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Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 4:1-11

Majority and minority. I. THE CHILD COMING TO HIS MAJORITY . Analogy. "But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a bond-servant, though he is lord of all; but is under guardians and stewards until the term appointed of the father." At the close of the preceding chapter Christians were described as Abraham's seed, heirs according to promise. It is with regard to this that the apostle now makes use of an analogy. It is a very simple and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 4:3

Even so we ( οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς ); so we also. This "we" represents the same persons as before in Galatians 3:13 , Galatians 3:24 , Galatians 3:25 (see notes), namely, the people of God; a society preserving a continuous identity through successive stages of development, till now appearing as the Church of Christ. The plural pronoun recites, not individuals, but the community viewed as a whole, having the now subsisting "us" as its present representatives. Individually,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 4:4

But when the fulness of the time was come ( ὅτε δὲ ἦλθε τὸ πλήρωμα τοῦ χρόνου ); but when the completion of the term (Greek, time ) came. " The completion of the term" is the notion answering to "the time appointed of the father" in Galatians 4:2 . The "time" ( χρόνος ) here most probably corresponds to the period terminated by the προθεσμία : that is, it is the interval which God ordained should first elapse. So Acts 7:23 , ὡς δὲ ἐπληροῦτο αὐτῷ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 4:4-5

The fulness of time with its blessings. This corresponds with "the time appointed of the father." The nonage of the Church was past. The world had arrived at mature age. A new dispensation was at hand. I. THE FITNESS OF THE TIME . The new dispensation was no abrupt phenomenon, for it came at the fittest time in the world's history. 1 . When all the prophecies of the Old Testament centred in Jesus Christ. When the whole economy of type had done its work in preparing a... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 4:4-5

The advent in redemption. We naturally ask the question which forms the title to Anselm's famous book, 'Cur Deus Homo?' Why could not God effect his gracious purposes without the incarnation of his Son? The verses before us throw light on this question. Galatians 4:4 indicates the two leading points of the humiliation of our Lord—the personal and the moral. Galatians 4:5 shows the object of these respectively. "The Son of God was born a man, that in him all men might become sons of... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Galatians 4:3

Even so we - We who were Jews - for so I think the word here is to be limited, and not extended to the pagan, as Bloomfield supposes. The reasons for limiting it are:That the pagans in no sense sustained such a relation to the Law and promises of Gad as is here supposed; Such an interpretation would not be pertinent to the design of Paul. He is stating reasons why there should not be subjection to the laws of Moses, and his argument is, that that condition was like that of bondage or minorship.... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Galatians 4:4

But when the fulness of the time was come - The full time appointed by the Father; the completion (filling up, πλήρωμα plērōma,) of the designated period for the coming of the Messiah; see the Isaiah 49:7-8 notes; 2 Corinthians 6:2 note. The sense is, that the time which had been predicted, and when it was proper that he should come, was complete. The exact period had arrived when all things were ready for his coming. It is often asked why he did not come sooner, and why mankind did not have... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Galatians 4:1-3

Galatians 4:1-3. The apostle, having established the consolatory doctrine that believers, in every age and country of the world, are heirs of the promises made to Abraham and to his seed, goes on in this chapter to answer an inquiry which he knew would naturally occur to his readers, but which, according to his manner, he does not formally state; namely, Since all believers, from the beginning, were heirs of the promises, as well as of the things promised, why were they not put in possession... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Galatians 4:4-7

Galatians 4:4-7. But when the fulness of time Appointed by the Father, (Galatians 4:2,) and marked out by the predictions of the prophets for the accomplishment of this great event; was come And we were arrived at the age proper for our entering on our adult state, and being put in possession of the promises, by the introduction of the gospel dispensation; God sent forth From heaven into our world; his Son Miraculously made, or rather, born, as the word γενομενον may, with equal... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Galatians 4:1-7

The law’s purpose illustrated (3:23-4:7)Jews under the law were like children under the control of a guardian, but this was only in anticipation of the coming of Christ. When he came, those who trusted in him were forgiven the sins they had committed against the law and were put right with God. Instead of being like children under a guardian, they now enjoyed the freedom of full-grown mature sons of God (23-26). Since the coming of Christ, all believers are united in him and are God’s children,... read more

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