Galatians 4:2

Galatians 4:2. Under guardians (including the tutor or pedagogue) and stewards, who control the person and the property of the minor till he becomes of age, which the Hebrew law fixed at thirteen years and one day, the Roman law at the twenty-fifth year.

Until the day pre-appointed, or day fixed beforehand. A legal term (one word in Greek, prothesmia) signifying the time allowed to elapse before bringing an action, the time fixed by the statute of limitations (Tag der Verjäh-rung); then any pre-appointed time or day; here the time when the office of the guardian terminates.

By the father. Among the Hebrews, Greeks, and Romans, the period of pupilage or nonage was fixed by law, and not dependent upon the arbitrary will of the parent. But this makes no difference in the argument, the divine will being the fountain of all law, and having foreordained from eternity the time of Christ's coming. Paul speaks ‘theologically rather than juridically.' It is not necessary therefore to suppose that he referred to the Keltic custom, which gave the father a more unlimited power over his children.