1But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a bondservant, though he is lord of all, 2but is under guardians and stewards until the day appointed by the father. 3So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental principles of the world. 4But when the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law, 5that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as children. 6And because you are children, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!” 7So you are no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
8However at that time, not knowing God, you were in bondage to those who by nature are not gods. 9But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, why do you turn back again to the weak and miserable elemental principles, to which you desire to be in bondage all over again? 10You observe days, months, seasons, and years. 11I am afraid for you, that I might have wasted my labor for you.
12I beg you, brothers, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong, 13but you know that because of weakness in the flesh I preached the Good News to you the first time. 14That which was a temptation to you in my flesh, you didn’t despise nor reject; but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
15What was the blessing you enjoyed? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me. 16So then, have I become your enemy by telling you the truth? 17They zealously seek you in no good way. No, they desire to alienate you, that you may seek them. 18But it is always good to be zealous in a good cause, and not only when I am present with you.
19My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ is formed in you— 20but I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.
21Tell me, you that desire to be under the law, don’t you listen to the law? 22For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the servant, and one by the free woman. 23However, the son by the servant was born according to the flesh, but the son by the free woman was born through promise. 24These things contain an allegory, for these are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children to bondage, which is Hagar. 25For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answers to the Jerusalem that exists now, for she is in bondage with her children. 26But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27For it is written,
“Rejoice, you barren who don’t bear.
Break out and shout, you who don’t travail.
For the desolate women have more children than her who has a husband.”
28Now we, brothers, as Isaac was, are children of promise. 29But as then, he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now. 30However, what does the Scripture say? “Throw out the servant and her son, for the son of the servant will not inherit with the son of the free woman.” 31So then, brothers, we are not children of a servant, but of the free woman.
Paul did not demean his call to be a servant of Jesus, he, nonetheless was thankful for his life as a Jew who was reared in the Pharisaic tradition according to Phil 3:5, 6; Gal 1:14; and 2 Cor 11:22. This background was invaluable in causing him to think and express himself in Old Testament categories and images, as well as the knowledge he had of the Hebrew Bible, manifested in approximately ninety references. As well, this Jewish background is seen in his understanding of the unity of God's acts in the Old Testament and the Christian gospel (Rom 1:2) in preparation for Jesus the Messiah.
In agreement with this being part of his life, his influence by Greek literary works was also of much value to him as well. That the apostle knew the Greek language and had Greek training in rhetoric, philosophy, and literature is evident. Though he may not have been a professional rhetor (orator), his mode of expression reveals, at least at times, the influence of Greek rhetoric. There are minor examples of the Cynic-Stoic manner of argument called diatribe, a discourse conducted in a conversational style with a fictitious opponent; sentence structure in a diatribe is short, questions are interjected; antithesis and parallel phrases often punctuate the development (cf Rom 2:1-20 and 1 Cor 9:2). Formerly many scholars considered such terms as "Lord," "Son of God," "flesh and spirit," "mystery," to the Hellenistic background of Paul, and Hellenistic Gnosticism is ascribed his use of "Adam" and "Man," the redeemer myth, pre-existence, etc. However, it is now recognized that these ideas were prevalent in first-century Palestinian Judaism. 3) Since Paul also lived 10 years in a Hellenistic climate, before his first mission, in such centers as Damascus, Tarsus, and Antioch, rather than the agrarian life of Palestine, Paul used images from the city culture, especially the Hellenistic one. He uses Greek political terminology (Phil 1:27; 3:20; Eph 2:19); alludes to Greek games (Phil 2:16; 3:14; 1 Cor 9:24-27; 2 Cor 4:8-9); uses Greek commercial terms (Phlm 18; Col 2:14) and legal terminology. (Gal 3:15; 4:1-2; Rom 7:1-3) and refers to the Hellenistic slave trade (1 Cor 7:22; Rom 7:14) and celebration in honor of the emperor (1 Thess 2:19).