Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differs nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
All Commentaries on Galatians 4:1 Go To Galatians 4
Cornelius a Lapide
AD 1637
SYNOPSIS OF THE CHAPTER
i. He continues the argument of the preceding chapter that the Jews, like children and slaves, were under the Jewish law as a pdagague, while Christians, as sons of full age, were led, not by the law, but by the Spirit of adoption, whereby they cry, "Abba, Father," and that it Isaiah , therefore, unworthy of them to return to the weak and beggarly elements of the law.
ii. He Observes (ver13) on the eagerness with which the Galatians had formerly embraced his preaching, that he may shame them for so lightly departing from it.
iii. He introduces (ver21) a new argument from an allegory drawn from Abraham"s history. His wife Sarah, a "free woman," bore him Isaac as his son and heir, by whom were represented Christians, the free-born sons of God, free from the bondage of the law, and in due time heirs of Abraham"s blessing. His bondwoman Hagar bore him Ishmael, who was cast out, and who represented the Judaisers, to be shut out from the blessing promised by God to Abraham.
