The confusion of Galatians 4:9-10 and Colossians 2:16
Galatians 4:9-10 like Colossians 2:16 has also been abused in both ways as part of Satan’s plan to keep people confused but most importantly, away from one of the Commandments of God. Some have concluded that since the Sabbath of the Lord is a day and Galatians 4:9-10 uses the word day, and Paul speaks of bondage, then the fourth Commandment must be bondage and done away with.
As shown earlier, the Ten Commandments are the perfect law of liberty (James 1:25), and Galatians 4:9-10 speaks of bondage which the “Law of Moses” (ordinances) was. It had ceremonial feast Days, Monthly new moon festivals and Yearly ceremonial sabbaths that all ended at the cross. Not so with the Ten Commandments which are to last as last as long as Heaven and Earth (Matthew 5:17-19.) Compare this passage with Colossians 2:14-16 that Paul also wrote.
Galatians 4:9-10 “But now, after that you have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn you again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto you desire again to be in bondage? 10 You observe days, and months, and times, and years.”
Colossians 2:14-16 “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; … 16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink [offerings], or in respect of an holy day [Holy days], or of the new moon [months], or of the Sabbath days: [years eg; Passover sabbath etc.]” Parentheses are added.
There is no doubt that the Greek word for “ordinances” means the ceremonial law or the Law of Moses. Strong’s definition is “a law (civil, ceremonial or ecclesiastical): - decree, ordinance.”
Part two of the Thayer Dictionary sheds even more light.
“2) The rules and requirements of the Law of Moses; carrying a suggestion of severity and of threatened judgment.”
The “Law of Moses” is also called the “Mosaic Law”, the “Book of the Law” and as we have seen by the definition given by the KJV Bible in Colossians 2:14, the “Ordinances.” There is no doubt that the Book of the Law (ordinances) is not the Ten Commandment law and that Paul has said we no longer need to observe the feast holydays that were associated with these ordinances as some teach in ignorance. This was the whole problem that Paul was addressing as some Jews were still doing this.
The proponents teaching we still need to keep the feast days say that these days, months and years in Galatians 4:9-10 are pagan feast days and not the “Law of Moses.” If one continues reading chapter 4, we find Paul leaves no chance of misunderstanding the bondage he is referring to as he compares the two Covenants made at Sinai. One Covenant was the Ten Commandments [the Perfect law of Liberty - freedom] which represented the free woman, while the other Covenant was the “Law of Moses” which is represented the bond woman. So unless God made a Covenant with Moses on pagan feasts days, (obviously not) then the bondage referred to by Paul is the “Law of Moses.”
Galatians 4:21-26 “Tell me, you that desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? 22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. 23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. 24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. 25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.”
For further confirmation on what Law Paul is referring to in verse 21 above, note the following from the late famous theologian Adam Clarke, LL.D., F.S.A., (1762-1832).
“Galatians 4:21 - Ye that desire to be under the law - Ye who desire to incorporate the Mosaic institutions with Christianity, and thus bring yourselves into bondage to circumcision, and a great variety of oppressive rites.
Do ye not hear the law? - Do ye not understand what is written in the Pentateuch relative to Abraham and his children. It is evident that the word law is used in two senses in this verse. It first means the Mosaic institutions; secondly, the Pentateuch, where the history is recorded to which the apostle refers.”
Select for detailed information on what is the law in Galatians.