1 As long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all,
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VERS. 1.-- *But I say,* etc. Now you Gentiles and we Jews are Christ's, and the seed of Abraham and heirs. But formerly we Jews were under the law while we were little ones, like an heir that is to be, and one placed under [tutelage] by his father.
2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed by the father.
3 So we also, when we were children, were serving under the elements of the world.
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VERS. 3.-- *Under the elements.* By the elements he signifies the new moons, that is, the lunar days, and the sabbath, not that they hoped in the elements as the pagans do, but that in these they venerated God. *Of the world.* Because the law promised not heavenly but earthly things: or transitory things, such as the world is.
4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent his Son, made of a woman, made under the law:
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VERS. 4.-- *The fulness of time came.* That is, after that whole space was fulfilled through which the law was to endure, then God sent, etc. *The fulness of time.* He knew when he ought to come, or even to suffer, etc. For there is no hour of his, or of ours, save his will. Yet before it a long series of heralds had to be sent ahead. *God sent his Son.* Whence, *I went forth from the Father, and came into this world*. And yet of him John the Evangelist says: *He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not*. Then he joins: *He came unto his own.* Thither therefore was he sent, where he was. Whence also the Prophet says that: *I fill heaven and earth*. It is to be asked therefore how that sending is to be understood. If therefore we think soberly of the Son of God the things that are worthy, we ought to understand him to have been sent for this reason, because out of that incomprehensible and unutterable secret of the deep majesty the Word of God gave himself to be comprehended by our minds, not only when he emptied himself, but also when he dwelt among us. *Of a woman.* The usage of the Hebrew tongue calls women not those that are corrupted, but females. *Made under the law.* That he might appear circumcised, as a son of Abraham having the sign of him to whom he had been promised; in whom circumcision was fulfilled: and so let the sign now cease. For Abraham believed that he should have a son, in whom all nations should be blessed: which we believe to be already done. *That the adoption.* That is, that we might be partakers of the divine glory. For as he himself partakes by nature, so he adopts us unto the seeing of it. For hence we receive adoption, that that only Son of God did not disdain a partaking of our nature, made of a woman, that he might not only be the only-begotten, but might also be made the first-born among many brethren. But he says adoption, that we may distinctly understand the only Son of God.
5 That he might redeem them who were under the law: that we might receive the adoption of sons.
6 And because you are sons, God hath sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying: Abba, Father.
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VERS. 6.-- *God sent.* For that we might be proved to have been adopted by God unto sons, he gave us his Spirit who should show the sign of the Father toward the sons, that, because we should not dare to say this by our infirmity and unworthiness, he might prompt us to dare to say it. *The Spirit of the Son.* Note that the Spirit is the Son's also. And note here also the Trinity. If perchance anyone should ask whether the Spirit proceeds from the Son, etc., *as far as* he has from him, that from him also the Holy Spirit should proceed. *Crying.* It is to be noted that in the Scriptures a cry is understood not as the sending forth of a great voice, but as the greatness of knowledge and of doctrines. *Abba father.* Elegantly he set down two words signifying the same thing, on account of the whole people which out of Jews and Gentiles has been called into the unity of faith, that the word of the Hebrews might pertain to the Hebrews, the Greek to the Gentiles. But the same signification of each word pertains to the unity of the same faith and Spirit. *Who by nature are not,* etc. He shows that the nature of the true God is one, namely of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. But what is it to be God by nature, save to be true God? Whence elsewhere the Apostle: *You are converted to serve the living and true God*.
7 Therefore, now he is not a servant, but a son. And if a son, an heir also through God.
8 But then indeed, not knowing God, you served them who, by nature, are not gods.
9 But now, after that you have known God, or rather are known by God: how turn you again to the weak and needy elements which you desire to serve again?
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VERS. 9.-- *Yea rather, you are known.* Scripture frequently uses this kind of speech; whence: *So in the sanctuary have I appeared to thee, that I might see thy power and thy glory*, that is, thou hast seen me, that I might see thee. God knows us, that is, he affords us the knowledge of himself. For it is not from us that we have known him, from eternity indeed he knew: but he is then said to know, when he brings it about that those things are known. *Weak.* Truly the law is a needy element: because it does not justify perfectly. *Needy.* Because as much as it helps, it does so not of itself, but in respect of grace. Those are called *needy elements* which need one another for the governing of the world.
10 You observe days and months and times, and years.
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VERS. 10.-- *Days.* They observe days who say: To-day nothing is to be begun. *Months.* They who, searching out the courses of the moon, say: Under such a moon nothing is to be begun: these observe and cultivate months. *Times.* As when they say: Now is the beginning of spring. *And years.* When they say: It is a new year. But there ought to be no suspicion of these things, because whatever is done simply under devotion to God can turn out prosperously.
11 I am afraid of you, lest perhaps I have laboured in vain among you.
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VERS. 11.-- *I am afraid of you, lest perhaps,* etc. This they observe who on certain days, months or years are willing or unwilling to begin: as though the times were auspicious or inauspicious.
12 Be ye as I, because I also am as you brethren, I beseech you. You have not injured me at all.
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VERS. 12.-- *Be ye as I.* I also, who had the law, am now without the law, as you ought to be without it. I, I say, who, though I was born a Jew, now despise those carnal things by a spiritual discernment. *Because,* etc., *as you,* etc. I am a man who has been corrected from error, and so you can be corrected. *Brethren, I beseech.* Those harshly corrected he refreshes by their good deeds. *You have injured me in nothing.* He excuses himself, because the false apostles had said that Paul was an enemy to the Galatians and had not wished to teach them the things which he preached in the other churches.
13 And you know how, through infirmity of the flesh, I preached the gospel to you heretofore: and your temptation in my flesh
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VERS. 13.-- *Your temptation.* For they were tempted (when the Apostle was suffering tribulation according to the flesh) whether they would forsake him through fear, or embrace him through charity.
14 You despised not, nor rejected: but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
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VERS. 14.-- *But as an angel of God,* etc. He says this because God speaks in his saints, and Paul wished not himself, but God in himself, to be loved; and therefore he bears witness to certain of them that they had received him as an angel of God and as Christ Jesus. In all his saints therefore he is to be loved who says: *I was hungry, and you gave me to eat*. So great is the charity of the head toward its own body.
15 Where is then your blessedness? For I bear you witness that, if it could be done, you would have plucked out your own eyes and would have given them to me.
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VERS. 15.-- *Where is then,* etc. Admiring their spiritual work, he commends it, that, looking upon this, they may not fall into a carnal fear. And because they had been changed for the worse, he rebukes them. For although they received him as an angel, yet not for that does he spare to cut and to burn, because he seeks not his own things, but the things which are Christ's. He seeks not milk and wool from the sheep, the same advantage of supplying necessity and the favour of honour, but the salvation of all. If *it could be done.* Could not that have been done which the Apostle says? That cannot be done which is not justly done. He said that he could not do what without doubt he could by power, but could not by justice.
16 Am I then become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?
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VERS. 16.-- *Telling you the truth.* Because no man wishes to be proved to be in error, and every one who reproves seems an enemy.
17 They are zealous in your regard not well: but they would exclude you, that you might be zealous for them.
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VERS. 17.-- *They are zealous.* I am not an enemy, but they are zealous, etc. But they are zealous not well who do not so much desire them to be better, as they wish to make them worse and to draw them backward by a perverse zeal.
18 But be zealous for that which is good in a good thing always: and not only when I am present with you.
19 My little children, of whom I am in labour again, until Christ be formed in you.
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VERS. 19.-- *Until Christ.* Whom you disfigure, let him be beautiful in you. Or, that he may appear beautiful to others through you. A graver saying than if he had said that they were formed in Christ.
20 And I would willingly be present with you now and change my voice: because I am ashamed for you.
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VERS. 20.-- *But I would.* The Apostle, knowing that a discourse which is made to those present has greater force, desires to change the apostolic voice, comprehended in letters, into presence. For the divine Scripture edifies when read, but profits much more if it is changed from letters into voice. For indeed the living voice has great force, a voice resounding from the mouth of its own author, which is uttered and distinguished with that pronunciation because it was begotten in a man's heart.
21 Tell me, you that desire to be under the law, have you not read the law?
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VERS. 21.-- *Say ye,* etc. Answer. For thus far the sentence hangs. And that is interposed: *whom thou bringest forth again,* etc. *Have you not read the law.* Whichever they choose, they are proved fools. If they have not read it, they ought not to receive what they do not know. If they have read it, it itself proves that it is to be dismissed. But if they do not understand, they are fools.
22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman and the other by a free woman.
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VERS. 22.-- *It is written,* etc. He had several, but Scripture specially follows out the particulars concerning two only, hinting that something excellent is prefigured in them. *One of the bondwoman and one,* etc. Nor did he distinguish this in vain: both indeed were born of Abraham, but of a different operation. Because he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the nature of the flesh, by which a young woman is wont to conceive of an old man. He who was of the freewoman, not according to the strength of the flesh, as an old barren woman of an old man, but by the operation of God, who promised. Him therefore custom begot, demonstrating nature. But him the promise gave, signifying grace. There human usage is shown, here the divine benefit is commended.
23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh: but he of the free woman was by promise.
24 Which things are said by an allegory. For these are the two testaments. The one from Mount Sina, engendering unto bondage, which is Agar.
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VERS. 24.-- *By an allegory.* That is said by an allegory when one thing seems to sound in the words, and another to be signified to the understanding, as here by Abraham, God the Father: for he is the father of many nations. For *Abba* is father; *am,* of many. And there is understood, *of nations. In mount Sina.* By the mention of such a place the Apostle signifies that the Jews were proud against the Gentiles because of the commandment, or that they themselves were proud and swollen against the commandment itself, which is Agar, that is, is signified by Agar. For Agar is alienation, because it alienates from the inheritance.
25 For Sina is a mountain in Arabia, which hath affinity to that Jerusalem which now is: and is in bondage with her children.
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VERS. 25.-- *The mount.* It is in all things *joined,* and like to that Jerusalem, that is, to the Jewish people, which now is, that is, which serves in time. The whole people is the mother, the several are the sons, or the proselytes, who all serve through fear of punishment. By all these things it is plain that the old law is not to be held, but the new, which is above, which is free. *Arabia,* etc. Lowliness, or affliction, because they were afflicted under carnal observances.
26 But that Jerusalem which is above is free: which is our mother.
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VERS. 26.-- *Which is above.* The city of the saints is a heavenly one, although in certain persons whom she brings forth here she is still a pilgrim. Sara barren signifies that the nature of the human race, corrupted by sin and therefore condemned, deserved nothing of true happiness for the time to come. Isaac born by promise signifies the sons of grace: and because this, not through regeneration but through generation, was to be, therefore circumcision was then commanded, when a son was promised to Sara. For circumcision signifies nature renewed, the old state being put off. In that he commands all sons and servants to be circumcised; he testifies that this grace pertains to all. *Which is the mother.* Because the several, instructed by her word and example, serve out of charity.
27 For it is written: Rejoice, thou barren, that bearest not: break forth and cry thou that travailest not: for many are the children of the desolate, more than of her that hath a husband.
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VERS. 27.-- *It is written.* That she is free and a mother he proves by the authority of Isaias, subjoining: *Rejoice.* To rejoice, to break forth, to cry out, pertain to liberty. *Thou bearest not.* He says this because at that time she brought forth as it were none. *Thou travailest not,* because as yet she had had no striving. *Rejoice,* in the heart. *Break forth.* Show forth outwardly the gladness of the mind. *Cry out.* Preach thy joy to others. *For many are the children.* This pertains to the mother. Isaias, beholding in the time of Christ the Church of the Gentiles, before barren, then fruitful, addresses her, saying: O barren Church, who in the time of the law bearest not even by the power of a miracle, etc. *Of the desolate.* More are the children of the Church once desolate than of the Synagogue bringing forth in the meantime. This Isaias would say superfluously of the ancient Sara, he is therefore to be understood to say it of the Church. But the Church was barren among all the Gentiles, before that offspring which we behold arose. The Synagogue therefore is she that hath a husband, that is, the law. But the desolate, and wandering, and living without any power of a husband, is the multitude of the Gentiles, which also was barren, putting forth the germ of no lawful word. Nature corrupted by sin does indeed bring forth citizens of the earthly city, but the citizens of the heavenly city grace brings forth, freeing nature from sin. *Which hath a husband.* For the Synagogue had a husband, that is, the law, and was once fruitful in children. But the barren Church, without her husband Christ, without any address of the bridegroom, lay long in the desert. But after she received the bill of divorce, and turned every ornament of her husband to the ornament of an idol, then the husband, the former girdle rotting, wove for his loins another belt, another girding out of the Gentiles, who, as soon as she was joined to a husband, conceived and brought forth. Whence Isaias cries out: *Enlarge the place of thy tabernacle, and stretch forth thy cords*.
28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
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VERS. 28.-- *Isaac.* Laughter, that is, they who serve in gladness, not out of sadness or necessity.
29 But as then he that was born according to the flesh persecuted him that was after the spirit: so also it is now.
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VERS. 29.-- *He persecuted.* I do not think that we can easily find where Ismael persecuted Isaac, but only this, that when the son of the Egyptian woman was playing with Isaac, Sara was indignant.
30 But what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman.
31 So then, brethren, we are not the children of the bondwoman but of the free: by the freedom wherewith Christ has made us free.
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VERS. 31.-- *By which liberty.* The liberty by which we have been freed by Christ is the remission of sins, and the justification of faith working by love.