Galatians 4:1-7

Galatians 4:1-7

-          V. 1-2

o   While the child may have de jure ownership of his father’s estate, he or she does not have de facto control over it until they reach maturity, a set time fixed or decided upon by the father

o   Distinction could be that the guardian looked after the person, while the trustee or manager looked after the estate

-          V. 3

o   Could this mean universal sin and universal death?

o   Could the law be an element of this world, just as air, earth, fire, and water are, and if so, is the implication that the Jews worshipped the law just as the Gentiles deified and worshiped the air, earth, fire, and water?

o   Elements of the universe probably refer to universal rules, especially as embodied in the Mosaic Law

-          V. 4

o   The time when God went His Son is analogous to that time fixed by a father when a child would reach maturity, and gain control of and access to an estate.

o   Paul emphasizes Christ’s relation to us in His being born of a woman, and His being under the law

-          V. 5

o   “The receiving adoption as sons” is contingent on the “redeeming those under the law”

o   Could Roman adoption customs, especially as demonstrated in the lives of the Roman emperors, be in view here?  Could Paul be taking an example from Roman history to demonstrate God’s adoption of us?

-          V. 6

o   The Spirit verifies our adoption

o   Cf. Mark 14:36 where Jesus addresses God as “Abba”

§  The fact that the Aramaic form is preserved and enshrined in this verse indicates that this phrase had special meaning to the early Christians, especially given what its usage implied

§  The voice of Jesus is on the lips of the church

§  Jesus cried out in agony.  What is the implication for us since it says that our hearts cry out?

o   “God bestows on us not only the status of sons [through the sending of his Son] but also the character and knowledge of sons [through the sending of the Spirit].  And he bestows on us the character and knowledge of sons because we are already in the status of sons. “ – H. Schlier

-          V. 7

o   Jesus makes us Sons, while also freeing us from slavery