Commentary on Galatians 4.1–4.31

“Now I say that as long as the heir is a child, he differs in nothing from a slave, though he is lord of all; but he is under guardians and stewards until the time fixed beforehand by the father.” It is true that the fathers ordained the law and determined to what age one growing up ought to be subject; so that as long as he is a child he cannot use his freedom, nor rule as heir; but he is almost like slaves in his condition under guardians or stewards. By this example he proves that those who were under the law were children as regards merit, and did not have freedom, because they were subjected under the condition of the law because of sin.

“So we too, when we were children, were subject under the elements of this world.” By 'elements' he means new moons and the sabbath; for new moons are the lunar days which the Jews observe, and the sabbath the day of rest. Before the promise came, then, that is, before the gift of God's grace, cleansing, justified believers, as imperfect and children through the law of God, we were subject to fellow servants as to tutors; for our freedom was liable because of sin. Yet the Jews hoped for nothing from the elements, as the pagans did, but venerated God the Creator in the creature. “But when the fullness of time came, God sent his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive the adoption of sons.” The fullness of time is the completed time which had been fixed beforehand by God the Father, when he would send his Son, so that, made from the Virgin, he might be born as man, subjecting himself to the law until the time of baptism; so as to give a pattern of how sinners, washed and rescued from the yoke of the law by God's condescension, might be adopted as his sons, as he had promised to those redeemed by the blood of his Son. But it was necessary for the Saviour to be made under the law, as a son of Abraham according to the flesh; so that, circumcised, he might appear to be the one promised to Abraham, who would come to justify the gentiles by faith, having the sign of him to whom he had been promised. Therefore no one ought to be circumcised further; because the sign ran just until the one came who had been promised to restore the faith in which Abraham was justified in uncircumcision, so that believers have no need of circumcision. Abraham was circumcised because he believed he would have a son in whom all nations would be blessed. Therefore the sign ran until the one who had been promised should come. But if they believed what Abraham believed, circumcision would not have stood; lest perhaps it be objected: if Abraham believed and was circumcised, why are believers not circumcised?

“And because you are sons of God, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying: Abba, Father.” He began with those to whom he writes, saying, “And because you are sons of God”; and adds the Jews, when he says, “God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts.” For when he called the gentiles, who formerly had been enemies, sons of God by believing in Christ, there was no doubt that believing Jews were called sons of God, who are known long since to have been named by this name. For they had received the name of God as an image, so that it might afterwards be confirmed through Christ; for without the Spirit it was not full. This is what he also says to the Romans: “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are sons of God” (Rom 8:16). For, so that we might be proved to have been adopted by God as sons, he gave us his Spirit, who shows the sign of the Father toward the sons; so that, since we would not dare to say this in our weakness and unworthiness, he prompts us so that we dare to say: Abba, that is, Father. Indeed it was not long since granted to the Jews to say this.

“So he is no longer a slave, but a son.” He is not a slave, because he has been taken away from the power of the law, made a partner in the blessing of God's own Son. “And if a son, also an heir through God.” There is no doubt that someone adopts a son for himself in order to leave him as heir. But an inheritance comes from someone's death: why, then, are mortals called heirs of him who always lives? But Scripture speaks in our manner, so that we can understand; for to show that the Father will give the sons of his goods, it calls what he will give an inheritance.

“But then, not knowing God, you served those who by nature are not gods.” Since they formerly sinned through ignorance by serving idols, he indicates that it was easily pardonable for them, as Abimelech says to God in Genesis: “Lord, will you destroy a nation that is ignorant?” (Gen 20:4).

“But now, knowing God, or rather being known by God, how do you turn back again to the weak and needy elements, which you want to serve anew?” He marks their grave offence, because after knowing God they had begun to follow what belongs to the pagans. And he adds more: that they did not know God, but were rather known by God. For when they were not seeking God, he called them to his grace; and these, ungrateful, had begun to turn to the things they worshipped when they did not know God: so as to venerate the weak and needy elements, and not Christ with their whole mind, in whom all divinity dwells. He calls the elements weak and needy because they are imperfect; for to rule the world they need one another; but in Christ is perfect salvation.

“You observe days, and months, and seasons, and years.” He now declares what elements he meant. The sun makes the day, the course of the moon months; seasons are spring, summer, autumn, winter: these four, having completed their own number, make the year. Those observe days, then, who say, for example: “Tomorrow one must not set out; for the day after tomorrow nothing ought to be begun”; and in this way they tend rather to be deceived. Those worship months who scrutinize the courses of the moon, saying, for example: “On the seventh day of the moon tools should not be made; again on the ninth day of the moon a slave who has been bought, say, should not be brought home”; and through these things adversities tend rather to come about more easily. They observe seasons thus, when they say: “Today is the beginning of spring, it is a festival; the day after tomorrow is the Vulcanalia.” And again they say such things as: “It is an unlucky day; one may not go out of the house.” They worship years thus, when they say: “On the Kalends of January is the new year”, as if years were not completed every day; but they practise this superstition so as to keep alive the memory of that two-faced Janus; which ought to be far from the servants of God. For if God is loved with the whole heart, with him being gracious, there ought to be no dread or suspicion of these things; for whatever is done simply in devotion to God can turn out prosperously.

“I fear for you, lest perhaps I have laboured among you in vain.” The Galatians had been subverted in two ways; so that after God's grace they turned not only to the law but also to their former errors. For, led or overturned into the law, they had easily slipped into observing days and months; for the observance of the sabbath and new moons drew them to these things. Therefore he says: “I fear lest I have laboured among you without cause”; for he saw them so advancing to the worse that they might even withdraw entirely from Christ.

“Be as I am, because I too am as you are.” He says this so that they may take pains to correct these things; for it is not impossible for them to be as he is, because he too was what they are, that is, a man; and when he had been in error persecuting the church, being rebuked, he turned himself around. “Brothers, I beseech you, you have done me no harm.” Now he deals more gently with them, and begins to recall their good deeds; so that, after great rebukes, hearing of their good works they might be refreshed, and take pains to reform themselves; lest, pressed too long by harsher reproaches, they become embittered. Yet he says they had done him no harm; for their offence harmed themselves; for the Apostle had fulfilled the duty of the stewardship entrusted to him, preaching to them with all diligence, as the Lord says to the prophet Ezekiel: “You”, he says, “preach: if they hear you, you will gain them; if not, you will save your own soul” (Ezek 3:21).

“You know that through weakness of the flesh I preached the gospel to you formerly; and your temptation in my flesh you did not despise or reject.” He recalls to their memory the time when he first preached God's gospel to them. For at that very time the Apostle was subjected to injuries and weakened by beatings; for one seems weak who is humiliated and does not resist, for the sake of God's gospel. And in this he praises their constancy, because they were not drawn away from the faith; for the Apostle's injuries were the Galatians' temptation, in which they were found firm, not doubting of the faith. For they could, having taken offence, have said: “What power or hope is there in this faith, when its minister is so humbled?” But because they had already steeped their minds in future hopes, they did not fear present afflictions for the name of Christ, certain that our faith has its dignity not on earth but in heaven, and that great rewards are repaid for these tribulations. He strikes them with shame, because after these praiseworthy things they had been deceived so as to seem blameworthy. “But you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.” He praises this in them the more, that through afflictions he was not disfigured in their eyes but commended, since they knew he suffered afflictions for those who believe. As an angel of God, then, they received the Apostle, believing that what he preached was the gift of God; so deferring to him as to the author himself, the Lord Jesus Christ.

“What, then, was your blessedness?” He says they had been called blessed among the other churches because they were not broken by the apostle's injuries but grew in faith. “For I bear you witness that, if it had been possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.” He shows that their devotion toward religion was so full that he was not only well received by them, but they were also found strong in faith; and, what serves their praise more, they offered him almost all their goods to be spent. Hence he grieves the more, because such love had been overturned by perverse teaching.

“Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?” He says this because it cannot be, he says, that I am an enemy to you, whose services to me were so great. But because no one wants to be rebuked when he errs, I therefore seem an enemy to you, rightly reproving you.

“They court you, not well; but they want to shut you out, so that you may court them.” He indicates that they were subverted by the envy of the Jews; for seeing them advancing so in the gospel and having such love for the Apostle, they worked to deceive them. For they were enemies of the apostles because of the law, so that, keeping the Saviour's name, they would make them Jews, rejoicing in their overturning; for they could not bear to hear that the grace promised to them had been given to uncircumcised gentiles. Therefore they wanted them to become their imitators, so that they would be circumcised according to their custom.

“But strive for the better gifts; strive for the good always, and not only when I am present with you.” The better gifts are the spiritual ones, which, imitated, will have effect with God. These are the spiritual goods which he wants them always to imitate, not for a time, as formerly, or only in his presence, and afterwards turn to something else; but he wants them to persevere in good from now on.

“My little children, with whom I am again in labour until Christ is formed in you.” He had first begotten them through faith in baptism; but because they were found misshapen and weak, as if born by miscarriage, he now re-forms them into Christ with the pain of counsel. For, having conceived faith but not heeding the meaning of faith, they are said not to have Christ formed in their souls; for if they had understood God's grace in Christ, they would not have been carried over into Judaism after faith. “But I would like to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I am confounded in you.” He wants to rebuke them in person, so as to change his voice from praise to reproach of them, so that they might be confounded in two ways, both by their own error and by the shame of the Apostle, which he suffered among those to whom he had preferred them.

“Tell me, you who want to be under the law, have you not read the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one from the slave woman and one from the free.” This is in Genesis: when Sarah could not bear, for she was barren, she offered her slave Hagar to her husband Abraham as a concubine, so as to adopt for herself what she bore. So it came about that Ishmael was born of Hagar. But afterwards, by God's nod, a son was promised to Abraham from Sarah his wife, who was barren; she bore Isaac to Abraham. Then Abraham began to have two sons, one from the slave woman and one from the free.

“But the one from the slave woman was born according to the flesh, while the one from the free woman through the promise; which things are spoken by allegory.” Ishmael, born of the slave Hagar, was born according to the flesh, because he was born according to custom; but Isaac, because by the promise, not according to custom, but according to God's providence, was born by power, since Sarah was both old and barren. For Isaac was born as a type of Christ; therefore he asserts that these things are spoken by allegory, so that the persons of Ishmael and Isaac signify one thing by another. For Ishmael signifies the birth of the Jews, or of those who are slaves of sin; but Isaac that of Christians, because they are born in freedom; for one who receives forgiveness of sins becomes free. “For these are two covenants.” Moses, taking the blood of a calf in a bowl, sprinkled the people, saying: “This is the blood of the covenant which God has appointed for us” (Exod 24:8). This is what he said: “One from Mount Sinai, bearing children into slavery, which is Hagar.” For the law was given on Mount Sinai, which Moses, reading to the people, called the book of the covenant, and then sprinkled the people with blood, as I said. This law held sinners guilty, and they began to be slaves of sin, made sons of Hagar as of a slave woman.

“Now Sinai is a mountain in Arabia, which is joined to this present Jerusalem, which is in slavery with her children.” He says that Hagar's case signifies the earthly Jerusalem, that is, the synagogue, which bears children into slavery; for those whom it bears are under sin.

“But that Jerusalem which is above is free; she is our mother.” This one whom he calls our mother is the rule of the Lord's mystery, through which we are reborn into freedom, as she herself is free. Therefore she is also called heavenly, because heaven is her seat; and those whom she bears will be there with her, as the Lord says: “Father, I want those whom you have given me to be with me where I am” (John 17:24). She is also life, because those who, believing, are reborn through her are given immortality. For so it was said of the Lord that what was made in him is life. “For as the Father has life, so he has given the Son life” (John 5:26), “and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4). This life and light is the mother of the faithful. In Isaiah there is what follows:

“For it is written: Rejoice, barren one who does not bear; break forth and cry, you who are not in labour; for many are the children of the desolate, more than of her who has a husband” (Isa 54:1). He says this earthly Jerusalem has a husband because she bears according to the flesh; but that heavenly Jerusalem, which he calls our mother, he calls barren, because she does not bear according to the flesh, nor suffer pains, that is, she is not in labour. But she bears spiritually, without suffering, crying out in joy; because, once deserted (by whom, if not by Adam, who, having deserted life, followed death), she now has more children than this one who has a husband, that is, who bears carnally. For Christians are many more than Jews, as it is said in the Apocalypse: “And I saw a great crowd which no one could count, from every tribe and nation” (Rev 7:9).

“But you, brothers, are children of the promise according to Isaac.” That is, to be sons not of the flesh but of God; for Isaac was born as a type of the Son of God; so he wants them to understand that, having been made sons of God, they turned so as to be sons of the flesh; but if they come to their senses, they are sons of God.

“But as then he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also.” Not only Ishmael was born according to the flesh, but also Esau; for he too was born as a type of the Jewish people. Of him it is written in the prophet Malachi: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated” (Mal 1:2–3). He persecuted Jacob, who, born as a figure of the Christian people, was called Israel, that is, a man seeing God (Gen 27:41). Similarly he indicated that the Jews persecute the Christians out of envy; hence with deliberate effort they had overturned the Galatians by carnal cunning.

“But what does the Scripture say? Cast out the slave woman and her son; for the son of the slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac.” These are the words of Sarah, who is a type of the heavenly Jerusalem, bearing Isaac from the promise; so that, the son of the slave woman being cast out, that is, the Jewish people rejected because of unbelief (for they are slaves of sin, to whom forgiveness of sins has not been given), the heir may be the son of that free Jerusalem above, who is the new people of the kingdom of heaven.

“So we are not children of the slave woman but of the free, with which freedom Christ has freed us.” We were, then, children of the slave woman while we were liable to sins; but having received forgiveness of sins from Christ, we have been freed.