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Galatians 4

Galatians 4:3

_ VERSE 3. EVEN SO WE, WHEN WE WERE CHILDREN, WERE IN BONDAGE UNDER THE ELEMENTS OF THE WORLD._ VERSE 3. Under the elements of the world. The Law of Moses deals with mundane matters. It holds the mirror to the evil which is in the world. By revealing the evil that is in us it creates a longing in... [ Continue Reading ]

Galatians 4:4

_VERSES 4, 5. BUT WHEN THE FULLNESS OF THE TIME WAS COME, GOD SENT FORTH HIS SON, MADE OF A WOMAN, MADE UNDER THE LAW, TO REDEEM THEM THAT WERE UNDER THE LAW._ This passage furthermore declares that Christ's purpose in coming was the abolition of the Law, not with the intention of laying down new l... [ Continue Reading ]

Galatians 4:5

_VERSE 5. THAT WE MIGHT RECEIVE THE ADOPTION OF SONS._ Paul still has for his text Genesis 22:18, "In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." In the course of his Epistle he calls this promise of the blessing righteousness, life, deliverance from the Law, the testament, etc. Now he... [ Continue Reading ]

Galatians 4:6

_ VERSE 6. AND BECAUSE YE ARE SONS, GOD HATH SENT FORTH THE SPIRIT OF HIS SON INTO YOUR HEARTS._ In the early Church the Holy Spirit was sent forth in visible form. He descended upon Christ in the form of a dove (Matthew 3:16), and in the likeness of fire upon the apostles and other believers. (Acts... [ Continue Reading ]

Galatians 4:7

_ VERSE 7. WHEREFORE THOU ART NO MORE A SERVANT, BUT A SON._ VERSE 7. And if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. VERSE 7. Through Christ.... [ Continue Reading ]

Galatians 4:8

_VERSES 8, 9. HOWBEIT THEN, WHEN YE KNEW NOT GOD, YE DID SERVICE UNTO THEM WHICH BY NATURE ARE NO GODS. BUT NOW, AFTER THAT YE HAVE KNOWN GOD, OR RATHER ARE KNOWN OF GOD, HOW TURN YE AGAIN TO THE WEAK AND BEGGARLY ELEMENTS, WHEREUNTO YE DESIRE AGAIN TO BE IN BONDAGE?_ God will and can be known in n... [ Continue Reading ]

Galatians 4:9

_ VERSE 9. BUT NOW, AFTER THAT YE HAVE KNOWN GOD._ VERSE 9. Or rather are known of God. The Apostle turns the foregoing sentence around. He fears the Galatians have lost God altogether. "Alas," he cries, "have you come to this, that you no longer know God? What else am I to think? Nevertheless, God... [ Continue Reading ]

Galatians 4:12

_VERSE 12. BE AS I AM; FOR I AM AS YE ARE._ VERSE 12. Be as I am; for I am as ye are. We request the same consideration for ourselves. Our way of writing is incisive and straightforward. But there is no bitterness in our heart. We seek the honor of Christ and the welfare of men. We do not hate the... [ Continue Reading ]

Galatians 4:13

_VERSES 13, 14. YE KNOW HOW THROUGH INFIRMITY OF THE FLESH I PREACHED THE GOSPEL UNTO YOU AT THE FIRST. AND MY TEMPTATION WHICH WAS IN MY FLESH YE DESPISED NOT, NOR REJECTED; BUT RECEIVED ME AS AN ANGEL OF GOD, EVEN AS CHRIST JESUS._ When Paul speaks of the infirmity of his flesh he does not mean so... [ Continue Reading ]

Galatians 4:15

_VERSE 15. WHERE IS THEN THE BLESSEDNESS YE SPAKE OF?_ VERSE 15. For I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.... [ Continue Reading ]

Galatians 4:17

_VERSE 17. THEY ZEALOUSLY AFFECT YOU, BUT NOT WELL._ Paul takes the false apostles to task for their flattery. Satan's satellites softsoap the people. Paul calls it "by good words and fair speeches to deceive the hearts of the simple." (Romans 16:18.) _ VERSE 17. YEA, THEY WOULD EXCLUDE YOU, THAT... [ Continue Reading ]

Galatians 4:19

_ VERSE 19. MY LITTLE CHILDREN, OF WHOM I TRAVAIL IN BIRTH AGAIN UNTIL CHRIST BE FORMED IN YOU._ With every single word the Apostle seeks to regain the confidence of the Galatians. He now calls them lovingly his little children. He adds the simile: "Of whom I travail in birth again." As parents repr... [ Continue Reading ]

Galatians 4:22

_VERSES 22, 23. FOR IT IS WRITTEN, THAT ABRAHAM HAD TWO SONS, THE ONE BY A BONDMAID, THE OTHER BY A FREEWOMAN. BUT HE WHO WAS OF THE BONDWOMAN WAS BORN AFTER THE FLESH; BUT HE OF THE FREEWOMAN WAS BY PROMISE._... [ Continue Reading ]

Galatians 4:24

_VERSE 24. WHICH THINGS ARE AN ALLEGORY._ VERSES 24, 25. For these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia.... [ Continue Reading ]

Galatians 4:26

_ VERSE 26. BUT JERUSALEM WHICH IS ABOVE IS FREE, WHICH IS THE MOTHER OF US ALL._ Do not mistake this one word "above" to refer to the triumphant Church in heaven, but to the militant Church on earth. In Philippians 3:20, the Apostle uses the phrase: "Our conversation is in heaven," not locally in... [ Continue Reading ]

Galatians 4:27

_VERSE 27. FOR IT IS WRITTEN, REJOICE, THOU BARREN THAT BEAREST NOT; BREAK FORTH AND CRY, THOU THAT TRAVAILEST NOT: FOR THE DESOLATE HATH MANY MORE CHILDREN THAN SHE WHICH HATH AN HUSBAND._ Paul quotes the allegorical prophecy of Isaiah to the effect that the mother of many children must die desola... [ Continue Reading ]

Galatians 4:28

_VERSE 28. NOW WE, BRETHREN, AS ISAAC WAS, ARE THE CHILDREN OF PROMISE._ The Jews claimed to be the children of God because they were the children of Abraham. Jesus answered them, John 8:39-40, "If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that... [ Continue Reading ]

Galatians 4:29

_VERSE 29. BUT AS THAT HE THAT WAS BORN AFTER THE FLESH PERSECUTED HIM THAT WAS BORN AFTER THE SPIRIT, EVEN SO IT IS NOW._ Our opponents blame our doctrine for the present turmoil. But ours is a doctrine of grace and peace. It does not stir up trouble. Trouble starts when the people, the nations an... [ Continue Reading ]

Galatians 4:30

_VERSE 30. NEVERTHELESS WHAT SAITH THE SCRIPTURE? CAST OUT THE BONDWOMAN AND HER SON: FOR THE SON OF THE BONDWOMAN SHALL NOT BE HEIR WITH THE SON OF THE FREE WOMAN._ Sarah's demand that the bondwoman and her son be cast out of the house was undoubtedly a blow to Abraham. He felt sorry for his son I... [ Continue Reading ]

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Old Testament