Archived Daily Manna | Rejoice Fellowship | A mission to release people to rejoice in the world.

Message: We must first keep in mind how Paul is using the word “children” here. It is a metaphor for those who have not come to know Christ. Paul says that when we are children we are enslaved to the “elements.” What he meant by this is wide-open to interpretation. One eminent scholar claims that the term “elements” in this passage has been translated/interpreted 250 different ways! (The BSB has translated this with a bit of interpretation, i.e. “elemental forces.”) But the multitude of possibilities is less troubling than it sounds, because they do not contradict each other. Rather, each of them adds to our understanding. It is a sound rule of Bible interpretation that, when there are more than one possible meaning — an ambiguity — we should first try reading the passage as if it has both (or all) meanings. And, indeed, the rule works here, because there are many ways that primitive people are enslaved to the elements and/or elemental religions. William Blake, Resurrection Resurrection by William Blake Initially, we can say that the Greek word “elements” was used to describe the elemental forces of nature, as the BSB has done. We are slaves to nature when we are born; and people who do not find God remain enslaved to them their entire lives. This slavery further unfolds into two related kinds of slavery. First off, we are completely captured by the world; our greatest natural fear is death, and yet, we will surely die. This is the great freedom we find in Christ, for Christ overcame death and, when we accept Him, we cast off the shackles of death. Also, though, we are born enslaved to our own nature. By our nature, our motivation is always the satisfaction of our animal instincts and the glorification of ourselves. Even our love is selfish. Atheists love their children, but this is not a selfless love: it reflects an inborn drive for genetic dominance, a reproductive imperative. We seek to avoid death by propagating our DNA. It is in this drive that we find the ultimate root of social behaviors such as racial dominance, nationalism, and politics. The Greek word for “elements”, however, can also mean “elemental religion,” and this second basic translation also leads to multiple variations. One very clear example: the stars are part of nature. They are not gods. Yet, from the earliest recorded history people have treated them as gods. You can open a newspaper today and find your horoscope, the remnant of a silly, complex religion based on the assumption that the position of the stars has supernatural power over our lives. Our Greek word “elements” was specifically used at times to describe the Zodiac. Thus, we can read this passage to mean: “Before we knew God, we were enslaved to the fictional religion of astrology.” astrology leo pisces aquarius Another clear possibility corresponds more closely to an English-language meaning of “elements,” which is the four elements of nature: earth, air, fire, and water. Countless philosophies, religions, and quasi-religions are based on the hypothesis that all reality comprises combinations of these four essential forms. Moloch was a fire god; Poseidon and Osiris, gods of water. Or, elemental religion might easily refer to primitive worship of natural powers. Native Americans worshipped bears and crows. The Egyptians worshipped the Nile River. Most primitive religions have a sun god and a god related to human reproduction. And at the other extreme, “elemental religion” can refer specifically to Judaism; the false belief that one might become righteous before God by following the Law of Moses. This translation of “elemental religion” is quite different from the others, obviously, because the god it worships is the true God. And given Paul's emphasis on the Law's inability to give life, Judaism could be his primary intention in discussing elemental religion. In summary, what we take away from the verse is a sense of myriad ways in which we might be enslaved, and that the final, highest (and necessary) system of slavery was the Law. But while the Law was good, and was given by God as the penultimate step to freedom, it was slavery nonetheless. We might picture the Jews of Paul’s day as someone who has lived his life in prison; but when he is finally freed, he will not step through the now-open prison door.