Matthew Poole and continuators on Galatians 4:9

9 But now after that you have known God , or rather are known of God , how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage ?

After that you are come to a true, and saving knowledge of God in Christ, and know God as he is.

Or rather after you are received of God, approved of him, made through Christ acceptable to him, which is much more then a true comprehension of God in your notion and understanding.

How turn you back again to the legal services of the Ceremonial Law, which he calleth Elements or Rudiments, because they were Gods first instructions given to his Church for his Worship, to which he intended afterward a more perfect way of Worship. He calls them weak ▪ because they brought nothing to perfection; and the observance of them was impotent as to the Justification of a Soul, as all the Law is. He calls them beggerly in comparison of the more rational, spiritual way of worship under the Gospel.

He saith that they desired to be in bondage unto these, because they would not see and make use of the liberty from them, which Christ had purchased. Obj. It may be objected, that the Galatians were not educated in Iudaism; how then doth the Apostle charge them with turning back to them? Answ. This hath made some think, that, by the weak, and beggerly Elements mentioned in this verse, the Apostle meaneth their Gentile superstitions and idolatries; but this is not probable, the Apostle all along the Epistle charging them with no such Apostacy. Others think, that he in this verse chiefly reflecteth on the believing Jews, who afterwards returned again to the use of the Law. But why may not we rather say, that he calleth their fact a turning back, not so much with reference to their personal practice, as to the State of the Church; which was once under those Elements, but by the coming of Christ was brought into a more perfect state. So that for them who were called into the Church in the time of this its more perfect state, for them to return to the bondage of the Law, that was truly to turn back; if not to any practise of their own, which they had cast off, yet to a state of the Church, which the Church of God had now outgrown.

Marginal references: 1 Cor. 8.3. and 13.12.; Col. 2.20.; Or, back.; Heb. 7.18.; Or, Rudiments.