The Epistle to the Galatians July 18, 2010 Bob Eckel 1 Why Turn Back?: Galatians 4:8-11 Gal 4:8 – NKJV ‘But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods.’ –when you did not know God eidō – literal or figurative or ‘head’ knowledge –manifested by ignorance perfect active participle But even the heathen in some way originally knew (ginoska) God (Rom 1:21), but failed to retain Him in their knowledge, and so corrupted the original truth. –Who are the ‘you’ here? Jewish and/or Gentile believers? –Although the types of gods may have been different - Acts 17:29,30 –you served those by nature that are not gods service – as a slave or in bondage Who are these gods? –Deut 12:2,3; Isaiah 44:9-20; Ps 115:4-8 Describe this condition

The Epistle to the Galatians July 18, 2010 Bob Eckel 2 Why Turn Back?: Galatians 4:8-11 –No freedom from anxiety and fear –Lack of reality – who are these gods or idols anyway? Thus, the unbeliever is not free –But slaves to the deities of their own creation. –Religious slavery! In Christ we are free indeed – John 8:36 –And from what is this freedom? Gal 4:9 ‘But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how [is it that] you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage?’ –known here is ginoska –rather - more (in a greater degree) or better, (so) much the more By His great Grace by which He called us. –John 15:16; I John 4:19; Phil 2:13 –turn – revert or bring back Gal 1:6 –weak and beggarly elements

The Epistle to the Galatians July 18, 2010 Bob Eckel 3 Why Turn Back?: Galatians 4:8-11 I just love this NKJV description –weak – feeble, without any strength, totally unable –beggarly - destitute of wealth, influence, position, honor »Compare to Eph 1:18 –elements – first things or principles of perverted Judaism »Not idols but religion! Interlinear Greek – impoverished fundamental principles NIV - weak and miserable principles NASB - weak and worthless elemental things –desire again – present active indicative to be resolved or determined or purpose to renew –Why/How does this desire come to be? »What motivates it? to be in bondage – in context this appears to be a legal thing –As in Gal 4:3, but what about Gal 5:19,20? –What value? »Col 2:20-23

The Epistle to the Galatians July 18, 2010 Bob Eckel 4 Why Turn Back?: Galatians 4:8-11 –But there is a purpose isn’t there? »Gal 3:24; Rom 8:29; II Cor 4:6 Gal 4:10 – NKJV ‘You observe days and months and seasons and years.’ –observe - to stand beside and watch, to watch assiduously, observe carefully present middle indicative –The middle voice implies that they were intensely interested in their own profit from this behavior. A general reference to these traditions is found in Lev 23:1-43 –days – the keeping of Jewish Sabbaths –months and seasons – rituals lasting more than one day months – the new moons where Sabbaths, new moons and feasts are mentioned – I Chron 23:31; II Chron 31:3 seasons – the annual feast weeks of the Jews –Passover, the unleavened bread, Day of Atonement

The Epistle to the Galatians July 18, 2010 Bob Eckel 5 Why Turn Back?: Galatians 4:8-11 –years the sabbatical year (every 7 th year) The Year of Jubilee -7 sabbatic cycles of years, i.e. 49 years –Lev 25:8-10 –Not a path to salvation for the Gentiles for sure, but could a saved Jew continue to participate in these ordinances? –Contrast this with the Christian way of life! Col 2:16,17 Gal 4:11 – NKJV ‘I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain.’ –am afraid – terrified, sufficient to flight –lest – Paul’s concern was not his own but for them! A similar sentiment - II Cor 12:20,21; I Thess 3:5 –labor - with wearisome effort, to toil vain – without success or effort –Paul’s labor – Gal 2:2

The Epistle to the Galatians July 18, 2010 Bob Eckel 6 Why Turn Back?: Galatians 4:8-11 So what then keeps us from turning back? –Let’s look again at last week’s lesson Gal 4:6,7 – ‘And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.’ KEEP LOOKING DOWN!