Galatians 4:1

Syriac Peshitta (NT Only)

ܐܳܡܰܪ ܐ݈ܢܳܐ ܕ݁ܶܝܢ ܕ݁ܰܟ݂ܡܳܐ ܙܰܒ݂ܢܳܐ ܕ݁ܝܳܪܬ݁ܳܐ ܛܠܶܐ ܠܳܐ ܦ݁ܪܺܝܫ ܡܶܢ ܥܰܒ݂ܕ݁ܶܐ ܟ݁ܰܕ݂ ܡܳܪܶܐ ܗ݈ܽܘ ܕ݁ܟ݂ܽܠܗܽܘܢ ܀

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

That: Galatians 4:23, Galatians 4:29, Genesis 24:2, Genesis 24:3, 2 Kings 10:1, 2 Kings 10:2, 2 Kings 11:12, 2 Kings 12:2

Reciprocal: Acts 15:10 - which 1 Corinthians 13:11 - I spake Galatians 3:19 - till Galatians 3:23 - faith came Galatians 3:25 - we Galatians 4:7 - thou Colossians 2:14 - the handwriting Hebrews 9:26 - in

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Now I say,.... To illustrate what he had said of the law's being a schoolmaster to the Jews until the coming of Christ, and then ceasing as such, he proposes the case of an heir during his minority, till he come to the proper time of enjoying his estate.

that the heir, as long as he is a child; anyone that is an heir to his father's estate, or another's, whilst under age, being reckoned as a child, as he is from his infancy to his manhood,

differeth nothing from a servant: he is not his own man, nor at his own dispose; he cannot do as he pleases; he is under restraint; he is kept to school or to business, and is liable to correction and chastisement according as he behaves; nor can he have the free use of his father's estate,

though he be Lord of all, of all the servants, according to the Arabic version; or of the whole estate his father left him, of which he is Lord in right, but not in possession; he is right heir to it, though as yet it is not in his hands, nor can he do with it as he will.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Now I say - He had before said Galatians 3:24-25 that while they were under the Law they were in a state of minority. This sentiment he proceeds further to illustrate by showing the true condition of one who was a minor.

That the heir - Any heir to an estate, or one who has a prospect of an inheritance. No matter how great is the estate; no matter how wealthy his father; no matter to how elevated a rank he may be raised on the moment that he enters on his inheritance, yet until that time he is in the condition of a servant.

As long as he is a child - Until he arrives at the age. The word rendered “child” (νήπιοι nēpioi) properly means an infant; literally, “one not speaking” (νη nē insep. un, ἔπος epos), and hence, a child or babe, but without any definite limitation - Robinson. It is used as the word “infant” is with us in law, to denote “a minor.”

Differeth nothing from a servant - That is, he has no more control of his property; he has it not at his command. This does not mean that he does not differ in any respect, but only that in the matter under consideration he does not differ. He differs in his prospects of inheriting the property, and in the affections of the father, and usually in the advantages of education, and in the respect and attention shown him. but in regard to property, he does not differ, and he is like a servant, under the control and direction of others.

Though he be lord of all - That is, in prospect. He has a prospective right to all the property, which no one else has. The word “lord” here (κύριος kurios), is used in the same sense in which it is often in the Scriptures, to denote master or owner. The idea which this is designed to illustrate is, that the condition of the Jews before the coming of the Messiah was inferior in many respects to what the condition of the friends of God would be under him - as inferior as the condition of an heir was before he was of age, to what it would be when he should enter on his inheritance. The Jews claimed, indeed, that they were the children or the sons of God, a title which the apostle would not withhold from the pious part of the nation; but it was a condition in which they had not entered on the full inheritance, and which was far inferior to that of those who had embraced the Messiah, and who were admitted to the full privileges of sonship. They were indeed heirs. They were interested in the promises. But still they were in a condition of comparative servitude, and could be made free only by the gospel.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER IV.

The apostle shows that, as an heir in nonage is under tutors

and guardians, so were the Galatians while under the law; and,

as the heir when he comes of age is no longer under guardians,

so they, when the Gospel came, arrived at full maturity, and

were redeemed from the law, 1-3.

He shows, farther, that when the fulness of the time came God

sent forth his Son, that we might obtain the adoption of sons,

and have the strongest evidence of that adoption, 4-6.

Those who are children of God are heirs of heaven, 7.

He compares their former and latter state, and shows the reason

he had to fear that his labour on their behalf was in vain,

8-11.

He mentions his trials among them, and their kindness to him,

12-16.

Shows his tender affection for them, and exhorts them to return

to the Gospel, 17-20.

Shows the excellence of the Gospel beyond that of the law, by

the allegory of Mount Sinai and Jerusalem, 21-27.

Shows also that the believing Gentiles are children of the

promise, as Isaac was; and have been elected in the place of

the Jews, who have been cast out according to the Scriptures,

28-31.

NOTES ON CHAP. IV.

Verse Galatians 4:1. The heir, as long as He is a child — Though he be appointed by his father's will heir of all his possessions yet till he arrive at the legal age he is master of nothing, and does not differ from one of the common domestics.