Galatians 4 Commentary: From Slavery to Sonship
Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.
Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
But when the fulness 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, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
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?
Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all.
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.
Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? 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.
Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?
They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.
But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.
My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,
I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.
Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
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.
Which things are an allegory: 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, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
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.
Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
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 freewoman.
So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
Galatians 4 delves deeper into the core message of freedom in Christ, building upon the arguments presented in chapter 3. Paul passionately pleads with the Galatians, urging them to reject the bondage of legalism and embrace the full inheritance they have as children of God through faith in Jesus. This chapter is a powerful exposition of God's redemptive plan and a personal appeal for the Galatians to remain steadfast in the truth of the gospel.
From Servitude to Sonship (Galatians 4:1-7)
Paul begins with an analogy familiar to his audience, drawing from the Greco-Roman world. He describes a child who is destined to inherit a vast estate but, until the appointed time, is no different from a slave. Though the heir owns everything in principle, he is subject to guardians and managers, lacking true freedom. This illustrates the condition of humanity before Christ. Whether Jew under the law or Gentile under false religion, all were in a form of servitude to "the elements of the world" (Galatians 4:3). These "elements" can refer to the basic principles of religion, or even to demonic forces that hold people in bondage through fear and superstition. Both systems, whether the law misunderstood or paganism, were based on the false notion that we must perform to earn God's acceptance and blessing – a perspective that Paul identifies as the essence of legalism.
However, "when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son" (Galatians 4:4). This was the pivotal moment prophesied in the Old Testament, the time when God's redemptive plan would be fully revealed. Jesus, born of a woman and born under the law, willingly subjected Himself to the very system that held humanity captive. Why? To redeem those who were under the law, to buy them back from their slavery to sin and the law's demands (Galatians 4:5). The Son of God had to become incarnate as a Jew, a member of the Mosaic covenant, so that he could perfectly obey and fulfill the law (Matthew 5:17-18).
Through Christ's sacrifice, believers are adopted into God's family, receiving the full rights and privileges of sons and daughters (Galatians 4:5-7). This adoption is not merely a legal transaction; it is a deeply personal transformation. God sends the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, enabling us to cry out, "Abba! Father!" (Galatians 4:6). "Abba" is an Aramaic term of endearment, expressing a child's intimate and trusting relationship with their father. The Holy Spirit empowers us to relate to God not as a distant, demanding taskmaster, but as a loving and compassionate Father. Our former father, Satan (see Ephesians 2:3), has lost all rights over us, and we have no obligation to obey him or the flesh (see Romans 8:12). We have a brand new family under the stewardship of a new teacher and guide.
A Personal Appeal (Galatians 4:8-20)
Paul shifts from theological exposition to a heartfelt plea, appealing to the Galatians' personal experience and affection for him. He reminds them of their past idolatry, their enslavement to "things that by nature are not gods" (Galatians 4:8). But now, they "have come to know God, or rather to be known by God" (Galatians 4:9). Why would they turn back to the weak and worthless principles that once held them captive? Why return to something that binds you when Christ came to set you free?
He recalls his first visit to Galatia, when he preached the gospel despite a physical ailment (Galatians 4:13-14). Though he suffered from a physical condition and a weakness of the flesh, they did not despise him but embraced him just the same. The Galatians received him with extraordinary kindness, even treating him as if he were an angel of God, or even Christ Jesus Himself (Galatians 4:14). Where is that former enthusiasm? What has happened to the joy they once experienced? (Galatians 4:15). They would have done anything for him (4:15). So, what had happened? Why were they now turning against him and the gospel? He had spoken the truth to them. Why were they now treating him like an enemy? (4:16).
Paul exposes the motives of the Judaizers, the false teachers who were leading the Galatians astray. They are zealously seeking you, but not for good. They want to alienate you from us, that you may be zealous for them (Galatians 4:17). They courted the Galatians, flattering them and seeking to disconnect them from Paul’s ministry. They had disgraceful motives. They were false teachers who didn’t want what was best for the churches; they wanted the Galatian believers to revere and honor them.
In contrast, Paul expresses his deep love and concern for the Galatians, comparing his anguish to the pain of childbirth (Galatians 4:19). He was suffering on their behalf, wanting to deliver them from false doctrine and see them transformed into the image of Christ. He longs to be with them, to reason with them face to face (Galatians 4:20). His confusion, pain, and sorrow for them demonstrate the great love he had for those he brought to Christ. This group was trading the freedom of a relationship of love for the slavery of the law.
The Allegory of Hagar and Sarah (Galatians 4:21-31)
To further illustrate the contrast between law and grace, Paul employs an allegory based on the story of Abraham's two sons, Ishmael and Isaac. It was clear to Paul that many of the Galatians had been deceived and desired to be under the law (4:21). So he wanted to make sure that they understood what the law was all about.
Ishmael, born to the slave woman Hagar, represents the Old Covenant, the law given at Mount Sinai (Galatians 4:22-25). The Jews who remain under this covenant are, like Hagar, slaves—slaves to the law. Such was the earthly Jerusalem. Those who seek to be justified by works of the law are born into bondage.
Isaac, born to the free woman Sarah through God's miraculous promise, represents the New Covenant, the covenant of grace through faith in Christ (Galatians 4:22-26). But the Jerusalem above is free (4:26)—that is, “the new Jerusalem,” which will come “down out of heaven from God” one day (Revelation 21:2). This city corresponds to Sarah, who represents God’s covenant of promise with Abraham, which was fulfilled in Christ and his new covenant sacrifice. Believers in Christ are children of promise, born not of human effort but by the power of the Holy Spirit. The children of this covenant are free children of grace. Paul then quotes from Isaiah 54:1, which likened Israel in Babylonian exile to a childless woman. Just as Israel would be released from captivity and blessed with numerous children (Galatians 4:27), so Sarah—a once barren woman—received a promised son and numerous descendants.
Just as Ishmael persecuted Isaac, those who rely on the law persecute those who live by faith (Galatians 4:29). But God's word is clear: "Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman" (Galatians 4:30; Genesis 21:10). The legalist, who functions under the law, has no inheritance alongside the believer who is under grace. Law and grace cannot co-exist in the same house (or in the same church). Salvation and spiritual development cannot take place when these two are under the same roof.
Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman (Galatians 4:31). Followers of Christ are not to live under the law but to live under grace, responding to the love of God by faith through obedience. This is the freedom that Christ has won for us, a freedom to live as beloved children of God, empowered by the Spirit, and heirs of His eternal kingdom. Paul further explains what this life looks like in chapter 5.
Galatians 4 is a powerful reminder that our acceptance with God is not based on our performance but on His grace, freely offered through Jesus Christ. Embrace your identity as a child of God, walk in the freedom He has given you, and resist any attempt to return to the bondage of legalism.
Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.
Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
But when the fulness 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, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
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?
Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all.
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.
Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? 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.
Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?
They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.
But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.
My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,
I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.
Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
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.
Which things are an allegory: 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, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
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.
Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
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 freewoman.
So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
Galatians 4 delves deeper into the core message of freedom in Christ, building upon the arguments presented in chapter 3. Paul passionately pleads with the Galatians, urging them to reject the bondage of legalism and embrace the full inheritance they have as children of God through faith in Jesus. This chapter is a powerful exposition of God's redemptive plan and a personal appeal for the Galatians to remain steadfast in the truth of the gospel.
From Servitude to Sonship (Galatians 4:1-7)
Paul begins with an analogy familiar to his audience, drawing from the Greco-Roman world. He describes a child who is destined to inherit a vast estate but, until the appointed time, is no different from a slave. Though the heir owns everything in principle, he is subject to guardians and managers, lacking true freedom. This illustrates the condition of humanity before Christ. Whether Jew under the law or Gentile under false religion, all were in a form of servitude to "the elements of the world" (Galatians 4:3). These "elements" can refer to the basic principles of religion, or even to demonic forces that hold people in bondage through fear and superstition. Both systems, whether the law misunderstood or paganism, were based on the false notion that we must perform to earn God's acceptance and blessing – a perspective that Paul identifies as the essence of legalism.
However, "when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son" (Galatians 4:4). This was the pivotal moment prophesied in the Old Testament, the time when God's redemptive plan would be fully revealed. Jesus, born of a woman and born under the law, willingly subjected Himself to the very system that held humanity captive. Why? To redeem those who were under the law, to buy them back from their slavery to sin and the law's demands (Galatians 4:5). The Son of God had to become incarnate as a Jew, a member of the Mosaic covenant, so that he could perfectly obey and fulfill the law (Matthew 5:17-18).
Through Christ's sacrifice, believers are adopted into God's family, receiving the full rights and privileges of sons and daughters (Galatians 4:5-7). This adoption is not merely a legal transaction; it is a deeply personal transformation. God sends the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, enabling us to cry out, "Abba! Father!" (Galatians 4:6). "Abba" is an Aramaic term of endearment, expressing a child's intimate and trusting relationship with their father. The Holy Spirit empowers us to relate to God not as a distant, demanding taskmaster, but as a loving and compassionate Father. Our former father, Satan (see Ephesians 2:3), has lost all rights over us, and we have no obligation to obey him or the flesh (see Romans 8:12). We have a brand new family under the stewardship of a new teacher and guide.
A Personal Appeal (Galatians 4:8-20)
Paul shifts from theological exposition to a heartfelt plea, appealing to the Galatians' personal experience and affection for him. He reminds them of their past idolatry, their enslavement to "things that by nature are not gods" (Galatians 4:8). But now, they "have come to know God, or rather to be known by God" (Galatians 4:9). Why would they turn back to the weak and worthless principles that once held them captive? Why return to something that binds you when Christ came to set you free?
He recalls his first visit to Galatia, when he preached the gospel despite a physical ailment (Galatians 4:13-14). Though he suffered from a physical condition and a weakness of the flesh, they did not despise him but embraced him just the same. The Galatians received him with extraordinary kindness, even treating him as if he were an angel of God, or even Christ Jesus Himself (Galatians 4:14). Where is that former enthusiasm? What has happened to the joy they once experienced? (Galatians 4:15). They would have done anything for him (4:15). So, what had happened? Why were they now turning against him and the gospel? He had spoken the truth to them. Why were they now treating him like an enemy? (4:16).
Paul exposes the motives of the Judaizers, the false teachers who were leading the Galatians astray. They are zealously seeking you, but not for good. They want to alienate you from us, that you may be zealous for them (Galatians 4:17). They courted the Galatians, flattering them and seeking to disconnect them from Paul’s ministry. They had disgraceful motives. They were false teachers who didn’t want what was best for the churches; they wanted the Galatian believers to revere and honor them.
In contrast, Paul expresses his deep love and concern for the Galatians, comparing his anguish to the pain of childbirth (Galatians 4:19). He was suffering on their behalf, wanting to deliver them from false doctrine and see them transformed into the image of Christ. He longs to be with them, to reason with them face to face (Galatians 4:20). His confusion, pain, and sorrow for them demonstrate the great love he had for those he brought to Christ. This group was trading the freedom of a relationship of love for the slavery of the law.
The Allegory of Hagar and Sarah (Galatians 4:21-31)
To further illustrate the contrast between law and grace, Paul employs an allegory based on the story of Abraham's two sons, Ishmael and Isaac. It was clear to Paul that many of the Galatians had been deceived and desired to be under the law (4:21). So he wanted to make sure that they understood what the law was all about.
Ishmael, born to the slave woman Hagar, represents the Old Covenant, the law given at Mount Sinai (Galatians 4:22-25). The Jews who remain under this covenant are, like Hagar, slaves—slaves to the law. Such was the earthly Jerusalem. Those who seek to be justified by works of the law are born into bondage.
Isaac, born to the free woman Sarah through God's miraculous promise, represents the New Covenant, the covenant of grace through faith in Christ (Galatians 4:22-26). But the Jerusalem above is free (4:26)—that is, “the new Jerusalem,” which will come “down out of heaven from God” one day (Revelation 21:2). This city corresponds to Sarah, who represents God’s covenant of promise with Abraham, which was fulfilled in Christ and his new covenant sacrifice. Believers in Christ are children of promise, born not of human effort but by the power of the Holy Spirit. The children of this covenant are free children of grace. Paul then quotes from Isaiah 54:1, which likened Israel in Babylonian exile to a childless woman. Just as Israel would be released from captivity and blessed with numerous children (Galatians 4:27), so Sarah—a once barren woman—received a promised son and numerous descendants.
Just as Ishmael persecuted Isaac, those who rely on the law persecute those who live by faith (Galatians 4:29). But God's word is clear: "Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman" (Galatians 4:30; Genesis 21:10). The legalist, who functions under the law, has no inheritance alongside the believer who is under grace. Law and grace cannot co-exist in the same house (or in the same church). Salvation and spiritual development cannot take place when these two are under the same roof.
Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman (Galatians 4:31). Followers of Christ are not to live under the law but to live under grace, responding to the love of God by faith through obedience. This is the freedom that Christ has won for us, a freedom to live as beloved children of God, empowered by the Spirit, and heirs of His eternal kingdom. Paul further explains what this life looks like in chapter 5.
Galatians 4 is a powerful reminder that our acceptance with God is not based on our performance but on His grace, freely offered through Jesus Christ. Embrace your identity as a child of God, walk in the freedom He has given you, and resist any attempt to return to the bondage of legalism.