Lesson
35 August 28, 2002
Galatians Chapter
4
4:1-7 From a slave to a son
Intro:
4:1-2 An heir yet a minor child; an illustration from family life familiar at
the time.
Now I say, as long as the heir is
a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of
everything,
4:2 but (avlla. contrast is
between having a vast inheritance) he
is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father.
Summary 4:1-2
1. When the child was a minor in the eyes of the
law--it is this word that Paul actually uses--his status was no different from
that of a slave, even though he was the future owner of a vast estate.
2. Positionally he was like a slave, in that
he could make no decisions; he had no
freedom.
3. Functionally in his life he was under the
daily guardianship and protective care of his managers.
4. On the other hand, at the time set by his
father the child entered into his inheritance with its responsibility and
freedom.
5. The application of the illustration is
obvious as Paul applies it to the inferior condition of a person under law,
both a "minor" and a "slave," and to the new freedom and
responsibility that come to him in Christ.
4:3-7 The Spiritual
application of the illustration explained
4:3 Their past condition
4:4-6 Their present status as adult sons
4:7 Conclusion
4:3 So
also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental
things of the world.
under the elemental things of the
world.
Would
take this here to refer to their pre-salvation system of belief whether Jew or
Gentile.
Summary 4:3
1. Paul uses the term children here (napios) to refer to
individuals before the Cross, the Faith coming on the scene.
2. They were under the curse of the Law and were
enslaved to their elemental beliefs.
3. The
statutes, the commandments of the Law were designed to teach them authority
orientation, responsibility in its role as guardian and stewards/messengers.
4. By the
application this also describes the individual's pre-salvation state enslaved to the OSN with
its trends toward human good and its lust patterns.
4:4-6 Their
present status as adult sons
4:4 First a timing marker
But when the fullness of the time
came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law,
What God did!
God sent forth His Son
born of a woman born
under the Law,