Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
the fulness of the time--namely, "the time appointed by the Father" (Galatians 4:2). Compare Note, see on Ephesians 1:10; Luke 1:57; Acts 2:1; Ezekiel 5:2. "The Church has its own ages" [BENGEL]. God does nothing prematurely, but, foreseeing the end from the beginning, waits till all is ripe for the execution of His purpose. Had Christ come directly after the fall, the enormity and deadly fruits of sin would not have been realized fully by man, so as to feel his desperate state and need of a Saviour. Sin was fully developed. Man's inability to save himself by obedience to the law, whether that of Moses, or that of conscience, was completely manifested; all the prophecies of various ages found their common center in this particular time: and Providence, by various arrangements in the social and political, as well as the moral world, had fully prepared the way for the coming Redeemer. God often permits physical evil long before he teaches the remedy. The smallpox had for long committed its ravages before inoculation, and then vaccination, was discovered. It was essential to the honor of God's law to permit evil long before He revealed the full remedy. Compare "the set time" (Psalms 102:13).
was come--Greek, "came."
sent forth--Greek, "sent forth out of heaven from Himself" [ALFORD and BENGEL]. The same verb is used of the Father's sending forth the Spirit (Galatians 4:6). So in Acts 7:12. Compare with this verse, John 8:42; Isaiah 48:16.
his--emphatical. "His own Son." Not by adoption, as we are (Galatians 4:5): nor merely His Son by the anointing of the Spirit which God sends into the heart (Galatians 4:6; John 1:18).
made of a woman--"made" is used as in 1 Corinthians 15:45, "The first man, Adam, was made a living soul," Greek, "made to be (born) of a woman." The expression implies a special interposition of God in His birth as man, namely, causing Him to be conceived by the Holy Ghost. So ESTIUS.
made under the law--"made to be under the law." Not merely as GROTIUS and ALFORD explain, "Born subject to the law as a Jew." But "made" by His Father's appointment, and His own free will, "subject to the law," to keep it all, ceremonial and moral, perfectly for us, as the Representative Man, and to suffer and exhaust the full penalty of our whole race's violation of it. This constitutes the significance of His circumcision, His being presented in the temple (Luke 2:21-22, Luke 2:27; compare Matthew 5:17), and His baptism by John, when He said (Matthew 3:15), "Thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness."
THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED: ILLUSTRATION OF OUR SUBJECTION TO THE LAW ONLY TILL CHRIST CAME, FROM THE SUBJECTION OF AN HEIR TO HIS GUARDIAN TILL HE IS OF AGE. PETER'S GOOD WILL TO THE GALATIANS SHOULD LEAD THEM TO THE SAME GOOD WILL TO HIM AS THEY HAD AT FIRST SHOWN. THEIR DESIRE TO BE UNDER THE LAW SHOWN BY THE ALLEGORY OF ISAAC AND ISHMAEL TO BE INCONSISTENT WITH THEIR GOSPEL LIBERTY. (Gal. 4:1-31)
The fact of God's sending His Son to redeem us who were under the law (Galatians 4:4), and sending the Spirit of His Son into our hearts (Galatians 4:6), confirms the conclusion (Galatians 3:29) that we are "heirs according to the promise."
the heir-- (Galatians 3:29). It is not, as in earthly inheritances, the death of the father, but our Father's sovereign will simply that makes us heirs.
child--Greek, "one under age."
differeth nothing, etc.--that is, has no more freedom than a slave (so the Greek for "servant" means). He is not at his own disposal.
lord of all--by title and virtual ownership (compare 1 Corinthians 3:21-22).
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
Isaiah 40:2
Isaiah 49:8
Isaiah 60:22
Daniel 7:19
Romans 5:6-8
Romans 8:3-4
Galatians 3:13
Galatians 4:1-7
Galatians 4:7
Ephesians 1:10
Philippians 2:7
Colossians 1:12
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