SEV Biblia, Chapter 4:6
Y por cuanto sois hijos, Dios envi el Espíritu de su Hijo en vuestros corazones, el cual clama: Abba, Padre.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Galatians 4:6
Verse 6. And because ye are sons] By faith in Christ Jesus, being redeemed both from the bondage and curse of the law; GOD-the Father, called generally the first person of the glorious TRINITY, hath sent forth the SPIRIT-the Holy Ghost, the second person of that Trinity, of his SON-Jesus Christ, the third person of the Trinity-crying, Abba, Father! from the fullest and most satisfactory evidence that God, the Father, Son, and Spirit, had become their portion. For the explanation of the phrase, and why the Greek and Syriac terms are joined together here, see the notes on Mark xiv. 36, and on Rom. viii. 15.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 6. And because ye are sons , etc..] That is of God, so some copies read; and the Ethiopic version, inasmuch as ye are his sons; not in so high a sense as Christ is the Son of God; nor in so low a sense as all men are his offspring; nor in such sense as magistrates are the children of the most High; nor merely on account of a profession of religion, as the sons of God was a phrase very early used of the worshippers of the true God; but by virtue of adoption, and which is not owing to the merits of men, who are by nature children of wrath, but to the free rich sovereign grace of God. It is a privilege and blessing of grace in which all the three persons are concerned. The Father has predestinated to it, and in the covenant has provided and laid it up; he set up his Son as the pattern to which these sons should be conformed, and proposed the glory of his own grace, as the end; by virtue of which act of grace they were considered as the children of God, as early as the gift of them to Christ; and so by him when he partook of their flesh and blood, and died to gather them together who were scattered abroad; (see Hebrews 2:13,14 John 11:52). The Son of God has also an hand in this affair; for through his espousing their persons, they become the sons and daughters of the Lord God Almighty; and through his assumption of their nature they become his brethren, and so to be in the relation of sons to God; through his redemption they receive the adoption of children, and at his hands the privilege, the power itself, to become such. The Spirit of God not only regenerates them, which is an evidence of their sonship, but as a spirit of adoption manifests it to them, works faith in them to receive it, and frequently witnesses to the truth of it; all which show how any come and are known to be the sons of God. This is a privilege that exceeds all others; it is more to be a son than to be a saint; angels are saints, but not sons, they are servants; it is more to be a child of God, than to be redeemed, pardoned, and justified; it is great grace to redeem from slavery, to pardon criminals, and justify the ungodly; but it is another and an higher act of grace to make them sons; and which makes them infinitely more honourable, than to be the sons and daughters of the greatest potentate upon earth; yea, gives them an honour which Adam had not in innocence, nor the angels in heaven, who though sons by creation, yet not by adoption. The consequence, and so the evidence of it, follows, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying Abba, Father . The Syriac and Arabic versions read, our Father; all the three divine persons here appear, as having a concern in this business, as before observed; here are God and his Son, and the Spirit of his Son, said to be sent; by whom is designed not any work of his upon the heart, nor any of his gifts and graces; but he himself in person, even the same Spirit of God that moved upon the face of the waters at the creation of the world, and moved holy men of God to write the Scriptures; who formed and filled the human nature of Christ, and descended on him as a dove; and by whom Christ and his apostles wrought their miracles; and who is called the Spirit of his Son; as he is frequently by the Jews f79 , jym lm l wjwr , the Spirit of the King Messiah; and sometimes hyrmym jwr , the Spirit of his word, the essential word of God; because he proceeds from him as from the Father, and because he dwells in him, in an eminent manner, as Mediator, and is sent by virtue of his mediation and intercession; and he is the rather mentioned under this character, because adoption proceeds upon the natural sonship of Christ, and is what is the peculiar office of the Spirit to testify. When he is said to be sent, it does not suppose any local motion or change of place in him, who is a spirit infinite, immense, and omnipresent; nor any inferiority to the Father that sends him, or to the Son whose Spirit he is; for he is one God with the Father and Son, and with the Father is the sender of Christ, ( Isaiah 48:16), but it regards his peculiar office in this affair of adoption, by agreement of all the three persons; the Father predestinated to it, the Son redeems, that it might be received, and the Spirit is sent to discover, apply, and bear witness to it; which is a wondrous instance of the grace of God. The place where he is sent is into the heart: where he is as a principle of spiritual life, and which he furnishes and supplies with all grace; where he dwells as in his temple, and is the evidence of God's dwelling there, and also of interest in Christ; is there as a pledge and an earnest of future glory; and the whole is a surprising instance of condescending grace. The work he does there is various, and consists of divers parts; as convincing of sin, and righteousness, working faith, and acting the part of a comforter; but what is here referred to, is the discharge of his office as a spirit of adoption, crying Abba, Father. The word Abba is an Hebrew, or rather a Syriac or Chaldee word, signifying father; and which is added for explanation sake; and its repetition may denote the vehemency of filial affection, the strength of faith and confidence as to interest in the relation; and being expressed both in Hebrew and Greek, may show that God is the Father both of Jews and Gentiles, and that there is but one Father of all; and if it might not be thought too curious an observation, it may be remarked that the word Abba, read backwards or forwards, is the same pronunciation, and may teach us that God is the Father of his people in adversity as well as in prosperity. The act of crying, though it is here ascribed to the Spirit, yet is not properly his, but the believers; and is attributed to him because he excites, encourages, and assists them as a spirit of adoption to call God their Father; and may be understood both of the secret internal crying of the soul, or exercise of faith on God as its Father, and of an open outward invocation of him as such, with much confidence, freedom, and boldness.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-7 - The apostle deals plainly with those who urged the law of Mose together with the gospel of Christ, and endeavoured to bring believer under its bondage. They could not fully understand the meaning of the law as given by Moses. And as that was a dispensation of darkness, s of bondage; they were tied to many burdensome rites and observances, by which they were taught and kept subject like a child under tutors an governors. We learn the happier state of Christians under the gospe dispensation. From these verses see the wonders of Divine love an mercy; particularly of God the Father, in sending his Son into the world to redeem and save us; of the Son of God, in submitting so low and suffering so much for us; and of the Holy Spirit, in condescendin to dwell in the hearts of believers, for such gracious purposes. Also the advantages Christians enjoy under the gospel. Although by natur children of wrath and disobedience, they become by grace children of love, and partake of the nature of the children of God; for he wil have all his children resemble him. Among men the eldest son is heir but all God's children shall have the inheritance of eldest sons. Ma the temper and conduct of sons ever show our adoption; and may the Holy Spirit witness with our spirits that we are children and heirs of God.
Greek Textus Receptus
οτι 3754 δε 1161 εστε 2075 5748 υιοι 5207 εξαπεστειλεν 1821 5656 ο 3588 θεος 2316 το 3588 πνευμα 4151 του 3588 υιου 5207 αυτου 846 εις 1519 τας 3588 καρδιας 2588 υμων 5216 κραζον 2896 5723 αββα 5 ο 3588 πατηρ 3962
Vincent's NT Word Studies
6. Because ye are sons (oti). For oti in this sense at the beginning of a clause see Rom. ix. 7; 1 Cor. xii. 15; John xv. 19; xx. 29. The emphasis is on sons. The spirit would not be given is ye were not sons. Others take oti as demonstrative, as a proof that ye are sons; but examples of such usage are wanting. It is not a proof of the fact of sonship that the apostle is giving, but a consequence of it. Comp. Rom. viii. 16, where the witness of the Spirit attests the sonship.
The Spirit of his Son. The Holy Spirit which animated Jesus in his human life, and which, in the risen Christ, is the life-principle of believers. See 1 Cor. xv. 45, and comp. Rom. viii. 9-11. The Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of Christ, Rom. viii. 9, 10, where Paul uses Spirit of God, Spirit of Christ and Christ as convertible terms. The phrase Spirit of Jesus Christ only Philip. i. 19. In John iii. 34 Christ is represented as dispensing the Spirit. He is fully endowed with the Spirit (Mark i. 10; John i. 32): he sends the Spirit from the Father to the disciples, and he is the burden of the Spirit's testimony (John xv. 26; xvi. 7, 9, 10, 15). The Paraclete is given in answer to Christ's prayer (John xiv. 16). Christ identifies his own coming and presence with those of the Spirit (John xiv. 17, 18). Paul identifies him personally with the Spirit (2 Corinthians iii. 17).
Our hearts. Note the interchange of persons: we might receive, ye are sons, our hearts. Comp. Rom. vii. 4.
Crying (krazon). A strong word, expressing deep emotion. The verb originally represents the sound of a croak or harsh scream; thence, generally, an inarticulate cry; an exclamation of fear or pain. The cry of an animal. So Aristoph. Knights, 1017, of the barking of a dog: 285, 287, of two men in a quarrel, trying to bawl each other down: Frogs, 258, of the croaking of frogs. This original sense appears in N.T. usage, as Matthew xiv. 26; xv. 23; xxvii. 50; Mark v. 5, etc., and is recognized even where the word is used in connection with articulate speech, by adding to it the participles legwn, legontev saying, or didaskwn teaching. See Matt. viii. 29; xv. 22; Mark iii. 11; John vii. 28, etc. In Mark x. 47 the inarticulate cry and the articulate utterance are distinguished. At the same time, the word is often used of articulate speech without such additions, as Mark x. 48; xi. 9; xv. 13, 14; Luke xviii. 39; Acts vii. 60; xix. 34; Rom. viii. 15. It falls into more dignified association in LXX, where it is often used of prayer or appeal to God, as Judg. iii. 9, 15; iv. 3; vi. 7; Psalm xxi. 2, 5; xxvii. 1, liv. 16; and in N.T., where it is applied to solemn, prophetic utterance, as Romans ix. 27; John i. 15, and is used of Jesus himself, as John vii. 28, 37; xii. 44, and of the Holy Spirit, as here. The Spirit gives the inspiration of which the believer is the organ. In Rom. viii. 15 the statement is inverted. The believer cries under the power of the Spirit.
Abba, Father. Comp. Mark xiv. 36; Rom. viii. 15. O pathr the Father, is not added in order to explain the Aramaic Abba for Greek readers. Rather the whole phrase Abba oJ pathr had passed into the early Christian prayers, the Aramaic title by which Christ addressed his Father (Mark xiv. 36) being very early united with the Greek synonym. Such combinations of Hebrew and Greek addresses having the same meaning were employed in rabbinical writings. Comp. also Apoc. ix. 11; xii. 9.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
4:6 {Because ye are sons} (hoti este huioi). this is the reason for sending forth the Son (#4:4 and here). We were "sons" in God's elective purpose and love. hoti is causal (#1Co 12:15; Ro 9:7). {The Spirit of his Son} (to pneuma tou huioi autou). The Holy Spirit, called the Spirit of Christ (#Ro 8:9f.), the Spirit of Jesus Christ (#Php 1:19). The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and from the Son (#Joh 15:26). {Crying, Abba, Father} (krazon Abba ho pater). The participle agrees with pneuma neuter (grammatical gender), not neuter in fact. An old, though rare in present as here, onomatopoetic word to croak as a raven (Theophrastus, like Poe's _The Raven_), any inarticulate cry like "the unuttered groanings" of #Ro 8:26 which God understands. this cry comes from the Spirit of Christ in our hearts. Abba is the Aramaic word for father with the article and ho pater translates it. The articular form occurs in the vocative as in #Joh 20:28. It is possible that the repetition here and in #Ro 8:15 may be "a sort of affectionate fondness for the very term that Jesus himself used" (Burton) in the Garden of Gethsemane (#Mr 14:36). The rabbis preserve similar parallels. Most of the Jews knew both Greek and Aramaic. But there remains the question why Jesus used both in his prayer. Was it not natural for both words to come to him in his hour of agony as in his childhood? The same thing may be true here in Paul's case.
