Verse of the Day
Author Spotlight
Loading featured author...
Report Issue
See a formatting issue or error?
Let us know →
Verse Takeaways
1
An Ironic Challenge
Paul directly challenges those wanting to follow the Mosaic Law. Commentators note the irony: 'You who desire to be under the Law, do you not hear the Law?' He is about to use a story from their own revered scriptures (the books of Moses) to prove that their desire for legalism is misguided and leads to bondage, not freedom.
See 3 Verse Takeaways
Book Overview
Galatians
Author
Audience
Composition
Teaching Highlights
Outline
+ 5 more
See Overview
Commentaries
8
Albert Barnes
On Galatians 4:21
18th Century
Theologian
Tell me, etc. To fully show the nature and effect of the law, Paul here introduces an illustration from an important fact in Jewish histor…
AT Robertson
On Galatians 4:21
That desire to be under the law (ο υπο νομον θελοντες εινα). "Under law" (no article), as in 3:23; 4:4, legalistic system. Paul vi…
Charles Ellicott
On Galatians 4:21
19th Century
Bishop
You that desire to be under the law.—A direct appeal to those who were inclined to give way to the Judaizing party.
<…
Go Ad-Free
Go ad-free and create your own bookmark library
Charles Spurgeon
On Galatians 4:18–21
19th Century
Preacher
But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you. My little children, of whom I travail …
Expositor's Bible Commentary
On Galatians 4:21
Paul has already appealed to statements of the law to show that the law brings a curse to those who desire to be under it (3:10–14). But that was b…
John Calvin
On Galatians 4:21
16th Century
Theologian
Tell me. Having given exhortations adapted to touch the feelings, he follows up his former doctrine by an illustration of great beauty. Vi…
John Gill
On Galatians 4:21
17th Century
Pastor
Tell me, you that desire to be under the law
Not merely to obey it, as holy, just, and good, from a principle of lov…
Matthew Henry
On Galatians 4:21–27
17th Century
Minister
The difference between believers who rested in Christ only, and those who trusted in the law, is explained by the histories of Isaac and Ishmael. T…