An illustration from the ordinary fact of society, as it existed in the Galatian cities, is here stated: "I speak after

the manner of men". The Will (diatheke) of a human being is irrevocable when once duly executed. But if Paul

is speaking about a Will, how can he say, after it is once made, it is irrevocable?

Such irrevocability was a characteristic feature of Greek law, according to which an heir outside the family must

be adopted into the family; and the adoption was the Will-making. The testator, after adopting his heir, could

not subsequently take away from him his share of the inheritance or impose new conditions on his succession.

The Roman-Syrian Law Book will illustrate this passage of the Epistle. It actually lays down the principle that a

man can never put away an adopted son, and that he cannot put away a real son without good ground. It is

remarkable that the adopted son should have a stronger position than the son by birth; yet it is so. The expression

in Galatians 3, verse 15, "When it hath been confirmed" must also be observed. Every Will had to be passed

through the Record Office of the city. It was not regarded in the Greek law as a purely private document. It

must be deposited in the Record Office'.

Here it will be seen that one may be `adopted', or made the heir, without being at the same time a true child, but

in the case of the Scriptural usage of adoption there is no idea that the believer is only an `adopted' child, for the

testimony of the Word is explicit on the point that adoption is something added.

`The Spirit Himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God' (Rom. 8:16).

The argument of Galatians 4:1-7 proceeds upon the supposition that there is a difference between `a child' (Gal.

4:1,2) and one who has received the `adoption' (Gal. 4:5). `If a son, then an heir of God through Christ' (Gal. 4:7).

We can see that `adoption' is related to `inheritance' by examining Ephesians 1. There we find the word

`predestinate' used twice, once in verse 5, where it is `unto adoption', and again in verse 11, where it refers to

`inheritance'.

Let us now observe the way in which this important word is used in connection with three different companies of

the redeemed.

In Romans 9 the apostle enumerates the distinctive and exclusive privileges of Israel `according to the flesh';

`Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption' (Rom. 9:4). The structure of the passage relates `adoption'

with `promises', and the whole is important enough to claim our attention before passing on. Accordingly we again

set out the structure:

A According to the flesh, Brethren.

B Who are Israelites.

C To whom pertaineth the ADOPTION.

D And the glory.

E And the covenants.

E And the giving of the law.

D And the service of God.

C And the PROMISES.

B Whose are the fathers.

A As concerning the flesh, Christ came.

No one who has any understanding at all can interpret `Israel' and `according to the flesh' as of the Church, or of

that company where there is `neither Jew nor Greek' (Gal. 3:28).

When Israel were about to be brought out of Egypt, God called the nation His `firstborn', saying, `Israel is My

son, even my firstborn' (Exod. 4:22).

Associated with this position is a citizenship, its city being Jerusalem, the destined centre of the earth when the

Kingdom is set up. This we have already seen on page 119, and need now do no more than quote the references,

viz., Isaiah 2:2,3; Zechariah 14:16,17.