5 To G2443 redeem G1805 them that were under G5259 the law, G3551 that G2443 we might receive G618 the adoption of sons. G5206
Having predestinated G4309 us G2248 unto G1519 the adoption of children G5206 by G1223 Jesus G2424 Christ G5547 to G1519 himself, G846 according G2596 to the good pleasure G2107 of his G846 will, G2307
And G1161 not G3756 only G3440 they, but G235 ourselves G846 also, G2532 which have G2192 the firstfruits G536 of the Spirit, G4151 even G2532 we G2249 ourselves G846 groan G4727 within G1722 ourselves, G1438 waiting G553 for the adoption, G5206 to wit, the redemption G629 of our G2257 body. G4983
But G1161 as many as G3745 received G2983 him, G846 to them G846 gave he G1325 power G1849 to become G1096 the sons G5043 of God, G2316 even to them that believe G4100 on G1519 his G846 name: G3686
In G1722 whom G3739 we have G2192 redemption G629 through G1223 his G846 blood, G129 the forgiveness G859 of sins, G3900 according G2596 to the riches G4149 of his G846 grace; G5485
Forasmuch as ye know G1492 that G3754 ye were G3084 not G3756 redeemed G3084 with corruptible things, G5349 as silver G694 and G2228 gold, G5553 from G1537 your G5216 vain G3152 conversation G391 received by tradition from your fathers; G3970 But G235 with the precious G5093 blood G129 of Christ, G5547 as G5613 of a lamb G286 without blemish G299 and G2532 without spot: G784 Who verily G3303 was foreordained G4267 before G4253 the foundation G2602 of the world, G2889 but G1161 was manifest G5319 in G1909 these last G2078 times G5550 for G1223 you, G5209
And G2532 for this G5124 cause G1223 he is G2076 the mediator G3316 of the new G2537 testament, G1242 that G3704 by means G1096 of death, G2288 for G1519 the redemption G629 of the transgressions G3847 that were under G1909 the first G4413 testament, G1242 they which are called G2564 might receive G2983 the promise G1860 of eternal G166 inheritance. G2817
Neither G3761 by G1223 the blood G129 of goats G5131 and G2532 calves, G3448 but G1161 by G1223 his own G2398 blood G129 he entered in G1525 once G2178 into G1519 the holy place, G39 having obtained G2147 eternal G166 redemption G3085 for us.
Who G3739 being G5607 the brightness G541 of his glory, G1391 and G2532 the express image G5481 of his G846 person, G5287 and G5037 upholding G5342 all things G3956 by the word G4487 of his G846 power, G1411 when he had G4160 G2512 by G1223 himself G1438 purged G4160 G2512 our G2257 sins, G266 sat down G2523 on G1722 the right hand G1188 of the Majesty G3172 on G1722 high; G5308
Who G3739 gave G1325 himself G1438 for G5228 us, G2257 that G2443 he might redeem G3084 us G2248 from G575 all G3956 iniquity, G458 and G2532 purify G2511 unto himself G1438 a peculiar G4041 people, G2992 zealous G2207 of good G2570 works. G2041
Who G3739 hath delivered G4506 us G2248 from G1537 the power G1849 of darkness, G4655 and G2532 hath translated G3179 us into G1519 the kingdom G932 of his G846 dear G26 Son: G5207 In G1722 whom G3739 we have G2192 redemption G629 through G1223 his G846 blood, G129 even the forgiveness G859 of sins: G266 Who G3739 is G2076 the image G1504 of the invisible G517 God, G2316 the firstborn G4416 of every G3956 creature: G2937 For G3754 by G1722 him G846 were G2936 all things G3956 created, G2936 that are in G1722 heaven, G3772 and G2532 that are in G1909 earth, G1093 visible G3707 and G2532 invisible, G517 whether G1535 they be thrones, G2362 or G1535 dominions, G2963 or G1535 principalities, G746 or G1535 powers: G1849 all things G3956 were created G2936 by G1223 him, G846 and G2532 for G1519 him: G846 And G2532 he G846 is G2076 before G4253 all things, G3956 and G2532 by G1722 him G846 all things G3956 consist. G4921 And G2532 he G846 is G2076 the head G2776 of the body, G4983 the church: G1577 who G3739 is G2076 the beginning, G746 the firstborn G4416 from G1537 the dead; G3498 that G2443 in G1722 all G3956 things he G846 might have G1096 the preeminence. G4409 For it pleased G2106 the Father that G3754 in G1722 him G846 should G2730 all G3956 fulness G4138 dwell; G2730 And, G2532 having made peace G1517 through G1223 the blood G129 of his G846 cross, G4716 by G1223 him G846 to reconcile G604 all things G3956 unto G1519 himself; G846 by G1223 him, G846 I say, whether G1535 they be things in G1909 earth, G1093 or G1535 things in G1722 heaven. G3772
Tell G3004 me, G3427 ye that desire G2309 to be G1511 under G5259 the law, G3551 do ye G191 not G3756 hear G191 the law? G3551
Who G3748 are G1526 Israelites; G2475 to whom G3739 pertaineth the adoption, G5206 and G2532 the glory, G1391 and G2532 the covenants, G1242 and G2532 the giving of the law, G3548 and G2532 the service G2999 of God, and G2532 the promises; G1860
For G1063 the earnest expectation G603 of the creature G2937 waiteth G553 for the manifestation G602 of the sons G5207 of God. G2316
Take heed G4337 therefore G3767 unto yourselves, G1438 and G2532 to all G3956 the flock, G4168 over G1722 the which G3739 the Holy G40 Ghost G4151 hath made G5087 you G5209 overseers, G1985 to feed G4165 the church G1577 of God, G2316 which G3739 he hath purchased G4046 with G1223 his own G2398 blood. G129
Blessed G2128 be the Lord G2962 God G2316 of Israel; G2474 for G3754 he hath visited G1980 and G2532 redeemed G3085 his G846 people, G2992 G4160
Even as G5618 the Son G5207 of man G444 came G2064 not G3756 to be ministered unto, G1247 but G235 to minister, G1247 and G2532 to give G1325 his G846 life G5590 a ransom G3083 for G473 many. G4183
And G2532 they sung G103 as it were G5613 a new G2537 song G5603 before G1799 the throne, G2362 and G2532 before G1799 the four G5064 beasts, G2226 and G2532 the elders: G4245 and G2532 no man G3762 could G1410 learn G3129 that song G5603 but G1508 the hundred G1540 and forty G5062 and four G5064 thousand, G5505 which G3588 were redeemed G59 from G575 the earth. G1093
And G2532 they sung G103 a new G2537 song, G5603 saying, G3004 Thou art G1488 worthy G514 to take G2983 the book, G975 and G2532 to open G455 the seals G4973 thereof: G846 for G3754 thou wast slain, G4969 and G2532 hast redeemed G59 us G2248 to God G2316 by G1722 thy G4675 blood G129 out of G1537 every G3956 kindred, G5443 and G2532 tongue, G1100 and G2532 people, G2992 and G2532 nation; G1484
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Galatians 4
Commentary on Galatians 4 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 4
The apostle, in this chapter, is still carrying on the same general design as in the former-to recover these Christians from the impressions made upon them by the judaizing teachers, and to represent their weakness and folly in suffering themselves to be drawn away from the gospel doctrine of justification, and to be deprived of their freedom from the bondage of the law of Moses. For this purpose he makes use of various considerations; such as,
And in all these, as he uses great plainness and faithfulness with them, so he expresses the tenderest concern for them.
Gal 4:1-7
In this chapter the apostle deals plainly with those who hearkened to the judaizing teachers, who cried up the law of Moses in competition with the gospel of Christ, and endeavored to bring them under the bondage of it. To convince them of their folly, and to rectify their mistake herein, in these verses he prosecutes the comparison of a child under age, which he had touched upon in the foregoing chapter, and thence shows what great advantages we have now, under the gospel, above what they had under the law. And here.
Gal 4:8-11
In these verses the apostle puts them in mind of what they were before their conversion to the faith of Christ, and what a blessed change their conversion had made upon them; and thence endeavours to convince them of their great weakness in hearkening to those who would bring them under the bondage of the law of Moses.
Gal 4:12-16
That these Christians might be the more ashamed of their defection from the truth of the gospel which Paul had preached to them, he here reminds them of the great affection they formerly had for him and his ministry, and puts them upon considering how very unsuitable their present behaviour was to what they then professed. And here we may observe,
Gal 4:17-18
The apostle is still carrying on the same design as in the foregoing verse, which was, to convince the Galatians of their sin and folly in departing from the truth of the gospel: having just before been expostulating with them about the change of their behaviour towards him who endeavoured to establish them in it, he here gives them the character of those false teachers who made it their business to draw them away from it, which if they would attend to, they might soon see how little reason they had to hearken to them: whatever opinion they might have of them, he tells them they were designing men, who were aiming to set up themselves, and who, under their specious pretences, were more consulting their own interest than theirs: "They zealously affect you,' says he; "they show a mighty respect for you, and pretend a great deal of affection to you, but not well; they do it not with any good design, they are not sincere and upright in it, for they would exclude you, that you might affect them. That which they are chiefly aiming at is to engage your affections to them; and, in order to this, they are doing all they can to draw off your affections from me and from the truth, that so they may engross you to themselves.' This, he assures them, was their design, and therefore they must needs be very unwise in hearkening to them. Note,
Gal 4:19-20
That the apostle might the better dispose these Christians to bear with him in the reproofs which he was obliged to give them, he here expresses his great affection to them, and the very tender concern he had for their welfare: he was not like them-one thing when among them and another when absent from them. Their disaffection to him had not removed his affection from them; but he still bore the same respect to them which he had formerly done, nor was he like their false teachers, who pretended a great deal of affection to them, when at the same time they were only consulting their own interest; but he had a sincere concern for their truest advantage; he sought not theirs, but them. They were too ready to account him their enemy, but he assures them that he was their friend; nay, not only so, but that he had the bowels of a parent towards them. He calls them his children, as he justly might, since he had been the instrument of their conversion to the Christian faith; yea, he styles them his little children, which, as it denotes a greater degree of tenderness and affection to them, so it may possibly have a respect to their present behaviour, whereby they showed themselves too much like little children, who are easily wrought upon by the arts and insinuations of others. He expresses his concern for them, and earnest desire of their welfare and soul-prosperity, by the pangs of a travailing woman: He travailed in birth for them: and the great thing which he was in so much pain about, and which he was so earnestly desirous of, was not so much that they might affect him as that Christ might be formed in them, that they might become Christians indeed, and be more confirmed and established in the faith of the gospel. From this we may note,
As further evidence of the affection and concern which the apostle had for these Christians, he adds (v. 20) that he desired to be then present with them-that he would be glad of an opportunity of being among them, and conversing with them, and that thereupon he might find occasion to change his voice towards them; for at present he stood in doubt of them. He knew not well what to think of them. He was not so fully acquainted with their state as to know how to accommodate himself to them. He was full of fears and jealousies concerning them, which was the reason of his writing to them in such a manner as he had done; but he would be glad to find that matters were better with them than he feared, and that he might have occasion to commend them, instead of thus reproving and chiding them. Note, Though ministers too often find it necessary to reprove those they have to do with, yet this is no grateful work to them; they had much rather there were no occasion for it, and are always glad when they can see reason to change their voice towards them.
Gal 4:21-31
In these verses the apostle illustrates the difference between believers who rested in Christ only and those judaizers who trusted in the law, by a comparison taken from the story of Isaac and Ishmael. This he introduces in such a manner as was proper to strike and impress their minds, and to convince them of their great weakness in departing from the truth, and suffering themselves to be deprived of the liberty of the gospel: Tell me, says he, you that desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? He takes it for granted that they did hear the law, for among the Jews it was wont to be read in their public assemblies every sabbath day; and, since they were so very fond of being under it, he would have them duly to consider what is written therein (referring to what is recorded Gen. 16 and 21), for, if they would do this, they might soon see how little reason they had to trust in it. And here,