Galatians 4:1

1 But now to continue - the son who will receive his father's property is treated just like a slave while he is young, even though he really owns everything.

Galatians 4:1 Meaning and Commentary

Galatians 4:1

Now I say
To illustrate what he had said of the law's being a schoolmaster to the Jews until the coming of Christ, and then ceasing as such, he proposes the case of an heir during his minority, till he come to the proper time of enjoying his estate.

that the heir, as long as he is a child;
anyone that is an heir to his father's estate, or another's, whilst under age, being reckoned as a child, as he is from his infancy to his manhood,

differeth nothing from a servant:
he is not his own man, nor at his own dispose; he cannot do as he pleases; he is under restraint; he is kept to school or to business, and is liable to correction and chastisement according as he behaves; nor can he have the free use of his father's estate,

though he be Lord of all,
of all the servants, according to the Arabic version; or of the whole estate his father left him, of which he is Lord in right, but not in possession; he is right heir to it, though as yet it is not in his hands, nor can he do with it as he will.

Galatians 4:1 In-Context

1 But now to continue - the son who will receive his father's property is treated just like a slave while he is young, even though he really owns everything.

2 While he is young, there are men who take care of him and manage his affairs until the time set by his father.

3 In the same way, we too were slaves of the ruling spirits of the universe before we reached spiritual maturity.

4 But when the right time finally came, God sent his own Son. He came as the son of a human mother and lived under the Jewish Law,

5 to redeem those who were under the Law, so that we might become God's children.