Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Galatians 4:8

"Howbeit at that time, not knowing God, ye were in bondage to them that by nature are no gods:" — Galatians 4:8 (ASV)

For the third time (cf. 3:23ff.; 4:lff.) Paul speaks of the former enslaved state of the Galatians. His reason this time is to establish the folly of their proposed action of returning to the law’s bondage. In their former state of bondage and immaturity, they did not know the true God and worshiped instead those who were “no gods” (cf. Romans 1:18–23)—a clear reference to the idols of paganism.

Their former bondage was, of course, a matter of ignorance. But that they should voluntarily return to this bondage after having been delivered from such ignorance by God himself—this is astonishing and, indeed, totally incomprehensible. In essence, what Paul is saying here is this: “But how can it be that, on the one hand, having formerly been in ignorance of God and therefore enslaved to those who are not gods and, on the other hand, having come to know God or (which is more to the point) being known by him, you are now returning anew to those weak and bankrupt elements which once controlled you?” There are three causes for Paul’s astonishment: (1) the Galatians were going back to what they had already been through—i.e., not to a new error but to an old one; (2) they were turning from reality (the true God) to nonreality (nongods); and (3) this was done after they had actually come to “know” (GK 1182) God in an intimate and personal way.

Paul understands total spiritual depravity and the electing grace of God in such a manner that he does not want to leave the impression that it is possible for anyone to come to know God by his or her own efforts. The truth of the matter is that God comes to know us. We come to know him only because we are first “known [GK 1182] by God”—i.e., through Christ a Christian has become an object of God’s personal recognition and favor.

We have already seen why the elemental spirits or principles the Galatians were in the process of turning to are “weak and miserable” (lit., “powerless and bankrupt”); they are weak because they are unable to set people free, as Christ has done by redeeming them. They are bankrupt because they have no wealth by which they can provide an inheritance.