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Selected Verse: Galatians 4:8 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Ga 4:8 |
Strong Concordance |
Howbeit [235] then [5119] [3303], when ye knew [1492] not [3756] God [2316], ye did service [1398] unto them which by nature [5449] are [5607] no [3361] gods [2316]. |
| |
King James |
Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
Appeal to them not to turn back from their privileges as free sons, to legal bondage again.
then--when ye were "servants" (Gal 4:7).
ye knew not God--not opposed to Rom 1:21. The heathen originally knew God, as Rom 1:21 states, but did not choose to retain God in their knowledge, and so corrupted the original truth. They might still have known Him, in a measure, from His works, but as a matter of fact they knew Him not, so far as His eternity, His power as the Creator, and His holiness, are concerned.
are no gods--that is, have no existence, such as their worshippers attribute to them, in the nature of things, but only in the corrupt imaginations of their worshippers (see on Co1 8:4; Co1 10:19-20; Ch2 13:9). Your "service" was a different bondage from that of the Jews, which was a true service. Yet theirs, like yours, was a burdensome yoke; how then is it ye wish to resume the yoke after that God has transferred both Jews and Gentiles to a free service? |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Howbeit - But, ἀλλὰ alla. The address in this verse and the following is evidently to the portion of the Galatians who had been pagan. This is probably indicated by the particle ἀλλὰ alla, but denoting a transition. In the previous verses Paul had evidently had the Jewish converts more particularly in his eye, and had described their former condition as one of servitude to the Mosaic rites and customs, and had shown the inconveniences of that condition, compared with the freedom imparted by the gospel. To complete the description, he refers also to the Gentiles, as a condition of worse servitude still, and shows Gal 4:9 the absurdity of their turning back to a state of bondage of any kind, after the glorious deliverance which they had obtained from the degrading servitude of pagan rites. The sense is, "If the Jews were in such a state of servitude, how much more galling and severe was that of those who had been pagans. Yet fron that servitude the gospel had delivered them, and made them freemen. How absurd now to go back to a state of vassalage, and to become servants under the oppressive rites of the Jewish law!"
When ye knew not God - In your state of paganism, when you had no knowledge of the true God and of his service. The object is not to apologize for what they did, because they did not know God; it is to state the fact that they were in a state of gross and galling servitude.
Ye did service - This does not express the force of the original. The meaning is, "Ye were "slaves" to (ἐδουλεύσατε edouleusate); you were in a condition of servitude, as opposed to the freedom of the gospel;" compare Gal 4:3, where the same word is used to describe the state of the Jews. The drift of the apostle is, to show that the Jews and Gentiles, before their conversion to Christianity, were in a state of vassalage or servitude, and that it was absurd in the highest degree to return to that condition again.
Unto them which by nature are no gods - Idols, or false gods. The expression "by nature," φύσει phusei, according to Grotius, means, "in fact, re ipsa." The sense is, that they really had no pretensions to divinity. Many of them were imaginary beings; many were the objects of creation, as the sun, and winds, and streams; and many were departed heroes that had been exalted to be objects of worship. Yet the servitude was real. It fettered their faculties; controlled their powers; bound their imagination, and commanded their time and property, and made them slaves. Idolatry is always slavery; and the servitude of sinners to their passions and appetites, to lust and gold, and ambition, is not less galling and severe than was the servitude to the pagan gods or the Jewish rites, or than is the servitude of the African now to a harsh and cruel master. Of all Christians it may be said that before their conversion they "did service," or were slaves to harsh and cruel masters; and nothing but the gospel has made them free. It may be added, that the chains of idolatry all over the world are as fast riveted and as galling as they were in Galatia, and that nothing but the same gospel which Paul preached there can break those chains and restore man to freedom. |
| Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
Over against their filial freedom in Christ, Paul sets their lapse into subjection to the elements of the world (Gal 4:3).
Knew not God
See on Th2 1:8.
Ye did service (ἐδουλεύσατε)
Better, were in bondage or were slaves.
By nature (φύσει)
Not denying their existence (comp. Co1 8:5) but their deity. Emphasis on by nature. Comp. Co1 10:20. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| Indeed then when ye knew not God, ye served them that by nature - That is, in reality. Are no gods - And so were under a far worse bondage than even that of the Jews. For they did serve the true God, though in a low, slavish manner. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
| When ye knew not God - Though it is evident, from the complexion of the whole of this epistle, that the great body of the Christians in the Churches of Galatia were converts from among the Jews or proselytes to Judaism; yet from this verse it appears that there were some who had been converted from heathenism; unless we suppose that the apostle here particularly addresses those who had been proselytes to Judaism and thence converted to Christianity; which appears to be most likely from the following verses. |
9 Have ye not cast out [05080] the priests [03548] of the LORD [03068], the sons [01121] of Aaron [0175], and the Levites [03881], and have made [06213] you priests [03548] after the manner of the nations [05971] of other lands [0776]? so that whosoever cometh [0935] to consecrate [04390] [03027] himself with a young [01121] [01241] bullock [06499] and seven [07651] rams [0352], the same may be a priest [03548] of them that are no [03808] gods [0430].
19 What [5101] say I [5346] then [3767]? that [3754] the idol [1497] is [2076] any thing [5100], or [2228] that [3754] which is offered in sacrifice to idols [1494] is [2076] any thing [5100]?
20 But [235] I say, that [3754] the things which [3739] the Gentiles [1484] sacrifice [2380], they sacrifice [2380] to devils [1140], and [2532] not [3756] to God [2316]: and [1161] I would [2309] not [3756] that ye [5209] should have [1096] fellowship [2844] with devils [1140].
4 As concerning [4012] therefore [3767] the eating [1035] of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols [1494], we know [1492] that [3754] an idol [1497] is nothing [3762] in [1722] the world [2889], and [2532] that [3754] there is none [3762] other [2087] God [2316] but [1508] one [1520].
21 Because [1360] that, when they knew [1097] God [2316], they glorified [1392] him not [3756] as [5613] God [2316], neither [2228] were thankful [2168]; but [235] became vain [3154] in [1722] their [846] imaginations [1261], and [2532] their [846] foolish [801] heart [2588] was darkened [4654].
21 Because [1360] that, when they knew [1097] God [2316], they glorified [1392] him not [3756] as [5613] God [2316], neither [2228] were thankful [2168]; but [235] became vain [3154] in [1722] their [846] imaginations [1261], and [2532] their [846] foolish [801] heart [2588] was darkened [4654].
7 Wherefore [5620] thou art [1488] no more [3765] a servant [1401], but [235] a son [5207]; and [1161] if [1487] a son [5207], then [2532] an heir [2818] of God [2316] through [1223] Christ [5547].
3 Even [2532] so [3779] we [2249], when [3753] we were [2258] children [3516], were [2258] in bondage [1402] under [5259] the elements [4747] of the world [2889]:
9 But [1161] now [3568], after that ye have known [1097] God [2316], or [1161] rather [3123] are known [1097] of [5259] God [2316], how [4459] turn ye [1994] again [3825] to [1909] the weak [772] and [2532] beggarly [4434] elements [4747], whereunto [3739] ye desire [2309] again [3825] [509] to be in bondage [1398]?
20 But [235] I say, that [3754] the things which [3739] the Gentiles [1484] sacrifice [2380], they sacrifice [2380] to devils [1140], and [2532] not [3756] to God [2316]: and [1161] I would [2309] not [3756] that ye [5209] should have [1096] fellowship [2844] with devils [1140].
5 For [1063] though [1512] [2532] there be [1526] that are called [3004] gods [2316], whether [1535] in [1722] heaven [3772] or [1535] in [1909] earth [1093], (as [5618] there be [1526] gods [2316] many [4183], and [2532] lords [2962] many [4183],)
8 In [1722] flaming [5395] fire [4442] taking [1325] vengeance [1557] on them that know [1492] not [3361] God [2316], and [2532] that obey [5219] not [3361] the gospel [2098] of our [2257] Lord [2962] Jesus [2424] Christ [5547]:
3 Even [2532] so [3779] we [2249], when [3753] we were [2258] children [3516], were [2258] in bondage [1402] under [5259] the elements [4747] of the world [2889]: