Galatians 4:1-2 - Grounded

"But I am saying, over as much time as the heir is a minor, he is not better than a slave, [even] being lord of all, but rather under guardians he is and stewards until the set-time of the father."

-Paul now employs a slightly different metaphor of child.  Previously we were young children in need of a pedagogue, an ancient nanny, someone to watch over us (i.e. the law).  Here, we are (were) minors, members of the family and destined to one day be in charge but now lacking the freedom and privileges accorded to adults.  We were no different than slaves, he says.  The Greek word is carrying through.  If a person or thing is ‘carrying thru’ in a comparison (as opposed to being carried thru), they are better somehow than that to which they are being compared.  And in much the same way that slaves do not enjoy the freedom to be able to make their own choices, minors do not possess any greater degree of autonomy.  In this sense they are no better than slaves, than those who are so much property of the family, even though these minors as heirs actually have a share in owning the slaves.  Yet they are not free.  Guardians and house stewards do all the deciding for them.  They must do what they are told - until such a day as they are declared to be an adult, an honor and status which will typically be conferred to them by their father.  Dad is ultimately in charge.  But the point here is that for all intensive purposes the heir is a slave, essentially in bondage to the guardians and managers.  Do you remember those days, that time when you were (or should have been) under the authority of your parents (or those in their employ)?  And the angst you felt as you entered adolescence and began to chomp at the bit, wanting more and more autonomy, freedom to spread your wings and try them out, and never seeming to have enough?  This is the way we were, grounded by the law.  Read on...