Chapter 4
V1-2 Paul states reality as an allegory of his depiction of Torah pre and post Yeshua’s first advent, which he shall define in his next few verses. Child is not a precise translation as the Greek word nepios means an infant. Also, servant is doulos, better translated as bondservant/slave. Hence an infant who is an heir, being way too immature to have understanding is no different from a slave in his master’s house. That infant needs overseers/epitropos/tutors and superintendents/oikonomos/governors to reach maturity in preparation for the promise that he is to inherit from his father.
V3 These verses again due to lack of scriptural understanding are mercilessly twisted by Torah detractors to mean bondage under the law/Torah. Paul in all his epistles does not ever use metaphors or euphemisms to replace the word Torah/ law. It would make no sense whatsoever for him to randomly refer to the law as an element of the world. Comparing verses 3,8 and 9 clearly reveals that the weak and beggarly elements/stoicheion/rudiments/fundamental principles, refer to bondage to the world in ignorance of Yehovah, serving other gods. It is not an indictment of Torah, since following Torah clearly means you know the true Elohim and not other strange gods.
Why can’t those who claim elements means Torah not see the absurdity in that Paul has demarcated those never knowing Elohim, and serving strange gods, from those who know Elohim altogether through knowledge of Torah and its place in the serving of Elohim in Spirit and in truth? Furthermore, Paul then classifies these elements of those serving other gods in verse 10 i.e. observing pagan days, months, times and years instead of Yehovah’s holy days, new moons and sabbath days described in Colossians 2:16 and Lev 23. It boggles the mind how even Col 2:16 has been flipped on its head by anti-Torah teachers and preachers to mean doing away of these days. Lord help us!
V4-5 Hence for those of us Gentiles who were so lost in the rudiments of the world, by Elohim’s grace and mercy for us, sent forth His Son made under the law i.e. a Jew, to redeem those very Jews under the law from its curses for breaching it, so that we may become adopted sons of Elohim by/through faith in Yeshua of Nazareth our redeemer and Saviour.
V6 cf Pro 4:23. Mark 14:36. Abba is Aramaic for Father. Those justified by faith hence are afforded the promise of the seed which is pouring forth the Spirit from on high to cause us to speak in tongues and cry Abba Father cf Rom 8:14-15
V7 A slave/bondman and an infant are reprimanded/disciplined for falling out of line. Israelites, despite being heirs to the promise pre-Yeshua, were infantile in their Torah-keeping and their history outlined in the Tanakh outlines their wickedness outweighing their good, turning to strange gods and not knowing their true Elohim, turning to the elements of the world. They, like the Gentiles, who were as good as slaves outright, with no rights to the promises, were regardless subject to the curses of Torah breaking.
The Torah is holy, just and good and is everlasting. Being aware and wilfully breaching it (as most Israelites did) versus being ignorant of it and unknowingly breaking it (as most Gentiles did) had no bearing whatsoever on the Torah rolling out its in-built curses upon both camps. Satan does not play fair and uses the heavenly judicial system to demand its punishment upon those who are in breach of its immutable laws regardless. Hence the Torah treated both the infant and the slave the same by punishing through its curses transgressors of its commandments.
However, thanks to the seed of Abraham, Yeshua the Messiah having been made a curse for us, we both Jew and Gentile who believe in Him, are no longer living a carnal led life. Rather by in pouring of the Holy Spirit into our hearts, which is the promise of the Spirit, we are no longer subject to these curses and are able to follow Torah in Spirit and in truth, it (Torah) being written in our hearts and minds. By so doing we are adopted as children/sons of Elohim and are effectively heirs with Messiah.
V8-9 Hence Paul’s distaste at the Galatians turning back to the worldly elements and losing focus on so great a gift of Torah observance in Spirit and in truth, through being justified by faith in Yeshua. It is strange how preachers have turned this message upside down and taught that Torah observance is the weak and beggarly elements being described, yet Paul is undoubtedly referring to returning to pagan rituals which in our day and age have been rebranded in Christmas, lent, Ash Wednesday, Easter and the like which are outrageously sugar coated pagan rituals since the days of Nimrod.
V10 This verse refers to days, months, times and years of the world/kosmos of other gods/demons NOT observance of Sabbaths, new moons, appointed times/moedim of Lev 23 nor Shemitahs/Sabbath years of the true Elohim Yehovah. Col 2:16 clearly demarcates the 2 sets of pagan vs Torah observations. Compare Deut 18:10 and Isa 2:6 (soothsayers is the Hebrew word anan which means to observe times.
If Paul was preaching the abolition of observing the Sabbath, new moons, holy days/moedim and Shemitahs then his behaviour would have been contrary to his teachings and made him the greatest hypocrite in the body of Messiah cf Acts 27:9; Acts 18:19-21 (Entering synagogue on the Sabbath mind you hence he also observed the Sabbath); 1 Cor 5:7-8; Acts 20:6; 16. It is complete arrogance upon one to disregard Paul’s actual Christian walk and try to separate his Torah-keeping life from the twisted, butchered interpretation of his writings. Paul never ever preached against Torah and in the face of great adversity declared upon his very kinsmen and the Romans that any misinterpretation of his words was contrary to his conduct cf Acts 25:7-8.
V11 Paul feared for those who had been brought to Torah truth to return unto pagan observances. His words should resonate loud and clear for the churches of today that have defiled the sanctity of truth by returning to pagan practices of old e.g. Christmas, Easter, Ash Wednesday, lent which are all rehashing of observance to Osiris, Isis and Tammuz rituals from the days of Nimrod the shadow picture of antichrist.
V12-15 Paul’s thorn in the flesh of 2 Cor 12:7 most likely was some grotesque ophthalmic condition. 2 Cor 10:10 also paints a picture of one who was frail in bodily appearance and was a poor orator in public. This ophthalmic condition may have been derived from the road to Damascus experience, or from one of many beatings or maybe from the evil angel sent by Satan himself.
Regardless of all these physical impediments, the Galatians still welcomed and accepted him as if he were an angel sent from Elohim i.e. with great respect and reverence, so much so that they would if they could donated their very own eyes to help his physical ailment. The point being expressed by Paul is, how can you Galatians who at the beginning loved me so much and believed upon the original gospel of truth preached upon you at first, now turn back to pagan rituals? Paul was imploring them to be like him i.e. the Torah observant believer in spirit and truth.
V16 If anything his remaining in truth and repetitive preaching of it, seemed to be at enmity with the backsliding of the Galatians to worldly delusion and deception.
V17 Paul having castigated the Galatians for returning to pagan rituals, also now bemoans them for concurrently being entrapped by the whims of the zealous Judaizing Jews. these Judaizers were seeking the Christians with malicious intent in order to shut them out from this knew Torah truth in Messiah, endeavouring for these born-again Christians to rather be zealous of carnally striving for justification by works. The Galatians truly were a mess!! This is the workings of Satan who acts upon zealous newly born Christians devoid of Torah truth, who zealously seek it through spoon feeding from teachers and preachers, without checking for themselves in scripture if their sayings be true cf the Bereans of Acts 17:10-11.
It is imperative oh beloved listener that you also check for yourselves if this teaching I am giving is indeed scriptural or not, as I certainly have no intention of misleading anybody. I pray that my incessant and gratuitous use of scripture to back up my teaching and understanding may inspire you to read scripture thoroughly too as your daily bread, as the Word of Elohim is most sure above all things cf Matt 4:4, Lk 4:4; Deut 8:3.
V18 Paul does not necessarily despise zeal for truth as long as it is towards good and not unto deception. He also respects their zeal in his absence although unfortunately they fell prey to Judaizers and pagan teachers who had crept into their congregation unawares Gal 2:4.
V19-20 Paul wished he could be there in body with the Galatians instead of in letter in order to bring them back to the initial gospel preached even if it meant using different speech to get the message across. Little children Greek teknion was a term of endearment expressed by teachers to their disciples. Paul adored this congregation as he knew they had a zeal for truth but unfortunately had fallen prey to false teachers and preachers, from 2 spheres: Judaizers and pagans.
V21-31 Paul then castigates them for having fallen for the Judaizers and gives an allegory of Ishmael versus Isaac. Again, lack of scriptural understanding has led those who revile Torah to hijack this passage to mean abolition of Torah. Let us study it carefully for the greater more beautiful truth to be exposed.
V21 For those who wish to be condemned by Torah curses through seeking justification by carnal works, Paul asks such if they have not heard the Torah writings i.e. first 5 books of Tanakh, also known as the Pentateuch in Greek and Torah in Hebrew, the writings of which Paul is about to elucidate.
V22-23 Paul now explains the whole Abrahamic narrative to those devoid of its true meaning, revelation of which Paul obviously received from Messiah Himself. Ishmael was born of carnality of Abraham’s fleshly desires, as opposed to Isaac born by promise from Elohim.
V24-25 These 2 were an allegory of a much greater life teaching. Ishmael’s existence is explained first by Paul. He represented the covenant on Mt Sinai i.e. of Torah which although holy, just and good, carried curses if breached, and hence kept the carnally inept man in bondage as it is impossible to observe that which is spiritual by fleshly means, as the carnal is at enmity with the spiritual. Hence mankind’s dilemma, and need to ritualistically cleanse himself through frequent sacrifices and the like. It is very important also to note that Paul by the Holy Spirit identifies Mt Sinai as being located in Arabia not Egypt as falsely located by the mother of Emperor Constantine in the 4th century AD, a lie which has perpetuated to this very day.
V26-28 The promise of the Spirit as we have discovered is the outpouring of Holy Spirit power from on high, and this is represented by Jerusalem from above i.e. heavenly Jerusalem Heb 12:22, Rev 21:2,10; Ps 48:2; Joel 2:32
V27 quotes Isa 54:1 Just as Yehovah made barren Sarah more fruitful than fertile Hagar, so can He also transform those dead in sin and trespasses to bring abundant blessing to the world cf Eph 2:1-6. Isaac’s existence thus represented this promise of Spiritual power from on high upon those who believe in Yeshua and call upon His name unto deliverance and true Torah observance devoid of carnal limitations.
V29 But as much as Ishmael persecuted Isaac (Gen 21:9), so were the Judaizers (who kept Torah by the letter and hence remained in bondage), persecuting those justified by/through faith unto righteous Torah-keeping in Spirit and in Truth.
V30-31 quotes Gen 21:10. Paul admonished the Galatian ecclesia to cast out pharisaic Judaism’s attempt to seek righteousness by man’s futile works, as these were slaves/bondmen/doulos described in 4:1. Rather we are heirs in the seed of Abraham, being the framework of Yeshua’s body and eligible to the same Holy Spirit power from on high that kept Him obeying Torah in spirit and in truth cf Gal 3:29 and Jn 4:24.