I mean that as long as the heir is not of age, he is no different from a slave, although he is the owner of everything, 2 but he is under the supervision of guardians and administrators until the date set by his father. 3 In the same way we also, when we were not of age, were enslaved to the elemental powers of the world. 4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to ransom those under the law, so that we might receive adoption. 6 As proof that you are children, God sent the spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God. 8 At a time when you did not know God, you became slaves to things that by nature are not gods; 9 but now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and destitute elemental powers? Do you want to be slaves to them all over again? 10 You are observing days, months, seasons, and years. 11 I am afraid on your account that perhaps I have labored for you in vain.
Paul draws an analogy between an heir and a slave to illustrate the condition of humanity under the law before Christ’s coming. Although the heir is entitled to the father’s inheritance, while he is still a child, he remains under guardianship (the Law) and cannot exercise full control over his inheritance until a specific time, even though he is entitled to it. Paul emphasizes the state of the Jews under the Law. They were heirs to God’s covenant promises made to Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3, 17:7-8) but did not yet experience the fullness of the promise of adoption as God's children in the spiritual sense. Before Christ, both Jews and Gentiles were in a form of bondage—Jews to the Law and Gentiles to pagan practices. At the time appointed by God, "the fullness of time", God sent His Son, born fully human as a Jew, subject to the Mosaic Law to redeem humanity from the guardianship of the Law.
Christ’s mission was to buy back those under the law and to offer the gift of adoption as sons. Believers become children of God with full rights as heirs. Their adoption is confirmed by the transformative presence and action of the Holy Spirit in their lives, who enables them to relate to God in an intimate and personal way. By saying that “God sent the spirit of his Son into our hearts.” Paul indicates that this Spirit makes believers share in the same familial relationship with the Father that Christ himself enjoys. Believers are no longer slaves under the law but have become children of God and heirs of the promise, through faith in Christ.
Paul reminds the Gentile converts that before their conversion, they were enslaved to false gods, which had no true power or divinity. He is amazed that having now been known by God and having knowledge of God, they would even consider returning to their former spiritual bondage. It appears that they were adopting Jewish liturgical observances, possibly being influenced by the Judaizers who were insisting that Gentile converts must follow Jewish customs (Acts 15:1). Paul is concerned that his efforts in preaching the Gospel to the Galatians might be wasted if they continue down the path of reverting to the requirements of the Mosaic Law and lose their newly acquired freedom in Christ.
Almighty God, we thank You for sending Your Son to redeem us from the bondage of sin and the Law. Through Your grace, You have made us Your children and heirs of Your promises. Fill our hearts with the Spirit of Your Son, that we may cry out to You, "Abba, Father," and live in the freedom of Your love. Help us to embrace the fullness of our inheritance in Christ, walking faithfully as Your beloved sons and daughters. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
References
- McSorley, Joseph. An Outline History of the Church by Centuries (From St. Peter to Pius XII). 2nd ed., B. Herder Book Co., 1944.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
- Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
- Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.
- McKenzie, John. Dictionary of the Bible. Collier Books, 1965.
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