6 And G1161 because G3754 ye are G2075 sons, G5207 God G2316 hath sent forth G1821 the Spirit G4151 of his G846 Son G5207 into G1519 your G5216 hearts, G2588 crying, G2896 Abba, G5 Father. G3962
For G1063 ye have G2983 not G3756 received G2983 the spirit G4151 of bondage G1397 again G3825 to G1519 fear; G5401 but G235 ye have received G2983 the Spirit G4151 of adoption, G5206 whereby G1722 G3739 we cry, G2896 Abba, G5 Father. G3962 The Spirit G4151 itself G846 beareth witness G4828 with our G2257 spirit, G4151 that G3754 we are G2070 the children G5043 of God: G2316 And G1161 if G1487 children, G5043 then G2532 heirs; G2818 heirs G2818 of God, G3303 G2316 and G1161 joint-heirs G4789 with Christ; G5547 if so be G1512 that we suffer with G4841 him, that G2443 we may be G4888 also G2532 glorified together. G4888
Seeing G2192 then G3767 that we have G2192 a great G3173 high priest, G749 that is passed into G1330 the heavens, G3772 Jesus G2424 the Son G5207 of God, G2316 let us hold fast G2902 our profession. G3671 For G1063 we have G2192 not G3756 an high priest G749 which cannot G3361 G1410 be touched with the feeling G4834 of our G2257 infirmities; G769 but G1161 was G3985 in G2596 all points G3956 tempted G3985 G3987 like G2596 as G3665 we are, yet without G5565 sin. G266 Let us G4334 therefore G3767 come G4334 boldly G3326 G3954 unto the throne G2362 of grace, G5485 that G2443 we may obtain G2983 mercy, G1656 and G2532 find G2147 grace G5485 to help G996 in G1519 time of need. G2121
G1161 Likewise G5615 the Spirit G4151 also G2532 helpeth G4878 our G2257 infirmities: G769 for G1063 we know G1492 not G3756 what G5101 we should pray for G4336 as G2526 we ought: G1163 but G235 the Spirit G4151 itself G846 maketh intercession G5241 for G5228 us G2257 with groanings G4726 which cannot be uttered. G215 And G1161 he that searcheth G2045 the hearts G2588 knoweth G1492 what G5101 is the mind G5427 of the Spirit, G4151 because G3754 he maketh intercession G1793 for G5228 the saints G40 according G2596 to the will of God. G2316
But G1161 thou, G4771 when G3752 thou prayest, G4336 enter G1525 into G1519 thy G4675 closet, G5009 and G2532 when thou hast shut G2808 thy G4675 door, G2374 pray G4336 to thy G4675 Father G3962 which G3588 is in G1722 secret; G2927 and G2532 thy G4675 Father G3962 which G3588 seeth G991 in G1722 secret G2927 shall reward G591 thee G4671 openly. G1722 G5318 But G1161 when ye pray, G4336 use G945 not G3361 vain repetitions, G945 as G5618 the heathen G1482 do: for G1063 they think G1380 that G3754 they shall be heard G1522 for G1722 their G846 much speaking. G4180 Be G3666 not G3361 ye G3666 therefore G3767 like G3666 unto them: G846 for G1063 your G5216 Father G3962 knoweth G1492 what things G3739 ye have G2192 need of, G5532 before G4253 ye G5209 ask G154 him. G846 After this manner G3779 therefore G3767 pray G4336 ye: G5210 Our G2257 Father G3962 which G3588 art in G1722 heaven, G3772 Hallowed be G37 thy G4675 name. G3686
For I will pour H3332 water H4325 upon him that is thirsty, H6771 and floods H5140 upon the dry ground: H3004 I will pour H3332 my spirit H7307 upon thy seed, H2233 and my blessing H1293 upon thine offspring: H6631 And they shall spring up H6779 as among H996 the grass, H2682 as willows H6155 by the water H4325 courses. H2988 One shall say, H559 I am the LORD'S; H3068 and another shall call H7121 himself by the name H8034 of Jacob; H3290 and another shall subscribe H3789 with his hand H3027 unto the LORD, H3068 and surname H3655 himself by the name H8034 of Israel. H3478
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,