Galatians 4:1-3 NLT,NIV,ESV

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 4:1

Now I say ( λέγω δέ ). A form of expression usual with the apostle when introducing a new statement designed either to explain or elucidate something before said (of. Galatians 3:17 ; Galatians 5:16 ; Romans 15:8 , according to the Received Text; 1 Corinthians 1:12 . So τοῦτο δέ φημι , 1 Corinthians 7:29 ; 1 Corinthians 15:50 ). It is intended apparently to quicken attention: "Now I wish to say this." In the present case the apostle designs to throw further light... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 4:1-3

The Church of God in its minority. The apostle now passes to a new phase of argument. He has used the similitudes of a testament, a prison, a schoolmaster, to mark the condition of believers under the Law; he now uses the similitude of an heir in his nonage. The Galatians are here taught that the state of men under the Law, so far from being an advanced religious position, was rather low and infantile. Mark— I. THE HEIR 'S POTENTIAL POSITION . He is "lord of all." He is such by... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 4:1-7

Majority through the gospel. Paul, having spoken of the Law-school in the preceding sections, and of the participation of believing Gentiles in the privileges of the Abrahamic family, proceeds in the present section to speak of the times before Christ's advent as infantile, of the advent as the fulness of times, and of the majority which is realized by believers through the gospel. Four leading thoughts are thus presented. I. THE IMPERFECT TIMES . ( Galatians 4:1-3 .) The Old... read more

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 4:2

But is under tutors and governors ( ἀλλὰ ὑπὸ ἐπιτρόπους ἐστὶ καὶ οἰκονόμους ) but is under guardians and stewards. ἐπίτροπος is, in Greek, the proper designation of a minor's guardian; as, for example, is shown by Demosthenes's speeches against Aphobus, who had been his ἐπίτροπος . These speeches also show that the ἐπίτροπος was entrusted with the handling of the property of his ward. Yet, as οἰκονόμος more especially denotes one entrusted with the... 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

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Galatians 4:1

Now I say - He had before said Galatians 3:24-25 that while they were under the Law they were in a state of minority. This sentiment he proceeds further to illustrate by showing the true condition of one who was a minor.That the heir - Any heir to an estate, or one who has a prospect of an inheritance. No matter how great is the estate; no matter how wealthy his father; no matter to how elevated a rank he may be raised on the moment that he enters on his inheritance, yet until that time he is... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Galatians 4:2

But is under - Is subject to their control and direction.Tutors - The word tutor with us properly means instructor. But this is not quite the sense of the original. The word (επίτροπος epitropos); properly means a steward, manager, agent; Matthew 20:8; Luke 8:3. As used here, it refers to one - usually a slave or a freedman - to whose care the boys of a family were committed, who trained them up, accompanied them to school, or sometimes instructed them at home; compare the note at Galatians... 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

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

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 4:1

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 4:1-3

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 4:1-7

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 4:1-11

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 4:2

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 4:3

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Galatians 4:1

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Galatians 4:2

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

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

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