Galatians 4

Sons and Heirs

1 I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave,^[a] though he is the owner of everything,

2 but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father.

3 In the same way we also, when we were children, ¹were enslaved to the elementary principles^[b] of the world.

4 But ²when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, ³born ⁴of woman, born ⁵under the law,

5 ⁶to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive ⁷adoption as sons.

6 And because you are sons, God has sent ⁸the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!"

7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then ⁹an heir through God.

Paul's Concern for the Galatians

8 Formerly, when you ¹⁰did not know God, you ¹¹were enslaved to those that by nature ¹²are not gods.

9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather ¹³to be known by God, ¹⁴how can you turn back again to ¹⁵the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?

10 ¹⁶You observe days and months and seasons and years!

11 I am afraid ¹⁷I may have labored over you in vain.

12 Brothers,^[c]18I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. ¹⁹You did me no wrong.

13 You know it was ²⁰because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you ²¹at first,

14 and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me ²²as an angel of God, ²³as Christ Jesus.

15 What then has become of the blessing you felt? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me.

16 Have I then become your enemy by ²⁴telling you the truth?^[d]

17 They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them.

18 It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and ²⁵not only when I am present with you,

19 ²⁶my little children, ²⁷for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ ²⁸is formed in you!

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

Example of Hagar and Sarah

21 Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law?

22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, ²⁹one by a slave woman and ³⁰one by a free woman.

23 But ³¹the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while ³²the son of the free woman was born through promise.

24 Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two ³³covenants. ³⁴One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar.

25 Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia;^[e] she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children.

26 But ³⁵the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.

27 For it is written, ³⁶"Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear; break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than those of the one who has a husband."

28 Now you,^[f] brothers, ³⁷like Isaac, ³⁸are children of promise.

29 But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh ³⁹persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, ⁴⁰so also it is now.

30 But what does the Scripture say? ⁴¹"Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman."

31 So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but ⁴²of the free woman.

Galatians 4 Commentary

Chapter 4

The folly of returning to legal observances for justification. (1-7) The happy change made in the Gentile believers. (8-11) The apostle reasons against following false teachers. (12-18) He expresses his earnest concern for them. (19,20) And then explains the difference between what is to be expected from the law, and from the gospel. (21-31)

Verses 1-7 The apostle deals plainly with those who urged the law of Moses together with the gospel of Christ, and endeavoured 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 8-11 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 practise 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 labour is in vain, yet he still labours; 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 12-18 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 honour of God and religion and their welfare. The apostle reminds the Galatians of the difficulty under which he laboured when he first came among them. But he notices, that he was a welcome messenger to them. Yet how very uncertain are the favour and respect of men! Let us labour 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 19-20 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 21-27 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 28-31 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.

Cross References

• 1. See Galatians 2:4
• 2. [1 Timothy 2:6]; See Mark 1:15
• 3. Philippians 2:7; See John 1:14
• 4. [1 Timothy 2:15]; See Genesis 3:15
• 5. [Luke 2:21, 22, 27]
• 6. See Galatians 3:13
• 7. Galatians 3:26; See Romans 8:15
• 8. [Romans 5:5; 2 Corinthians 3:17]; See Acts 16:7
• 9. See Galatians 3:29
• 10. 1 Corinthians 1:21; 1 Thessalonians 4:5; 2 Thessalonians 1:8; 1 John 4:8
• 11. [Ephesians 2:11, 12; 1 Thessalonians 1:9]
• 12. 2 Chronicles 13:9; Isaiah 37:19; Jeremiah 2:11; Jeremiah 5:7; Jeremiah 16:20; [1 Corinthians 8:4]
• 13. See 1 Corinthians 8:3
• 14. [Galatians 3:3]
• 15. Romans 8:3; Hebrews 7:18
• 16. Romans 14:5; Colossians 2:16
• 17. Galatians 2:2; Galatians 5:2, 4; 1 Thessalonians 3:5
• 18. [2 Corinthians 6:13]
• 19. [2 Corinthians 2:5]
• 20. See 1 Corinthians 2:3
• 21. [Galatians 1:6]
• 22. 1 Samuel 29:9; [Malachi 2:7(Gk.); 2 Corinthians 5:20]
• 23. See Matthew 10:40
• 24. See Galatians 2:5
• 25. [ver. 13]
• 26. [1 Corinthians 4:15; Philemon 10]
• 27. [James 1:18]
• 28. Romans 8:10
• 29. Genesis 16:5
• 30. Genesis 21:2
• 31. ver. 29; [Romans 9:7]
• 32. ver. 28; Genesis 17:16-19; Genesis 18:10, 14; Genesis 21:1, 2; Hebrews 11:11
• 33. See Romans 9:4
• 34. Deuteronomy 33:2
• 35. [Hebrews 12:22; Revelation 3:12; Revelation 21:2, 10]
• 36. Cited from Isaiah 54:1
• 37. See ver. 23
• 38. Romans 9:8; See Galatians 3:29
• 39. Genesis 21:9
• 40. See Galatians 5:11
• 41. Cited from Genesis 21:10; [John 8:35]
• 42. [1 Peter 3:6]

Footnotes

• [a]. Greek bondservant; also verse 7
• [b]. Or elemental spirits; also verse 9
• [c]. Or Brothers and sisters; also verses 28, 31
• [d]. Or by dealing truthfully with you
• [e]. Some manuscripts For Sinai is a mountain in Arabia
• [f]. Some manuscripts we

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO GALATIANS 4

In this chapter the apostle discourses concerning the abrogation of the ceremonial law, under which the Old Testament saints were, being as children under tutors; blames the Galatians for returning to it when they were freed from it; puts them in mind of their former affection to him and to his ministry; describes the false apostles, who had been the occasion of their departure from the truth, and by a beautiful allegory sets forth the difference between the legal and Gospel dispensations. And whereas in the latter part of the preceding chapter he had compared the law to a schoolmaster, under which the Jews were till Christ came; he here makes use of another simile to express the same thing by, which is that of an heir while under age being under tutors and governors, until the time fixed by the parent's will, Ga 4:1,2 an accommodation of which simile is in Ga 4:3, by which the Jews under the former dispensation are represented as children, and as in a state of bondage to the ceremonial law, from which there is a deliverance by Christ at the appointed time of the Father, by whom he was sent for that purpose; the act of sending is ascribed to God the Father; the person sent is described as the Son of God; the time when is called the fulness of time; and the circumstances under which he was sent were, that he was made of a woman, and made under the law, Ga 4:4, the ends of his being sent were to redeem his people from it, who were under it; and that they might receive the adoption of children, the privilege and spirit of it, Ga 4:5. Hence because they were the sons of God, and as a fruit and effect of the redemption of them by Christ, the Spirit of God is sent down into their hearts, to make known and witness their adoption, Ga 4:6, and the benefits arising from hence are, that such are or should be no longer the servants of the law, but are children and free from it, and are heirs of God, Ga 4:7, and that the grace of God might appear the more illustrious in this privilege of sonship, and the folly of the Galatians be more manifest in returning to the ceremonial law, notice is taken of what they were and did before conversion, and what they were inclined to now; that whereas whilst they were ignorant of God, they served nominal fictitious deities, such as were not by nature gods; and yet now, though they knew God, and were known of him, seemed desirous of being in a state of servitude and bondage to the weak and beggarly elements of the ceremonial law, Ga 4:8,9, of which instances are given in their observing days, months, times and years, Ga 4:10, which gave the apostle a great deal of concern, fearing his labour among them was in vain, and to no purpose, Ga 4:11, wherefore he entreats them as his brethren to imitate him, who being a Jew, yet had relinquished the observation of the ceremonial law, Ga 4:12, and then he reminds them of their former regard unto him; how that though he preached the Gospel to them through much weakness, yet they did not despise him and reject him on account of his infirmities, but received him with all the tokens of respect imaginable, as if he had been an angel; yea, as if he had been Christ himself, Ga 4:13,14, who then reckoned themselves happy persons on account of the Gospel he preached to them, and then had such an affection for him, that if it had been needful they would have given their eyes unto him; and yet now he was become their enemy for preaching the same truths he did then, justification by faith in Christ's righteousness and the abrogation of the law, Ga 4:15,16, next he gives an account of the false apostles, who pretended a zealous affection for the Galatians; which was not a good one, nor with right views, Ga 4:17, though zeal in a good cause, and which continues, is very commendable, Ga 4:18, and such a constant and hearty attachment had the apostle to them; wherefore he calls them his little children, says he travailed in birth on their account, it being his earnest desire that Christ might appear to be formed in them, Ga 4:19, wherefore since he was in doubt and distress about them, he was very desirous of being with them, and to alter his way of arguing with them; and from the law, and not the Gospel, show them their mistake and folly, Ga 4:20,21, which he does in the following allegorical way, by observing that Abraham had two sons, the one by a servant maid, the other by his lawful wife; the one was after the flesh, the other by promise; which allegorically signified the two covenants of Sinai and of Sion, Ga 4:22-24. Agar the bondmaid represented the covenant made at Mount Sinai in Arabia, under which the carnal Jews and their posterity were in a state of bondage; and Sarah the free woman, the covenant of grace under the Gospel dispensation and the Gospel church state, which is from above, free, fertile, and numerous, Ga 4:25,26, which is confirmed, Ga 4:27, by a passage out of Isa 44:1 and as these two women were typical of the two covenants, so their respective offspring represented the two sorts of professors, legalists and evangelical Christians. True believers in Christ are like Isaac, the children of the promise; legalists are like Ishmael, men after the flesh, and of the same persecuting spirit with him: wherefore as it was then, that carnal Ishmael persecuted spiritual Isaac, so at this time the carnal Jews persecuted the real Christians, Ga 4:28,29 nevertheless for the comfort of the latter, it is observed out of the Scripture that the former shall be cast out, and not be heir with them, Ga 4:30, and the conclusion of the whole is, that the saints under the Gospel dispensation are not in bondage to the law, but are made free by Christ; to which freedom they are called, and in which they should stand, Ga 4:31.