Galatians 4:8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The same principles which he now calls powerless and worthless he previously called only the principles of the world. Where he spoke of the principles of the world, he did not add, powerless and worthless. Here again, where the principles are called powerless, the name of the world is not used, as we also said above.

Therefore I think that so long as someone is in childhood, and so long as the time appointed by the Father has not yet been fulfilled, so that he may be called heir and son, he is under the power of the principles of the world, that is, under the guidance of the Law of Moses. But when, after the freedom belonging to the son has been restored, he returns again to the Law, wishing to be circumcised and to follow all Jewish superstitions literally, then what before was for him only principles of the world is now called a powerless and worthless principle.

Indeed, they are so useless to those who honor them that they cannot even give what they once supplied, since Jerusalem, the temple, and the altar have now been destroyed.

But someone may object in this way. “If the Law and the commandments written in the Law are powerless and worthless principles, and if those who have known God, or rather have learned knowledge from Him, must not observe the commandments of the Law, then this follows. Either Moses and the prophets observed the commandments and did not know God, nor learned knowledge from Him, or, if they did know God, they observed His commandments very little. Yet it is dangerous to affirm either. Either they did not fulfill the Law and thus knew God, or they did not know God because they observed the powerless and worthless principles of the Law.”

This question may be resolved on our part, ut dicamus illos, in this way. As Paul became a Jew to the Jews, that he might gain the Jews (1 Cor 9), and at Cenchreae cut his hair because of a vow, and in the temple at Jerusalem walked barefoot and with shaven head. In order to quiet the hatred of those who had spread a rumor about him, catechizati de eo, as though he acted against the Law of Moses and the God of the prophets, so also the holy men truly fulfilled what belonged to the Law, quae Legis erant. Yet they fulfilled it by following the meaning of the Law rather than its letter.

No less than Abraham, having removed the veil from their face, they desired to see the day of Christ. They saw it and rejoiced. They became weak for the sake of the weak people, that they might gain the weak (1 Cor 9:22), and to those under the Law they became as though they themselves were under the Law. Thus they separated them from the idols which they had been accustomed to serve in Egypt.

It would be unreasonable to think that Moses and the other companions of God were in such a condition that we do not believe of them that the time appointed by the Father had come. We believe that they were redeemed from bondage under the Law, received adoption as sons, and received the inheritance with Christ.

Indeed, every particular wisdom of God, quaecunque, is given to the whole human race as though to His Only-begotten Son. It has also always been given to each of the saints according to His determination and good pleasure.

Since we call the Law of Moses powerless and worthless principles, heretics find in this an occasion to reproach the Creator because He made the world and established the Law, sanxerit. To them we shall answer what we said above. These beginnings are powerless and worthless for those who turn back to them after the grace of the Gospel. But before the time appointed by the Father had come, they were called not so much powerless and worthless principles as principles of the world.

Moreover, the commandments of the Law had their own radiance before the Gospel of Christ shone forth throughout the world. But after the stronger light of the grace of the Gospel had arisen, and the Sun of righteousness had appeared to the whole world, the radiance of the stars was hidden and their rays were darkened. So the Apostle says elsewhere, “For what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that surpasses it” (2 Cor 3:10).

Let him express what is now being said in other words. The Law of Moses, which before the Gospel was rich, abundant, and clear, became, after the coming of Christ, as though powerless and worthless in comparison with Him. It was diminished and set aside by Him Who was greater than Solomon, the temple, and the prophet Jonah.

I think that the well-known saying, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (Jn 3:30), was spoken not so much in the person of John as in the person of the Law. The lesser always yields place to the greater, and perfection is preferred to beginnings.

On the other hand, by the powerless and worthless principles we confidently understand, confirmabimus, Jewish traditions and the literal understanding that has no value. For they are commandments that are not good and ordinances that are not good. The spiritual interpretation of the Law has power and is rich in meaning (Ezek 20). Thus it can hardly be called a beginning at all, or perhaps, quidem, a beginning in comparison with the age to come and with life in Christ Jesus, which the angels and the higher powers now live. But in comparison with Jewish understanding it should be called not so much a beginning, that is, an initiation, as perfection.

When he says, “But now, knowing God, or rather,” magis, “having received knowledge from Him,” he shows that after the worship of idols the Galatians understood God. Or better, they themselves were deemed worthy of the knowledge of Him. These words do not mean that God, the Creator of all, is ignorant of anything. Rather, He is portrayed as knowing only those who have exchanged their error for piety. “The Lord knows those who are His” (2 Tim 2:19).

And the Savior says in the Gospel, “I am the Good Shepherd, and I know My sheep, and Mine know Me” (Jn 10:14). Conversely, to the impious it is said, “I do not know you. Depart from Me, you workers of iniquity” (Lk 13:27). And to the foolish virgins, “I do not know you, who you are” (Mt 25:12).

"But now, after knowing God, or rather, after being known by Him, do you not deserve greater and harsher punishment?

"After despising such great care for you, you voluntarily subject yourselves again to the same sickness from which you suffered before."

"You did not find God by your own efforts, for you lived in error. But He Himself found you and drew you to Himself"; cf. 2 Tim 2:19.

And Blessed Jerome writes: "The weak and beggarly elements are the Law. It became such for those who turn to it now, after the manifestation of the grace of the Gospel.

"Before the coming of the time appointed by the Father, and before the preaching of the Gospel throughout the whole world, the legal ordinances had their splendor.

"But after the greater light of evangelical grace shone forth, and the Sun of Righteousness rose over the whole world, the light of the stars was hidden and their rays grew dim.

"The Mosaic Law, rich, abundant, and bright before the Gospel, became weak, diminished, and entirely abolished after the coming of Christ the Lord, who is greater than Solomon, Jonah, and the temple."

"But how is it that Christians also have their own days which they honor? Among Christians everything is spiritual, and everything is performed in the spirit of freedom."

Adding to this his own extensive and most beautiful judgment, Bishop Theophan says in conclusion: "We, as temporal and spatial beings, cannot be without external rites.

"Everything in them has its own time, place, and order. Only in the spirit can service to God be, and must be, unceasing, limited neither by time, nor place, nor circumstance."

Or you served gods who, though they existed in reality, were not gods by their nature: either men who earned remembrance in some way and were deified, or heavenly or earthly creatures, or idols, or demons.

The Apostle does not indicate what you served with. Those to whom the speech was addressed knew what they served with, and there was no need to speak of it.

For us, however, it should be recalled: with sacrifices, washings, feasts, and the like. Religions throughout the world naturally take on the same form.

Everywhere there are temples or special places. Everywhere there are sacred persons, sacred actions, and their own hours, days, and months.

No religion can exist without all this. But only in the true faith does all this express the truth and lead to true pleasing of God and communion with God.

In false faiths, or in faiths mixed with falsehood, all this too is false and does not lead to what is sought through it.