Galatians 4:8

“Howbeit then, when ye know not God, etc..] Whilst in Gentilism, and in a state of unregeneracy, they had no true knowledge of God; though they might know by the light of nature, and works of creation, that there was a God, yet they did not know who he was, but called either mortal men, or some one or other of the creatures, or stocks, and stones, and images of men's device, by this name; they knew not the God of Israel; they did not know God in Christ, and are therefore said to be without him; and a common description of them it is, that they knew not God: and whilst this was their case, what follows was true of them, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods; only by name, and in…”

“Appeal to them not to turn back from their privileges as free sons, to legal bondage again. then--when ye were "servants" (Gal 4:7). ye knew not God--not opposed to Rom 1:21. The heathen originally knew God, as Rom 1:21 states, but did not choose to retain God in their knowledge, and so corrupted the original truth. They might still have known Him, in a measure, from His works, but as a matter of fact they knew Him not, so far as His eternity, His power as the Creator, and His holiness, are concerned. are no gods--that is, have no existence, such as their worshippers attribute to them, in the nature of things, but only in the corrupt imaginations of their worshippers (see on Co1 8:4; Co1…”

“Howbeit - But, ἀλλὰ alla. The address in this verse and the following is evidently to the portion of the Galatians who had been pagan. This is probably indicated by the particle ἀλλὰ alla, but denoting a transition. In the previous verses Paul had evidently had the Jewish converts more particularly in his eye, and had described their former condition as one of servitude to the Mosaic rites and customs, and had shown the inconveniences of that condition, compared with the freedom imparted by the gospel. To complete the description, he refers also to the Gentiles, as a condition of worse servitude still, and shows Galatians 4:9 the absurdity of their turning back to a state of bondage of…”

“Indeed then when ye knew not God, ye served them that by nature - That is, in reality. Are no gods - And so were under a far worse bondage than even that of the Jews. For they did serve the true God, though in a low, slavish manner. Galatians 4:9”

“4:8-11 Paul reminds the Galatians of their former paganism; he argues that practicing circumcision (and the law in general) would be a return to the same kind of slavery that they experienced before they knew God. 4:8 The Gentile Galatians had previously practiced pagan idolatry; they worshiped the elements and the seasons (cp. Rom 1:25) and were slaves to the fear of offending these so-called gods (1 Cor 8:5-6).”

“when: Exo 5:2; Jer 10:25; Joh 1:10; Act 17:23, Act 17:30; Rom 1:28; Co1 1:21; Eph 2:11, Eph 2:12, Eph 4:18; Th1 4:5; Th2 1:8; Jo1 3:1 ye did: Jos 24:2, Jos 24:15; Psa 115:4-8, Psa 135:15-18; Isa 44:9-20; Jer 10:3-16; Act 14:12, Act 17:29; Rom 1:23; Co1 8:4, Co1 10:19, Co1 10:20, Co1 12:2; Th1 1:9; Pe1 4:3 Galatians 4:9”