Galatians 4:4-5. God sent forth his son,— These verses should be read and understood thus: God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, (made under the law, to redeem them that are under the law) that we might receive the adoption of sons. read more
4. the fulness of the time—namely, "the time appointed by the Father" ( :-). Compare Note, see on :-; Luke 1:57; Acts 2:1; Ezekiel 5:2. "The Church has its own ages" [BENGEL]. God does nothing prematurely, but, foreseeing the end from the beginning, waits till all is ripe for the execution of His purpose. Had Christ come directly after the fall, the enormity and deadly fruits of sin would not have been realized fully by man, so as to feel his desperate state and need of a Saviour. Sin was... read more
5. To—Greek, "That He might redeem." them . . . under the law—primarily the Jews: but as these were the representative people of the world, the Gentiles, too, are included in the redemption (Galatians 3:13). receive—The Greek implies the suitableness of the thing as long ago predestined by God. "Receive as something destined or due" (Luke 23:41; 2 John 1:8). Herein God makes of sons of men sons of God, inasmuch as God made of the Son of God the Son of man [AUGUSTINE on Psalm 52]. read more
The illustration 4:1-7 read more
1. The domestic illustration 4:1-11Continuing his case for faith over the Mosaic Law, Paul cited an illustration from family life. He did this to clarify the condition of believers as contrasted with nomists and to warn his readers to abandon nomism. read more
God, the father of the child in the illustration, sent forth Christ when He determined the time was right."It would seem that ’when the time had fully come’ (RSV, NIV) does not mean that a certain divinely appointed period had elapsed (so NEB?), or that certain divinely ordained events had to transpire (cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 ff.), or that God sent his Son into the world when all the conditions were ripe for his appearance. In view of the fact that the word ’came’ denotes in the context (cf.... read more
4:4 come (h-15) Or 'born,' but the word ( ginomai ) means primarily 'to begin existence,' 'to become,' or 'to happen.' read more
4:5 sonship. (i-12) Or 'adoption.' It is receiving the position of sonship as a gift. 'Receive' has an active force here. Jew and Gentile received it as a gift from another, even freely from God; for the Jew was in bondage under law. the Gentile had right to nothing. see Romans 8:15 ,Romans 8:23 ; Romans 9:4 ; Ephesians 1:5 . read more
The Bondage of the Law. Freedom in Christ1-7. Under the Law we were in bondage; under the Gospel we have received the freedom of sons.Paraphrase. ’(1) The heir before he comes of age can no more enter upon his inheritance than a servant in the family can possess himself of it, (2) but must continue, until the set time, in a subordinate position, and under the authority and training of others. (3) So, when we were under the elementary Law system, we were in a position like that of the heir in... read more
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Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Galatians 4:4
But when the fullness of time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, that he might redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.The fullness of time ... has the meaning of "At God's appointed time." All of the grand events of God's plan for the redemption of mankind were scheduled in advance, and from the beginning, even the final judgment itself being a planned and scheduled event. "God has appointed a day, etc." (Acts 17:31).God... read more