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PARALLEL BIBLE - Galatians 4:3


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King James Bible - Galatians 4:3

Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:

World English Bible

So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental principles of the world.

Douay-Rheims - Galatians 4:3

So we also, when we were children, were serving under the elements of the world.

Webster's Bible Translation

Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:

Greek Textus Receptus


ουτως
3779 και 2532 ημεις 2249 οτε 3753 ημεν 1510 5713 νηπιοι 3516 υπο 5259 τα 3588 στοιχεια 4747 του 3588 κοσμου 2889 ημεν 1510 5713 δεδουλωμενοι 1402 5772

Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge

VERSE (3) -
Ga 3:19,24,25

SEV Biblia, Chapter 4:3

Así también nosotros, cuando éramos niños, éramos siervos bajo los elementos del mundo.

Clarke's Bible Commentary - Galatians 4:3

Verse 3. Even so we] The whole Jewish people were in a state of nonage while under the law.

The elements of the world] A mere Jewish phrase, hzh µlw[ ydwsy yesodey olam hazzeh, "the principles of this world;" that is, the rudiments or principles of the Jewish religion. The apostle intimates that the law was not the science of salvation, it was only the elements or alphabet of it; and in the Gospel this alphabet is composed into a most glorious system of Divine knowledge: but as the alphabet is nothing of itself, unless compounded into syllables, words, sentences, and discourses; so the law, taken by itself, gives no salvation; it contains indeed the outlines of the Gospel, but it is the Gospel alone that fills up these outlines.


John Gill's Bible Commentary

Ver. 3. Even so we , etc..] Jews, for of such the apostle is only speaking, and to whom he applies the above case of heirs in minority; it was to the Jews he had spoken of the law, as being a military guard, a prison, and a schoolmaster to them; and then having addressed the Gentiles, as being the children of God, baptized into Christ, one in him, interested in him, the spiritual seed of Abraham, and heirs of all the blessings of grace and glory; he returns to the Jews, and represents their estate and condition under the law by the above simile, which he here makes an application of: when we were children ; not in age, but in knowledge of divine, spiritual, and evangelical things; which must be understood not of every individual person among them, for there were some grown men, men of great faith, light, knowledge, and experience; but of the bulk and generality of the people of the Jews, and that also in comparison of the clear understanding of the saints under the Gospel dispensation. The Jews were like children, peevish, froward, and perverse, and often stood in need of correction and chastisement; and as children are pleased with pictures, shows, sights, and gaudy amusements, so they were taken with an external pompous form of worship, and which they had, and was suited to their infant state; and which infant state of the Jewish church commenced from the time of their coming up out of Egypt, and lasted until the times of the Messiah; (see Hosea 11:1,3). Were in bondage under the elements of the world ; by which are meant, not the four elements of fire, water, earth, and air; nor the angels, who by some are thought to preside over them; nor the sun and moon, according to whose revolutions the festivals of the Jews were regulated; but the several institutions of the Mosaic economy, which were to the Jews what an A B C, or an alphabet of letters, is to one that is beginning to learn; or what an accidence and grammar be to such who are learning any language, and which contain the rudiments of it; as the physical elements are the first principles of nature, and the general rules of speech and language are the rudiments thereof, so the Mosaic institutions were the elements, rudiments, or first principles of the Jewish religion, taught them by the law, as their schoolmaster, and by which they were used as children: these are called “elements”, in allusion to the first principles of nature and learning; and the elements “of the world”, because they lay in outward worldly and earthly things, as meats, drinks, divers washings, etc.. and because that hereby God instructed the world, at least a part of it, the world of the Jews: or as the word kosmov may be rendered “beauty”, or “elegancy”, these were elegant elements, which in a most beautiful manner taught the people of the Jews the first principles of the doctrine of Christ: but nevertheless, whilst they were under the instructions and discipline of the law as a schoolmaster, “they were in bondage”; referring not to their bondage in Egypt, nor in the several captivities into which they were carried by their neighbours; nor to the bondage of sin and Satan, common to all men in a state of nature; but to the bondage which the law naturally gendered, led them to, induced upon them, and kept them in, through its sanctions and penalties; for, through fear of death, they were under a servile disposition, and were all their lifetime subject to bondage; they carried a yoke of bondage upon their necks, and were under a spirit of bondage unto fear; they were like children closely kept to school to learn their letters, say their lessons, and perform their tasks; and, if not, receive due correction, which kept them in continual fear and bondage.

Matthew Henry Commentary

Verses 1-7 - The
apostle deals plainly with those who urged the law of Mose together with the gospel of Christ, and endeavoured to bring believer under its bondage. They could not fully understand the meaning of the law as given by Moses. And as that was a dispensation of darkness, s of bondage; they were tied to many burdensome rites and observances, by which they were taught and kept subject like a child under tutors an governors. We learn the happier state of Christians under the gospe dispensation. From these verses see the wonders of Divine love an mercy; particularly of God the Father, in sending his Son into the world to redeem and save us; of the Son of God, in submitting so low and suffering so much for us; and of the Holy Spirit, in condescendin to dwell in the hearts of believers, for such gracious purposes. Also the advantages Christians enjoy under the gospel. Although by natur children of wrath and disobedience, they become by grace children of love, and partake of the nature of the children of God; for he wil have all his children resemble him. Among men the eldest son is heir but all God's children shall have the inheritance of eldest sons. Ma the temper and conduct of sons ever show our adoption; and may the Holy Spirit witness with our spirits that we are children and heirs of God.


Greek Textus Receptus


ουτως
3779 και 2532 ημεις 2249 οτε 3753 ημεν 1510 5713 νηπιοι 3516 υπο 5259 τα 3588 στοιχεια 4747 του 3588 κοσμου 2889 ημεν 1510 5713 δεδουλωμενοι 1402 5772

Vincent's NT Word Studies

3. We. Not Jewish
Christians only, but all Christians. For in verse 5, Jewish Christians are distinctly characterized as those under the law, while the following we, subjects of Christian adoption, points back to the we in this verse. Again, elements of the world is too wide a conception to suit the law, which was given to Israel only.

Elements of the world (ta stoiceia tou kosmou). For the word stoiceia in N.T. see Col. ii. 8, 20; Hebrew v. 12; 2 Pet. iii. 10, 12. See on 2 Pet. iii. 10. Interpretations differ.

1. Elements of knowledge, rudimentary religiou s ideas. See Hebrew v. 12. The meaning of world will then be, the material as distinguished from the spiritual realm. Elements of the world will be the crude beginnings of religion, suited to the condition of children, and pertaining to those who are not Christians: elementary religious truths belonging to mankind in general. Thus the Jewish economy was of the world as appealing to the senses, and affording only the first elements of a spiritual system. The child-heir was taught only faint outlines of spiritual truth, and was taught them by worldly symbols.

2. Elements of nature - of the physical world, especially the heavenly bodies. See 2 Pet. iii. 10, 12; Wisd. vii. 17. According to this explanation, the point would be that the ordering of the religious life was regulated by the order of nature; "the days, months, times," etc. (verse 10), as well as the heathen festivals, being dependent on the movements of the heavenly bodies. This was the patristic view (Ambrose, Augustine, Chrysostom, Theodoret).

3. The elements of the world are the personal, elemental spirits. This seems to be the preferable explanation, both here and in Colossians ii. 8. According to Jewish ideas, all things had their special angels. In the Book of Jubilees, chapter 2, appear, the angel of the presence (comp. Isa. lxiii. 9); the angel of adoration; the spirits of the wind, the clouds, darkness, hail, frost, thunder and lightning, winter and spring, cold and heat. In the Book of Enoch, lxxxii. 10-14, appear the angels of the stars, who keep watch that the stars may appear at the appointed time, and who are punished if the stars do not appear (xviii. 15).

In the Revelation of John we find four angels of the winds (xiv. 18); the angel of the waters (xvi. 5); the age in the sun (xix. 17). In Hebrew i. 7 we read, "who maketh his angels winds." Paul also recognizes elemental forces of the spiritual world. The thorn is "a messenger of Satan" (2 Corinthians xii. 7); Satan prevents his journey to Thessalonica (1 Thess. ii. 18); the Corinthian offender is to be "delivered to Satan" (1 Cor. v. 5); the Kingdom of God is opposed by "principalities and powers" (1 Corinthians xv. 24); Christians wrestle against "the rulers of the darkness of this world; against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the upper regions" (Eph. vi. 12). In this passage the elements of the world are compared with overseers and stewards. This would seem to require a personal interpretation. In verse 8, "did service to them which by nature are no gods," appears to be = "in bondage under the elements," suggesting a personal interpretation of the latter. The Galatians had turned again to the observance of times and seasons (verse 10), which were controlled by the heavenly bodies and their spirits. 68


Robertson's NT Word Studies

4:3 {When we were children} (hote emen nepioi). 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} (hemeis emeqa dedoulwmenoi). Periphrastic past perfect of doulow, to enslave, in a permanent state of bondage. {Under the rudiments of the world} (hupo ta stoiceia tou kosmou). stoicos is row or rank, a series. So stoiceion is any first thing in a stoicos like the letters of the alphabet, the material elements in the universe (#2Pe 3:10), the heavenly bodies (some argue for that here), the rudiments of any act (#Heb 5:12; Ac 15:10; Ga 5:1; 4:3,9; Col 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 (kosmos as the orderly material universe as in #Col 2:8,20). See on ¯Mt 13:38; Ac 17:24; 1Co 3:22. All were in the elementary stage before Christ came.


CHAPTERS: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
VERSES: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31

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