Christmas Season · Holy Name of Jesus · Year C
Galatians 4:4-7 or Philippians 2:5-11
Sons of God
January 1, 2028
Overview & Insights
“God sent forth his Son, born of woman... so that we might receive adoption as sons.” (Galatians 4:4-5)
The basis upon which Paul makes the previous statement in verse 25 is his conviction that the Galatians are all sons of God by virtue of their being in Christ Jesus . Paul continues to work with the metaphor of inheritance to underscore that all of his readers are inheritors of God’s promise. Paul emphasizes that the Galatians already are “sons” or inheritors of God’s promise. (Paul’s use of “sons” is meant not to exclude the female members of the Galatian churches, but to work with the inheritance metaphor. In the ancient world it was generally sons and not daughters who could expect to be inheritors.) For the benefit of both his Gentile Galatian converts and the Jewish Christian troublemakers who would have eventually heard his words, Paul says that “all” receive the inheritance through the faith of Jesus Christ.
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Commentary
Commentary on Galatians 4:4-7 Working Preacher
A commentary on the fullness of time, adoption as heirs, and the Spirit crying Abba, Father.
Galatians 4:4-7 Commentary Center for Excellence in Preaching
A Reformed commentary clarifying Paul's claim that the eternal Son was sent, not adopted.
Galatians 4 - Sons and Heirs Enduring Word · David Guzik
An evangelical commentary moving from slavery under the law to adoption as sons and daughters.
Galatians 4 Commentary Precept Austin
An inductive study collating word notes and cross references on the adoption passage.
Galatians 4:4 Commentaries BibleHub
Aggregated translations and public-domain commentaries for Galatians 4.
Background & Word Study
Overview: Galatians BibleProject
An animated overview on justification by faith and the Spirit-formed family of God.
Galatians 4:4 Interlinear BibleHub
The Greek of the passage word by word with parsing and lexical helps.
Enter the Bible: Galatians Enter the Bible
Luther Seminary's book introduction to the Galatian churches and Paul's argument.
The Church Fathers
Questions preachers ask
Why is Galatians 4 a Christmas reading?
It gives the theology of Christmas in one sentence: in the fullness of time God sent his Son, born of a woman, to redeem us and make us sons and heirs who cry, “Abba, Father.”
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