalem what God always had in mind: a city by which He can freely bless all people. It is the same grace by which He in these days has redeemed so many from the yoke of sin and has set them free.
[Verse 28]. Paul assumes that the Galatians went in the wrong direction only outwardly, but that they inwardly had not yet accepted the wrong teachings. He speaks to them as being convinced that at heart they were true children of God.
[Verse 29]. To this is connected a life by grace alone. To live that life consistently means persecution from people who want to serve God in their own strength. Persecution is inevitable because living by faith is one big indictment of any form of religion that emphasizes its own performance.
[Verse 30]. The blessing of God can never be obtained by a kind of cooperation between law and grace. Everything that has to do with the law cannot be allowed anymore in the life and the mind of a Christian. Unfortunately, many Christians do not heed this call. Many are in the hands of the ‘wrong mother’, so they are constantly in doubt about their relationship with God. The influence of Judaism in professing Christianity is clearly visible: everywhere you see sacred buildings, and a spiritual class is also maintained.
[Verse 31]. It all fits in with the “children of a bondwoman”, but not with the children “of the free woman” and that is what we are!
Verses that belong to this explanation: 24-31
24Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.25For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.26But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.27For 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 which hath an husband.28Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.29But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him [that was born] after the Spirit, even so [it is] now.30Nevertheless 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 freewoman.31So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-04-19 Source:
Title: Galatians Author: Ger de Koning Copyright: kingcomments.com Note General: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author or the publisher.
It is not merely that the Church was barren like Sarah, or became a mother of many children like her, but she bore them in the way Sarah did. As it was not nature but the promise of God which rendered Sarah a mother, [for the word of God which said, At the time appointed I will return unto you, and Sarah shall have a son, Genesis 18:14 this entered into the womb and formed the babe,] so also in our regeneration it is not nature, but the Words of God spoken by the Priest, (the faithful know them,) which in the Bath of water as in a sort of womb, form and regenerate him who is baptized. Wherefore if we are sons of the barren woman, then are we free. But what kind of freedom, it might be objected, is this, when the Jews seize and scourge the believers, and those who have this pretence of liberty are persecuted? For these things then occurred, in the persecution of the faithful. Neither let this disturb you, he replies, this also is anticipated in the type, for Isaac, who was free, was persecuted by Ishmael the bondman.
One might ask how he speaks of the Galatians, whom he had called fools. He accused them of starting in the Spirit and finishing in the flesh. When the apostle called them “sons of promise” in the way that Isaac was, he meant that he did not completely despair of their salvation and judged that they would return again to the Spirit, in which they had begun, and become sons of the free woman. .
As Paul does also testify, saying that we are children of Abraham because of the similarity of our faith, and the promise of inheritance.
Thus also the apostle says in the Epistle to the Galatians: "But ye, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of the promise."
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Galatians 4:29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him [that was born] after the Spirit, even so [it is] now.
Ishmael mocked Isaac. It has always been this way: those born of the flesh have persecuted those "born of the Spirit." Consider the sufferings of our Lord or the Apostle Paul, inflicted upon them by the unredeemed. It may seem like a trivial sin that Ishmael mocked Isaac, but Scripture records it. Paul sees in this a principle that still holds true today—the enmity between "the flesh" and "the Spirit."
Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-06-29 Source:
Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck
The history thus explained is applied. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bond-woman, but of the free. If the privileges of all believers were so great, according to the new covenant, how absurd for the Gentile converts to be under that law, which could not deliver the unbelieving Jews from bondage or condemnation! We should not have found out this allegory in the history of Sarah and Hagar, if it had not been shown to us, yet we cannot doubt it was intended by the Holy Spirit. It is an explanation of the subject, not an argument in proof of it. The two covenants of works and grace, and legal and evangelical professors, are shadowed forth. Works and fruits brought forth in a man’s own strength, are legal. But if arising from faith in Christ, they are evangelical. The first covenant spirit is of bondage unto sin and death. The second covenant spirit is of liberty and freedom; not liberty to sin, but in and unto duty. The first is a spirit of persecution; the second is a spirit of love. Let those professors look to it, who have a violent, harsh, imposing spirit, towards the people of God. Yet as Abraham turned aside to Hagar, so it is possible a believer may turn aside in some things to the covenant of works, when through unbelief and neglect of the promise he acts according to the law, in his own strength; or in a way of violence, not of love, towards the brethren. Yet it is not his way, not his spirit to do so; hence he is never at rest, till he returns to his dependence on Christ again. Let us rest our souls on the Scriptures, and by a gospel hope and cheerful obedience, show that our conversation and treasure are indeed in heaven.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 28-31
28Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.29But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him [that was born] after the Spirit, even so [it is] now.30Nevertheless 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 freewoman.31So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source:
Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry
[Verse 24]. What Paul said in [Verse 21-22] “is allegorically speaking”. It means that this history has a deeper meaning than you would think at first glance. When the Holy Spirit inspired Moses to write down this history, He did it just because of that deep meaning. In 1 Corinthians 10 you find the same and also in Romans 15 [1Cor 10:6-11]; [Rom 15:4]. Apart from that, the fact that Old Testament histories often have a deeper meaning doesn’t change the historical accuracy of the history itself.
What then is the deeper meaning Paul is quoting here? The two sons of Abraham “are two covenants”, that means, they represent two covenants. You can compare it with what the Lord Jesus says about the bread when He instituted the Supper: “This is My body” [Matt 26:26]. That also means: ‘This represents My body’.
[Verse 25]. The one covenant, the first one, is the covenant that is made at Sinai. This is what Hagar reminds us of. Hagar was Abraham’s slave who gave birth to Ishmael. And because she was a slave, automatically Ishmael was a slave as well. Children get the position of the mother. At Sinai the law was given. That’s why the people of Israel came into bondage. Whoever puts himself under the law puts himself in the position of slave. The “present Jerusalem” [i.e. the earthly Jerusalem] is the center of the law and therefore “is in slavery with her children” [her children are the citizens].
If the Galatians therefore, or like so many Christians today, accept the law in their lives, it means that they accept Hagar as mother. They want to keep the covenant of Sinai and therefore declare themselves citizens of the earthly Jerusalem. Another character of Mount Sinai is, it says, that it is situated “in Arabia”. That emphasizes again, that whoever connects himself with this, connects himself with a place outside the land of blessing which is Canaan. Whoever connects himself with the law, will be deprived of every blessing in Christ [Gal 5:4].
[Verse 26]. After stating the position of Christians who wish to give the law a place again in the Christian's life, Paul moves on to the real “mother” of the Christian: the free, heavenly Jerusalem. It is the place God has given, from where His promises in grace are given and where the Christian is at home. This is his ‘mother-city’. Here he gets his education and his Christian character is formed. It relates to what is written in the letter to the Philippians: “Our citizenship is in heaven” [Phil 3:20]. The big question today in professing Christianity is: By which mother are you being raised, or what is your mother-city?
[Verse 27]. Paul cites from Isaiah 54 [Isa 54:1] to show what it means to belong to “the Jerusalem above”. This verse is originally meant as a comfort for Israel after a time of being dominated by foreign powers. It is a song of joy at the beginning of the millennium, when God has accepted His people – that is the remnant – again into His favor after they have confessed their sins in humility to God. Then they will be free to enjoy everything that God has prepared for them.
Paul uses this event and the time it will happen as an application for the Christian in the present time. There, where there was nothing to be expected from human efforts and where there was only unfruitfulness, God performed a wonder in His grace and brought people to repentance. Like Isaac, the Galatians and all Christians are born in a supernatural manner. For the Christian it means that he is born “not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” [John 1:13].
The amazing thing about this quotation from Isaiah is also that all Christians belong to the Jerusalem that soon will be the center of the millennium. The present Jerusalem is not related to God. It is illustrated as the sent away woman because of her unfaithfulness (cf. [Hos 1:6], [Hos 1:8-9]). As mentioned earlier, this situation will come to an end. Jerusalem will then look back to a time when she was not fruitful for God. But then she will see that in that fruitless period, God Himself has begotten a numerous posterity which He accounts to her.
In that time grace has made Jerusalem what God always had in mind: a city by which He can freely bless all people. It is the same grace by which He in these days has redeemed so many from the yoke of sin and has set them free.
[Verse 28]. Paul assumes that the Galatians went in the wrong direction only outwardly, but that they inwardly had not yet accepted the wrong teachings. He speaks to them as being convinced that at heart they were true children of God.
[Verse 29]. To this is connected a life by grace alone. To live that life consistently means persecution from people who want to serve God in their own strength. Persecution is inevitable because living by faith is one big indictment of any form of religion that emphasizes its own performance.
[Verse 30]. The blessing of God can never be obtained by a kind of cooperation between law and grace. Everything that has to do with the law cannot be allowed anymore in the life and the mind of a Christian. Unfortunately, many Christians do not heed this call. Many are in the hands of the ‘wrong mother’, so they are constantly in doubt about their relationship with God. The influence of Judaism in professing Christianity is clearly visible: everywhere you see sacred buildings, and a spiritual class is also maintained.
[Verse 31]. It all fits in with the “children of a bondwoman”, but not with the children “of the free woman” and that is what we are!
Verses that belong to this explanation: 24-31
24Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.25For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.26But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.27For 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 which hath an husband.28Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.29But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him [that was born] after the Spirit, even so [it is] now.30Nevertheless 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 freewoman.31So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-04-19 Source:
Title: Galatians Author: Ger de Koning Copyright: kingcomments.com Note General: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author or the publisher.
“And what sort of freedom is this,” someone might ask, “when the Jews oppress and beat the faithful, and those who are reckoned free are persecuted?” For that is what happened then, as the faithful were persecuted. “But do not let even this discourage you, for this too he included beforehand in the type.”
What! Does all this consolation consist in showing that freemen are persecuted by bond-men? By no means, he says, I do not stop here, listen to what follows, and then, if you be not pusillanimous under persecution, you will be sufficiently comforted. And what is it that follows? Cast out the son of the handmaid, for he shall not inherit with the son of the freewoman. Behold the reward of tyranny for a season, and of reckleness out of season! The son is cast out of his father's house, and becomes, together with his mother, an exile and a wanderer. And consider too the wisdom of the remark; for he says not that he was cast forth merely because he persecuted, but that he should not be heir. For this punishment was not exacted from him on account of his temporary persecution, (for that would have been of little moment, and nothing to the point,) but he was not suffered to participate in the inheritance provided for the son. And this proves that, putting the persecution aside, this very thing had been typified from the beginning, and did not originate in the persecution, but in the purpose of God. Nor does he say, the son of Abraham shall not be heir, but, the son of the handmaid, distinguishing him by his inferior descent. Now Sarah was barren, and so is the Gentile Church; observe how the type is preserved in every particular, as the former, through all the by-gone years, conceived not, and in extreme old age became a mother, so the latter, when the fullness of time has come, brings forth. And this the prophets have proclaimed, saying, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, you that travailest not; for more are the children of the desolate than of her which has the husband. And hereby they intend the Church; for she knew not God, but as soon as she knew Him, she surpassed the fruitful synagogue.
Ishmael, the elder brother, persecuted him while still a nursing infant, claiming for himself the prior right of circumcision and the inheritance of the firstborn…. And it is aptly said that he who is born according to nature persecutes the spiritual. The spiritual one never persecutes the natural one but forgives him like an untutored brother, for he knows that he may progress. –.
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Galatians 4:30 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 freewoman.
If the Galatians appeal to "Scripture," then they will hear this verdict: Grace cannot be mixed with law, and it is impossible to obtain God's blessing through human merits or fleshly efforts.
Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-06-29 Source:
Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck
The history thus explained is applied. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bond-woman, but of the free. If the privileges of all believers were so great, according to the new covenant, how absurd for the Gentile converts to be under that law, which could not deliver the unbelieving Jews from bondage or condemnation! We should not have found out this allegory in the history of Sarah and Hagar, if it had not been shown to us, yet we cannot doubt it was intended by the Holy Spirit. It is an explanation of the subject, not an argument in proof of it. The two covenants of works and grace, and legal and evangelical professors, are shadowed forth. Works and fruits brought forth in a man’s own strength, are legal. But if arising from faith in Christ, they are evangelical. The first covenant spirit is of bondage unto sin and death. The second covenant spirit is of liberty and freedom; not liberty to sin, but in and unto duty. The first is a spirit of persecution; the second is a spirit of love. Let those professors look to it, who have a violent, harsh, imposing spirit, towards the people of God. Yet as Abraham turned aside to Hagar, so it is possible a believer may turn aside in some things to the covenant of works, when through unbelief and neglect of the promise he acts according to the law, in his own strength; or in a way of violence, not of love, towards the brethren. Yet it is not his way, not his spirit to do so; hence he is never at rest, till he returns to his dependence on Christ again. Let us rest our souls on the Scriptures, and by a gospel hope and cheerful obedience, show that our conversation and treasure are indeed in heaven.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 28-31
28Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.29But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him [that was born] after the Spirit, even so [it is] now.30Nevertheless 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 freewoman.31So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source:
Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry
[Verse 24]. What Paul said in [Verse 21-22] “is allegorically speaking”. It means that this history has a deeper meaning than you would think at first glance. When the Holy Spirit inspired Moses to write down this history, He did it just because of that deep meaning. In 1 Corinthians 10 you find the same and also in Romans 15 [1Cor 10:6-11]; [Rom 15:4]. Apart from that, the fact that Old Testament histories often have a deeper meaning doesn’t change the historical accuracy of the history itself.
What then is the deeper meaning Paul is quoting here? The two sons of Abraham “are two covenants”, that means, they represent two covenants. You can compare it with what the Lord Jesus says about the bread when He instituted the Supper: “This is My body” [Matt 26:26]. That also means: ‘This represents My body’.
[Verse 25]. The one covenant, the first one, is the covenant that is made at Sinai. This is what Hagar reminds us of. Hagar was Abraham’s slave who gave birth to Ishmael. And because she was a slave, automatically Ishmael was a slave as well. Children get the position of the mother. At Sinai the law was given. That’s why the people of Israel came into bondage. Whoever puts himself under the law puts himself in the position of slave. The “present Jerusalem” [i.e. the earthly Jerusalem] is the center of the law and therefore “is in slavery with her children” [her children are the citizens].
If the Galatians therefore, or like so many Christians today, accept the law in their lives, it means that they accept Hagar as mother. They want to keep the covenant of Sinai and therefore declare themselves citizens of the earthly Jerusalem. Another character of Mount Sinai is, it says, that it is situated “in Arabia”. That emphasizes again, that whoever connects himself with this, connects himself with a place outside the land of blessing which is Canaan. Whoever connects himself with the law, will be deprived of every blessing in Christ [Gal 5:4].
[Verse 26]. After stating the position of Christians who wish to give the law a place again in the Christian's life, Paul moves on to the real “mother” of the Christian: the free, heavenly Jerusalem. It is the place God has given, from where His promises in grace are given and where the Christian is at home. This is his ‘mother-city’. Here he gets his education and his Christian character is formed. It relates to what is written in the letter to the Philippians: “Our citizenship is in heaven” [Phil 3:20]. The big question today in professing Christianity is: By which mother are you being raised, or what is your mother-city?
[Verse 27]. Paul cites from Isaiah 54 [Isa 54:1] to show what it means to belong to “the Jerusalem above”. This verse is originally meant as a comfort for Israel after a time of being dominated by foreign powers. It is a song of joy at the beginning of the millennium, when God has accepted His people – that is the remnant – again into His favor after they have confessed their sins in humility to God. Then they will be free to enjoy everything that God has prepared for them.
Paul uses this event and the time it will happen as an application for the Christian in the present time. There, where there was nothing to be expected from human efforts and where there was only unfruitfulness, God performed a wonder in His grace and brought people to repentance. Like Isaac, the Galatians and all Christians are born in a supernatural manner. For the Christian it means that he is born “not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” [John 1:13].
The amazing thing about this quotation from Isaiah is also that all Christians belong to the Jerusalem that soon will be the center of the millennium. The present Jerusalem is not related to God. It is illustrated as the sent away woman because of her unfaithfulness (cf. [Hos 1:6], [Hos 1:8-9]). As mentioned earlier, this situation will come to an end. Jerusalem will then look back to a time when she was not fruitful for God. But then she will see that in that fruitless period, God Himself has begotten a numerous posterity which He accounts to her.
In that time grace has made Jerusalem what God always had in mind: a city by which He can freely bless all people. It is the same grace by which He in these days has redeemed so many from the yoke of sin and has set them free.
[Verse 28]. Paul assumes that the Galatians went in the wrong direction only outwardly, but that they inwardly had not yet accepted the wrong teachings. He speaks to them as being convinced that at heart they were true children of God.
[Verse 29]. To this is connected a life by grace alone. To live that life consistently means persecution from people who want to serve God in their own strength. Persecution is inevitable because living by faith is one big indictment of any form of religion that emphasizes its own performance.
[Verse 30]. The blessing of God can never be obtained by a kind of cooperation between law and grace. Everything that has to do with the law cannot be allowed anymore in the life and the mind of a Christian. Unfortunately, many Christians do not heed this call. Many are in the hands of the ‘wrong mother’, so they are constantly in doubt about their relationship with God. The influence of Judaism in professing Christianity is clearly visible: everywhere you see sacred buildings, and a spiritual class is also maintained.
[Verse 31]. It all fits in with the “children of a bondwoman”, but not with the children “of the free woman” and that is what we are!
Verses that belong to this explanation: 24-31
24Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.25For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.26But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.27For 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 which hath an husband.28Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.29But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him [that was born] after the Spirit, even so [it is] now.30Nevertheless 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 freewoman.31So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-04-19 Source:
Title: Galatians Author: Ger de Koning Copyright: kingcomments.com Note General: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author or the publisher.
Philosophers, then, are children, unless they have been made men by Christ. "For if the son of the bond woman shall not be heir with the son of the free"
Author: Clement Of Alexandria Rank: Author AD: 215
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Galatians 4:31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
Those who have entrusted their lives to Christ have nothing to do with the law as a means of obtaining favor before God. They are children of the free woman, and they share the same positional conditions as their mother.
Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-06-29 Source:
Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck
The history thus explained is applied. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bond-woman, but of the free. If the privileges of all believers were so great, according to the new covenant, how absurd for the Gentile converts to be under that law, which could not deliver the unbelieving Jews from bondage or condemnation! We should not have found out this allegory in the history of Sarah and Hagar, if it had not been shown to us, yet we cannot doubt it was intended by the Holy Spirit. It is an explanation of the subject, not an argument in proof of it. The two covenants of works and grace, and legal and evangelical professors, are shadowed forth. Works and fruits brought forth in a man’s own strength, are legal. But if arising from faith in Christ, they are evangelical. The first covenant spirit is of bondage unto sin and death. The second covenant spirit is of liberty and freedom; not liberty to sin, but in and unto duty. The first is a spirit of persecution; the second is a spirit of love. Let those professors look to it, who have a violent, harsh, imposing spirit, towards the people of God. Yet as Abraham turned aside to Hagar, so it is possible a believer may turn aside in some things to the covenant of works, when through unbelief and neglect of the promise he acts according to the law, in his own strength; or in a way of violence, not of love, towards the brethren. Yet it is not his way, not his spirit to do so; hence he is never at rest, till he returns to his dependence on Christ again. Let us rest our souls on the Scriptures, and by a gospel hope and cheerful obedience, show that our conversation and treasure are indeed in heaven.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 28-31
28Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.29But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him [that was born] after the Spirit, even so [it is] now.30Nevertheless 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 freewoman.31So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source:
Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry
[Verse 24]. What Paul said in [Verse 21-22] “is allegorically speaking”. It means that this history has a deeper meaning than you would think at first glance. When the Holy Spirit inspired Moses to write down this history, He did it just because of that deep meaning. In 1 Corinthians 10 you find the same and also in Romans 15 [1Cor 10:6-11]; [Rom 15:4]. Apart from that, the fact that Old Testament histories often have a deeper meaning doesn’t change the historical accuracy of the history itself.
What then is the deeper meaning Paul is quoting here? The two sons of Abraham “are two covenants”, that means, they represent two covenants. You can compare it with what the Lord Jesus says about the bread when He instituted the Supper: “This is My body” [Matt 26:26]. That also means: ‘This represents My body’.
[Verse 25]. The one covenant, the first one, is the covenant that is made at Sinai. This is what Hagar reminds us of. Hagar was Abraham’s slave who gave birth to Ishmael. And because she was a slave, automatically Ishmael was a slave as well. Children get the position of the mother. At Sinai the law was given. That’s why the people of Israel came into bondage. Whoever puts himself under the law puts himself in the position of slave. The “present Jerusalem” [i.e. the earthly Jerusalem] is the center of the law and therefore “is in slavery with her children” [her children are the citizens].
If the Galatians therefore, or like so many Christians today, accept the law in their lives, it means that they accept Hagar as mother. They want to keep the covenant of Sinai and therefore declare themselves citizens of the earthly Jerusalem. Another character of Mount Sinai is, it says, that it is situated “in Arabia”. That emphasizes again, that whoever connects himself with this, connects himself with a place outside the land of blessing which is Canaan. Whoever connects himself with the law, will be deprived of every blessing in Christ [Gal 5:4].
[Verse 26]. After stating the position of Christians who wish to give the law a place again in the Christian's life, Paul moves on to the real “mother” of the Christian: the free, heavenly Jerusalem. It is the place God has given, from where His promises in grace are given and where the Christian is at home. This is his ‘mother-city’. Here he gets his education and his Christian character is formed. It relates to what is written in the letter to the Philippians: “Our citizenship is in heaven” [Phil 3:20]. The big question today in professing Christianity is: By which mother are you being raised, or what is your mother-city?
[Verse 27]. Paul cites from Isaiah 54 [Isa 54:1] to show what it means to belong to “the Jerusalem above”. This verse is originally meant as a comfort for Israel after a time of being dominated by foreign powers. It is a song of joy at the beginning of the millennium, when God has accepted His people – that is the remnant – again into His favor after they have confessed their sins in humility to God. Then they will be free to enjoy everything that God has prepared for them.
Paul uses this event and the time it will happen as an application for the Christian in the present time. There, where there was nothing to be expected from human efforts and where there was only unfruitfulness, God performed a wonder in His grace and brought people to repentance. Like Isaac, the Galatians and all Christians are born in a supernatural manner. For the Christian it means that he is born “not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” [John 1:13].
The amazing thing about this quotation from Isaiah is also that all Christians belong to the Jerusalem that soon will be the center of the millennium. The present Jerusalem is not related to God. It is illustrated as the sent away woman because of her unfaithfulness (cf. [Hos 1:6], [Hos 1:8-9]). As mentioned earlier, this situation will come to an end. Jerusalem will then look back to a time when she was not fruitful for God. But then she will see that in that fruitless period, God Himself has begotten a numerous posterity which He accounts to her.
In that time grace has made Jerusalem what God always had in mind: a city by which He can freely bless all people. It is the same grace by which He in these days has redeemed so many from the yoke of sin and has set them free.
[Verse 28]. Paul assumes that the Galatians went in the wrong direction only outwardly, but that they inwardly had not yet accepted the wrong teachings. He speaks to them as being convinced that at heart they were true children of God.
[Verse 29]. To this is connected a life by grace alone. To live that life consistently means persecution from people who want to serve God in their own strength. Persecution is inevitable because living by faith is one big indictment of any form of religion that emphasizes its own performance.
[Verse 30]. The blessing of God can never be obtained by a kind of cooperation between law and grace. Everything that has to do with the law cannot be allowed anymore in the life and the mind of a Christian. Unfortunately, many Christians do not heed this call. Many are in the hands of the ‘wrong mother’, so they are constantly in doubt about their relationship with God. The influence of Judaism in professing Christianity is clearly visible: everywhere you see sacred buildings, and a spiritual class is also maintained.
[Verse 31]. It all fits in with the “children of a bondwoman”, but not with the children “of the free woman” and that is what we are!
Verses that belong to this explanation: 24-31
24Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.25For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.26But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.27For 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 which hath an husband.28Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.29But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him [that was born] after the Spirit, even so [it is] now.30Nevertheless 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 freewoman.31So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-04-19 Source:
Title: Galatians Author: Ger de Koning Copyright: kingcomments.com Note General: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author or the publisher.
He raises and treats all these points in his wish to prove that what has occurred is not an afterthought but was prefigured from above and through many ages. Do you see how it is absurd that those who were foreordained through so many ages and had obtained freedom should happily put themselves again under the yoke of slavery? Homily on Galatians
He turns and discusses this on all sides, desiring to prove that what had taken place was no novelty, but had been before typified many ages ago. How then can it be otherwise than absurd for those who had been set apart so long and who had obtained freedom, willingly to subject themselves to the yoke of bondage? Next he states another inducement to them to abide in his doctrine.
Let us consider whether we should say that the righteous people of old were children of the slave woman or the free. But God forbid that they should be the slave woman’s. If therefore they are the free woman’s, they belong to the new covenant in the Holy Spirit, whose lifegiving power the apostle contrasts with “the letter that kills.”
We were therefore sons of the slave woman when we were liable for our sins. But, having received the remission of sins from Christ, we have been made free.
The listed verse explanations of the individual persons have nothing to do with the explanations of the other persons. This also applies to the Bible translations.
