Galatians 4

Chapter 4

4:3  Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:

world

kosmos = mankind. (See Scofield "Matthew 4:8")

4:19  My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,

little children

The allegory Galatians 4:22-31 is addressed to justified but immature believers (cf) 1 Corinthians 3:1 1 Corinthians 3:2 who, under the influence of legalistic teachers, "desire to be under the law," and has, therefore, no application to a sinner seeking justification. It raises and answers, for the fifth time in this Epistle, the question, Is the believer under the law? ; Galatians 2:19-21 ; Galatians 3:1-33:25 Galatians 3:26 ; 4:4-6 4:9-31 .

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.

Agar

Hagar.

4:25  For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.

Agar

Hagar.