Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.
Howbeit - contrast of their former with their present state. Appeal not to turn back from their privileges as free sons to legal bondage again.
Then - when ye were pagans before your adoption (Galatians 4:7).
Ye knew not God - not opposed to Romans 1:21. The pagan originally knew God, 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 fact they knew him not, so far as His eternity, power as Creator, and holiness, are concerned.
Ye did service, х edouleusate (G1398)] - 'were enslaved to.'
Are no gods - i:e., have no existence in the nature of things, but only in the corrupt imaginations of their worshippers (notes, 1 Corinthians 8:4; 1 Corinthians 10:19-20; 2 Chronicles 13:9). Your "service" was different from that of the Jews, which was true service. Yet theirs, like yours, was a burdensome yoke; how can ye wish to resume the yoke after that God has transferred you both to a free service?
Verse 9. Known God, or rather are known of God. They did not first know and love God; but God first, in His electing love, knew them, and therefore attracted them to know Him savingly (Matt: 7:23; 1 Corinthians 8:3; 2 Timothy 2:19: cf. Exodus 33:12; Exodus 33:17; John 15:16; Philippians 3:12). God's great grace made their fall from it the more heinous. х Eidotes (G1492) (Galatians 4:8), gnontes (G1097), and gnosthentes: a climax; 'outwardly knew;' 'inwardly having known;' 'having been known by God' in love (2 Corinthians 5:6, Greek) (Olshausen).]
How - indignant wonder at such a thing being possible, and even actually occurring (Galatians 1:6).
Weak - powerless to justify; in contrast to the justifying power of faith (Galatians 3:24: cf. Hebrews 7:18).
Beggarly - contrasted with the riches of the believer's inheritance in Christ (Ephesians 1:18). The "child" (Galatians 4:1) is weak, not having attained manhood; "beggarly," not having attained the inheritance.
Elements - `rudiments.' As if a schoolmaster should wish to back to learn the A B C (Bengel). Again ... again - two Greek words. "Ye desire again [beginning afresh: palin (G3825), anoothen (G509)] to be in bondage." Relapsing to bondage, to begin anew its rudiments in the form of Judaism, instead of your former paganism. The Galatians had never been under the Mosaic yoke; yet they had been under "the elements of the world" (Galatians 4:3) - the common designation for Jewish and Gentile systems, in contrast to the Gospel (however superior the Jewish was to the Gentile). Both consisted in outward, sensuous worship. Both were in bondage to the elements of sense, as though these could give justification and sanctification, which the inner spiritual power of God alone could bestow.
Ye desire, х thelete (G2309)] - 'will.' Will-worship is not acceptable to God (Colossians 2:18; Colossians 2:23).
Verse 10. Ye observe, х parateereisthe (G3906)] - 'Ye sedulously observe.' To regard the observance of certain days meritorious as a work is alien to the free spirit of Christianity: not incompatible with observing the Sabbath of the Christian Lord's day as obligatory, though not as a work (the Jewish and Gentile error in their observance of days), but as a holy mean appointed by the Lord to the great end, holiness. The whole life alike belongs to the Lord-belongs in the Gospel view-just as the whole world, not the Jews only, belong to Him. But as in paradise, so now one portion of time is needed wherein to draw off the soul more entirely from secular business to God (Colossians 2:16). "Sabbaths, new moons, and set feasts" (1 Chronicles 23:31; 2 Chronicles 31:3) answer to "days, months, times." "Months, however, may refer to the first and seventh months, sacred because of the number of feasts.
Times, х kairous (G2540)] - 'seasons;' namely, the three great feasts, Passover, Pentecost, and tabernacles.
Years - the Sabbatical year of jubilee was about the time of writing this letter, A.D. 48 AD (Bengel).
Verse 11. Lest, х meepoos (G3381)] - 'lest, haply.'
I have bestowed upon you labour, х kekopiaka (G2872): indicative] - implying he believed his labour actually vain. My fear is not for my sake, but for yours.