He is subject
The phrase "He is subject" indicates a state of submission or being under authority. In the Greek, the word used here is "hupo," which means "under" or "beneath." This reflects the cultural and legal practices of the time, where a child, even if an heir, was under the authority of guardians. This submission is not just a matter of obedience but also of protection and guidance, much like how believers are under the authority of God until they reach spiritual maturity.

to guardians
The term "guardians" comes from the Greek word "epitropos," which refers to someone who is entrusted with the care of another, particularly a minor. In the Roman and Jewish cultures, guardians were appointed to manage the affairs of a child until they came of age. This reflects the spiritual truth that God places us under His care and the care of spiritual leaders to guide us until we are mature in our faith.

and trustees
"Trustees" is translated from the Greek word "oikonomos," meaning a manager or steward. This term implies responsibility for managing the household or estate. In a spiritual sense, it suggests that God entrusts certain individuals with the responsibility of overseeing the spiritual growth and resources of His people, much like pastors and church leaders today.

until the date set
This phrase indicates a predetermined time established by authority. The Greek word "prothesmia" is used here, meaning a fixed or appointed time. This reflects the idea that God has a divine timeline for our growth and maturity. Just as a father in ancient times would set a date for his child to inherit, God has a perfect timing for each of us to step into our full inheritance in Christ.

by his father
The phrase "by his father" emphasizes the authority and decision-making power of the father in the family structure. In the cultural context of the time, the father had the ultimate authority to determine when his child was ready to assume full rights and responsibilities. Spiritually, this represents God the Father, who knows the perfect timing for each of His children to mature and receive their full inheritance in Christ. It underscores the intimate relationship between God and His children, where He lovingly prepares and guides us according to His perfect will.

(2) Under tutors and governors.--The distinction between these two terms is that between guardians of the person and stewards of the property. It would be better to translate, guardians and stewards.

Until the time appointed of the father.--From this it would appear that the length of the minority was determined by the father. This, however, was not the case either in Greek or Roman law; and the suggestion that the father may have had larger powers in Galatia than elsewhere, though supported by some remote indications, seems to be one of those subtleties in which learning sometimes overreaches itself; it being unlikely that the short sojourn of the Apostle in Galatia would have been enough to make him acquainted with the technicalities of the Galatian code. It is more probable that the application of the analogy has here come in to modify the statement of the analogy itself. The minority of the human race is fixed by the heavenly Father, though the earthly father, in disposing of his children, has to conform to another law than his own will.

Verse 2. - But is under tutors and governors (ἀλλὰ ὑπὸ ἐπιτρόπους ἐστὶ καὶ οἰκονόμους) but is under guardians and stewards. Ἐπίτροπος is, in Greek, the proper designation of a minor's guardian; as, for example, is shown by Demosthenes's speeches against Aphobus, who had been his ἐπίτροπος. These speeches also show that the ἐπίτροπος was entrusted with the handling of the property of his ward. Yet, as οἰκονόμος more especially denotes one entrusted with the management of property, it should seem that St. Paul uses the former term with more especial reference to the guardian's control over the person of his ward. The ward has to do what the ἐπίτροπος, guardian, thinks proper, with no power of ordering his actions according to his own will; while, on the other hand, the youth is not able to appropriate or apply any of his property further than as the "steward" thinks right; between the two he is bound hand and foot to other people's control. The plural number of the two nouns indicates the rough and general way in which the apostle means to sketch the case; speaking in a general way, one may describe a minor as subject to "guardians and stewards." Until the time appointed of the father (ἄχρι τῆς προθεσμίας τοῦ πατρός). The noun προθεσμία, properly an adjective, ὥρα or ἡμέρα being understood, is used very commonly to denote, either a determined period during which a thing is to be done or forborne, which is its most ordinary sense (see Reiske's 'Lexicon to Demosthenes'); or the further limit of such a period, whence Symmachus uses it to render the Hebrew word for "end" in Job 28:3; or, lastly, a specified time at which a certain thing was to take place, as, for example, Josephus, 'Ant.,' 7:04, 7, "When the (προθεσμία) day appointed for the payment came." This last seems to be the meaning of the word here, though it admits of being taken in the second sense, as describing the limit of the child's period of nonage. The somewhat loosely constructed genitive, τοῦ πατρός, "of the father," may be compared either with the διδακτοὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ, "taught of God" (John 6:45), or, in a somewhat different application, "the chastening and admonition of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4). In reference to the whole case as stated by the apostle, it has been asked - Is the father to be conceived of as dead, or as only gone out of the country, or how? It is sufficient to reply that "the point of the comparison" - to use Bishop Lightfoot's words - "lies, not in the circum stances of the father, but of the son;" and, further, that to supplement the description which the apostle gives by additional particulars not relevant for the purpose of the comparison would only tend to cloud our view of its actual import. In fact, any image taken from earthly things to illustrate things spiritual will inevitably, if completely filled out, be found to be in some respects halting. Another inquiry has engaged the attention of commentators, as to how far the particular circumstance, that the period of nonage is made dependent upon the father's appoint meat, can be shown to agree with actual usage as it then obtained. It would seem that no positive proof has hitherto been alleged that such an hypothesis was in strict conformity with either Greek or Roman or Hebrew law. And hence some have had recourse to the precarious and far-fetched supposition that St. Paul founds his thesis on Galatian usage, arguing that such would have been in accordance with that purely arbitrary control which, according to Caesar ('Bell. Gall.,' 6:19), a paterfamilias exercised over wife and children among the kindred tribes in Gaul. The scruple, how ever, now referred to arises from supposing that we know more about the facts than we really do know. So far as has been shown, we cannot tell what was really the precise rule of procedure which, in the case described by the apostle, prevailed either in Judaea, or in Tarsus, or in Galatia; nor again from what region of actual experience St. Paul drew his illustration. We, therefore, have no possible right to say that the case which he supposes was not fairly supposable. On the contrary, when we reflect how open the apostle's mind was for taking note of facts about him, and how wide and varied his survey, we may safely rest assured that his supposed case was in reality framed in perfect accordance to the civil usage, to which the Galatians would understand him to refer. At the same time, it must be conceded that, amongst different modes of arranging a minor's case which actual usage permitted or may be imagined to have permitted, the apostle selected just that particular mode which would best suit his present immediate purpose.

Parallel Commentaries ...


He is
ἐστὶν (estin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

subject to
ὑπὸ (hypo)
Preposition
Strong's 5259: A primary preposition; under, i.e. of place, or with verbs; of place (underneath) or where (below) or time (when).

guardians
ἐπιτρόπους (epitropous)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2012: From epi and tropos; a commissioner, i.e. Domestic manager, guardian.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

trustees
οἰκονόμους (oikonomous)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3623: A household manager, a steward, guardian.

until
ἄχρι (achri)
Preposition
Strong's 891: As far as, up to, until, during. Or achris akh'-rece; akin to akron; until or up to.

the
τῆς (tēs)
Article - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

date set
προθεσμίας (prothesmias)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 4287: From pro and a derivative of tithemi; fixed beforehand, i.e. a designated day.

by [his]
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

father.
πατρός (patros)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3962: Father, (Heavenly) Father, ancestor, elder, senior. Apparently a primary word; a 'father'.


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NT Letters: Galatians 4:2 But is under guardians and stewards until (Gal. Ga)