seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Galatians 4:1 What I am saying is that as long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. 2 The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. 3 So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces[a] of the world. 4 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.[b] 6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba,[c] Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.
8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. 9 But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces[d]? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? 10 You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! 11 I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.
12 I plead with you, brothers and sisters, become like me, for I became like you. You did me no wrong. 13 As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you, 14 and even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself. 15 Where, then, is your blessing of me now? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. 16 Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?
17 Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may have zeal for them. 18 It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always, not just when I am with you. 19 My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, 20 how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you!
21 Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. 23 His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise.
24 These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. 27 For it is written:
“Be glad, barren woman,
you who never bore a child;
shout for joy and cry aloud,
you who were never in labor;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
than of her who has a husband.”[e]
you who never bore a child;
shout for joy and cry aloud,
you who were never in labor;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
than of her who has a husband.”[e]
28 Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29 At that time the son born according to the flesh persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. 30 But what does Scripture say? “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.”[f] 31 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.
a. Galatians 4:3 Or under the basic principles
b. Galatians 4:5 The Greek word for adoption to sonship is a legal term referring to the full legal standing of an adopted male heir in Roman culture.
c. Galatians 4:6 Aramaic for Father
d. Galatians 4:9 Or principles
e. Galatians 4:27 Isaiah 54:1
f. Galatians 4:30 Gen. 21:10
Heavy chapter this morning..... So I went to the easy English site.
Each society has a time for a young boy to become a man. In Paul’s days, it was a very important event. As soon as a boy became a man, he had full legal rights. Until that time, other people had to manage a child’s personal and business affairs. Young children could not own property, even if their father gave it to them. Young children had no rights. Slaves could not own property either. Slaves had no rights. So young children and slaves were in the same situation. In Jewish society, a boy became a man soon after he was 12 years of age. In Greek society, a boy became a man at about 18 years of age. In Roman society, the child’s father decided when the child was ready to be an adult. So Paul was probably using Roman society as a model in this verse.
This verse ends a long section that Paul started in 3:1. He showed clearly why the false teachers were wrong. The Christians in Galatia were no longer slaves. They were part of God’s family. They did not have to obey the rules and traditions of any religion. They were receiving the good things that God promised to Abraham. They received these good things because they trusted Jesus Christ.
God knew us before we were born (Psalm 139:13-15). We love God because he loved us first (1 John 4:19). It is very important that we understand this. God chooses us because he loves us. He does not choose us because of our efforts. The Christians in Galatia thought that their efforts would make them into better Christians. That is what the false teachers taught them. The ‘weak and poor principles’ refers to their old ways. They had left the old laws of their religions. Jesus Christ had freed them. So Paul could not understand why they wanted to leave this freedom. They belonged to God’s family. But they were turning away from God because they wanted to obey rules and traditions again.
Now that we are Christians, we have a special relationship with God. We know God as our father. And God knows us as his sons and daughters.
The people had been happy when Paul preached to them. They were happy that Paul was with them. They wanted to help him in any way that they could. They wanted to help him to become well in his body. Some people think that Paul’s illness affected his eyes. But Paul probably used a special form of words that we call an ‘idiom’. An idiom is a special phrase. It does not mean what the words say. But it could emphasise what someone means. Paul wrote, ‘You even would have taken out your eyes and you would have given them to me.’ This may not mean that they wanted to make Paul’s eyes better. It just emphasised how much the Christians in Galatia cared about Paul. And it showed how generous they were.
Paul wanted to explain again the difference between the law and freedom. He compared it to Hagar and Sarah. He used the principle rather than all the details.
Ishmael’s sons and their families lived in the region called Arabia (Genesis 26:18). Mount Sinai is in Arabia. Moses had to climb up Mount Sinai to receive God’s laws. But the people who obeyed the law were slaves to the law. Hagar was a slave. When a slave has children, they are slaves too. A slave can never have children that are free. In a similar way, the people who received the law could never be free.
Jerusalem was the capital city of the Jewish nation. So in verse 25, Jerusalem refers to all the Jews. They are slaves because of the Jewish law. They wanted God to approve of them. They always tried to please God by their own effort. So they remained as slaves. They could not become God’s true children.
People who try to obey the law may belong to Abraham’s natural family. Ishmael too belonged to Abraham’s natural family. But Ishmael was not the child that God promised to Abraham. And so, nobody who tries to please God by his own effort is a real child of God.
I don't want to do this this morning. The problem is... if I didn't do it... I would feel like I was letting myself down. So... here I go again.... an old woman with an online Bible and some online commentary..... posting my opinions like they make a difference..... lol.
Paul talked about Sarah and Hagar. These two moms are the real origin of the descendants of Jacob [Israel] and the Gentiles. Sarah was married to Abraham but she just could not get pregnant. Hagar was her slave. When Sarah couldn't get pregnant... it was starting to affect how people looked toward Abraham. A man who couldn't get his wife pregnant was considered useless. Also... a man needed sons so that they could help him with the crops and the flocks. Families were big because a lot of workers were needed. So.... in order to save Abraham's stature.... Sarah told him to sleep with her slave..... Sarah wasn't waiting on God... she figured that might be what God wanted..... [made up her own rule instead of waiting on God]. Then, of course, after Hagar got pregnant.... Sarah got pregnant as well.... and Sarah had to get rid of Hagar's bastard kid.... so he wouldn't take her son's inheritance. Awful story... they threw Hagar and her son out!!! Now Hagar complained to God about it... and God promised that He would watch after them. So... Jesus taught the Gentiles too.... and Gentiles can see Heaven too. Isaac's family was no longer the teacher's pet.... God loved the Gentile kids too.
Kids are going back to school all across the nation as I write this. They go back to school every year.... that's not the big deal... the pandemic is what makes this an unusual trip back to school. The kids want to go back. They are tired of being at home. The moms want the kids to go back to school. They are tired of being housewives..... and many of them want to get back to work. Fathers want kids to go back to school.... so they can work a full day... and mom's check would be a welcome sight too. Problem is..... in most cases a percentage of those kids and their teachers.... are going to get the virus that is ravaging the globe.. One child will die while others will not even get the sniffles. And how are they going to decide which child will die?
I know what it's like to worry about a child. Sometimes when a child is in danger... it's all a parent can think about. That worry keeps us from eating, sleeping, or working. It's all encompassing. My daughter works on the COVID ward... and she will have to take care of some of those children who are going back to school.... and I know it is going to devastate her.
Why are the kids going back to school..... because society has to get on with life. It's cruel but true...
What's all this got to do with Galatians 4? Some people were stuck back then.... if they weren't a Jew they couldn't worship in the Temple. The Jews had specific laws about the food they ate... the days they could work... the type of work they could do... the contracts they could enter.... there's even a law that says how long a person can make a contract for..... it was all laid out for them..... the Jews had the law to keep them from killing each other.
Paul says that as long as the Jews continue to live by those set laws.... they aren't fee to follow God's will. They couldn't pick a grain of wheat off a plant on a certain day. Kids had to go back to school because the law says rent has to be paid. Kids had to go back to school because the law says rent has to be collected. Kids had to go back to school because parents are slaves.
Wait... not all kids have to go back to school. Moms and Dads can keep their kids home. They can do their studies on-line and they can time their studies around the schedules of their parents. If Dad goes to work... Mom can teach.... if Mom goes to work... Dad can teach..... it's freedom... and it's safe.... and it's easier on the heart... kids are safe... parents can sleep, eat, and work.
There were some people in the church at Galatia who would have forced the schools to open on time... in full face to face attendance. They are the same people who would have demanded that the Gentiles [Hargar's kids] had to get circumcised just like Jews [Sarah's kids]. The law says they have to go to school and they have to follow the rules... after all... the schools employ a lot of people who need to pay their own rent.... and parents have to get back to work to pay the rent or collect the rent. It's the LAW.
Paul said... wait.... we don't have to do what they have demanded.... we are free to choose.... our kids can stay home.... we are not concerned with their law.... we will work it out. Paul said.... we are Christians.... we were Jews and Gentiles.... Sarah's kids and Hagar's kids.... but now we are all God's kids. We have new rules.... we are to love God with all of our hearts, minds, and souls..... and we are to love one another. Good rules right?
Those people back in Galatia wanted to keep the family busted up.... Sarah's kids and Hagar's kids.... but Paul says "we're all in this together".... interesting times... right?
Hagar's kids and Sarah's kids always were from the same family.
