Galatians 4:1

λέγω δὲ. Elsewhere in St Paul’s writings only in Galatians 5:16, where, as here, it introduces a sharp contrast; here to heirship (Galatians 3:29) and what it seems to imply; there to a wrong means of success. Contrast τοῦτο δὲ λέγω, Galatians 3:17; ἴδε ἐγὼ Παῦλος λέγω ὑμῖν, Galatians 5:2; and ἀλλὰ λέγω, Romans 10:18.

ἐφʼ ὅσον χρόνον. The full form (Romans 7:1; 1 Corinthians 7:39[113]) lays the greater stress on the duration of the time; contrast Mark 2:19 and also Matthew 9:15.

[113] Is affixed to a word it means that all the passages are mentioned where that word occurs in the New Testament.

ὁ κληρονόμος (generic) νήπιός ἐστιν. If St Paul were writing a legal document νήπιος would doubtless = infans, minor, who in Roman law did not attain his majority till he was twenty-five years old. But it is more natural to suppose that in this letter to the people he uses the term more generally, as it is always used in the N.T., of children in contrast to adults; cf. 1 Corinthians 13:11; Ephesians 4:14; Hebrews 5:13. The Vulgate rightly gives parvulus.

οὐδὲν διαφέρει. Cf. Galatians 2:6; “differs,” 1 Corinthians 15:41; not “is superior,” Matthew 6:26.

δούλον. Wetstein quotes a long and interesting passage from Dio Chrys. XV. p. 240 a, showing the power of fathers over sons, ending ἐφεῖται γὰρ αὐτοῖς�, μήτε ὅλως αἰτιασαμένους, ἀλλʼ ὅμως οὐδὲν μᾶλλον δοῦλοί εἰσι πατέρων, ἀλλὰ νἱεῖς.

κύριος πάντων ὤν. Over all the things given to him by the father. In reality, if the father is regarded as dead; potentially, if as alive. See the following notes.