A.T. Robertson Commentary Galatians 4

So long as (εφ' οσον χρονον). "For how long a time," incorporation of the antecedent (χρονον) into the relative clause.

The heir (ο κληρονομος). Old word (κληρος, lot, νεμομα, to possess). Illustration from the law of inheritance carrying on the last thought in 3:29.

A child (νηπιος). One that does not talk (νη, επος, word). That is a minor, an infant, immature intellectually and morally in contrast with τελειο, full grown (1 Corinthians 3:1; 1 Corinthians 14:20; Ephesians 4:13).

From a bondservant (δουλου). Slave. Ablative case of comparison after διαφερε for which verb see on Mt 6:26.

Though he is lord of all (Κυριος παντων ων). Concessive participle ων, "being legally owner of all" (one who has the power, ο εχων κυρος).

Under guardians (υπο επιτροπους). Old word from επιτρεπω, to commit, to intrust. So either an overseer (Matthew 20:8) or one in charge of children as here. It is common as the guardian of an orphan minor. Frequent in the papyri as guardian of minors.

Stewards (οικονομους). Old word for manager of a household whether freeborn or slave. See Lu 12:42; 1 Corinthians 4:2. Papyri show it as manager of an estate and also as treasurer like Ro 16:23. No example is known where this word is used of one in charge of a minor and no other where both occur together.

Until the time appointed of the father (αχρ της προθεσμιας του πατρος). Supply ημερας (day), for προθεσμιος is an old adjective "appointed beforehand" (προ, θεσμος, from τιθημ). Under Roman law the tutor had charge of the child till he was fourteen when the curator took charge of him till he was twenty-five. Ramsay notes that in Graeco-Phrygia cities the same law existed except that the father in Syria appointed both tutor and curator whereas the Roman father appointed only the tutor. Burton argues plausibly that no such legal distinction is meant by Paul, but that the terms here designate two functions of one person. The point does not disturb Paul's illustration at all.

When we were children (οτε ημεν νηπιο). Before the epoch of faith came and we (Jews and Gentiles) were under the law as paedagogue, guardian, steward, to use all of Paul's metaphors.

We were held in bondage (ημεις ημεθα δεδουλωμενο). Periphrastic past perfect of δουλοω, to enslave, in a permanent state of bondage.

Under the rudiments of the world (υπο τα στοιχεια του κοσμου). Στοιχος is row or rank, a series. So στοιχειον is any first thing in a στοιχος like the letters of the alphabet, the material elements in the universe (2 Peter 3:10), the heavenly bodies (some argue for that here), the rudiments of any act (Hebrews 5:12; Acts 15:10; Galatians 5:1; 4:3,9; Colossians 2:8,20). The papyri illustrate all the varieties in meaning of this word. Burton has a valuable excursus on the word in his commentary. Probably here (Lightfoot) Paul has in mind the rudimentary character of the law as it applies to both Jews and Gentiles, to all the knowledge of the world (κοσμος as the orderly material universe as in Col 2:8,20). See on Mt 13:38; Acts 17:24; 1 Corinthians 3:22. All were in the elementary stage before Christ came.

The fulness of the time (το πληρωμα του χρονου). Old word from πληροω, to fill. Here the complement of the preceding time as in Eph 1:10. Some examples in the papyri in the sense of complement, to accompany. God sent forth his preexisting Son when the time for his purpose had come like the προθεσμια of verse 2.

Born of a woman (γενομενον εκ γυναικος). As all men are and so true humanity, "coming from a woman." There is, of course, no direct reference here to the Virgin Birth of Jesus, but his deity had just been affirmed by the words "his Son" (τον υιον αυτου), so that both his deity and humanity are here stated as in Ro 1:3. Whatever view one holds about Paul's knowledge of the Virgin Birth of Christ one must admit that Paul believed in his actual personal preexistence with God (2 Corinthians 8:9), not a mere existence in idea. The fact of the Virgin Birth agrees perfectly with the language here.

Born under the law (γενομενον υπο νομον). He not only became a man, but a Jew. The purpose (ινα) of God thus was plainly to redeem (εξαγοραση, as in 3:13) those under the law, and so under the curse. The further purpose (ινα) was that we (Jew and Gentile) might receive (απολαβωμεν, second aorist active subjunctive of απολαμβανω), not get back (Luke 15:27), but get from (απο) God the adoption (την υιοθεσιαν). Late word common in the inscriptions (Deissmann, Bible Studies, p. 239) and occurs in the papyri also and in Diogenes Laertes, though not in LXX. Paul adopts this current term to express his idea (he alone in the N.T.) as to how God takes into his spiritual family both Jews and Gentiles who believe. See also Ro 8:15,23; 9:4; Ephesians 1:5. The Vulgate uses adoptio filiorum. It is a metaphor like the others above, but a very expressive one.

Because ye are sons (οτ εστε υιο). This is the reason for sending forth the Son (4:4 and here). We were "sons" in God's elective purpose and love. Hοτ is causal (1 Corinthians 12:15; Romans 9:7).

The Spirit of his Son (το πνευμα του υιο αυτου). The Holy Spirit, called the Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9f.), the Spirit of Jesus Christ . The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and from the Son (John 15:26).

Crying, Abba, Father (κραζον Αββα ο πατηρ). The participle agrees with πνευμα neuter (grammatical gender), not neuter in fact. An old, though rare in present as here, onomatopoetic word to croak as a raven (Theophrastus, like Poe's The Raven), any inarticulate cry like "the unuttered groanings" of Ro 8:26 which God understands. This cry comes from the Spirit of Christ in our hearts. Αββα is the Aramaic word for father with the article and ο πατηρ translates it. The articular form occurs in the vocative as in Joh 20:28. It is possible that the repetition here and in Ro 8:15 may be "a sort of affectionate fondness for the very term that Jesus himself used" (Burton) in the Garden of Gethsemane . The rabbis preserve similar parallels. Most of the Jews knew both Greek and Aramaic. But there remains the question why Jesus used both in his prayer. Was it not natural for both words to come to him in his hour of agony as in his childhood? The same thing may be true here in Paul's case.