---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In Galatians 4:14 Paul is not contrasting…"
description: "\"“In Galatians 4:14 Paul is not contrasting Christ with an angel; he is equating him with an angel.”\" — Bart D. Ehrman"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94a/bart-d-ehrman-3928_angel_in-galatians-4-14-paul-is-not-contrastin_519380.png"
---

#  In Galatians 4:14 Paul is not contrasting Christ with an…

![“In Galatians 4:14 Paul is not contrasting Christ with an angel; he is equating him with an angel.” quote by Bart D. Ehrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94a/bart-d-ehrman-3928_angel_in-galatians-4-14-paul-is-not-contrastin_519380.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94a/bart-d-ehrman-3928_angel_in-galatians-4-14-paul-is-not-contrastin_519380.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94a/bart-d-ehrman-3928_angel_in-galatians-4-14-paul-is-not-contrastin_519380.png)

> ““In Galatians 4:14 Paul is not contrasting Christ with an angel; he is equating him with an angel.””

[Bart D. Ehrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bart-d-ehrman/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Paul equates Christ with an angel to emphasize his divine status, not to contrast them.

**In simple terms:** Paul sees Christ as divine like an angel.

Key Takeaway

Understand early Christian theological arguments.

Themes

theology scripture divine nature

Mood

scholarly thoughtful

Type

academic historical

When to use this quote

- seminary studies
- faith discussions
- interfaith dialogues
- personal study

Key Concepts

Christology angelology biblical interpretation

Questions to Reflect On

- What does this comparison reveal about early Christian beliefs?
- How does this affect modern views of Christ?

A Different Perspective

Interpretations vary across denominations, leading to differing conclusions.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Angel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angel/) [Galatians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/galatians/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/)

## Related quotes

> [“We receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” (Galatians 3:14).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-trimm/we-receive-the-promise-of-the-spirit-through-faith-galatians-3-14/)

[Cindy Trimm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-trimm/)

> [For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. -Galatians 5:14](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bible/for-all-the-law-is-fulfilled-in-one-word-even-in-this-thou-shalt-love/)

[Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bible/)

> [“We must not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up. Galatians 6:9”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/we-must-not-get-tired-of-doing-good-for-we-will-reap-at-the-proper/)

[Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/)

> [“Paul the apostle, dictating his fierce message to the Galatians, writes, "Formerly, when you did not know God, you were in bondage to beings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fleming-rutledge/paul-the-apostle-dictating-his-fierce-message-to-the-galatians-writes/)

[Fleming Rutledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fleming-rutledge/)

> [“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-mendez-ferrell/now-the-works-of-the-flesh-are-manifest-which-are-these-adultery/)

[Ana Mendez Ferrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-mendez-ferrell/)

> [“Christ has liberated us into freedom. Therefore stand firm and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/christ-has-liberated-us-into-freedom-therefore-stand-firm-and-don-t/)

[Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/)

> [I separated from the Southern Baptists when they adopted the discriminatory attitude towards women, because I believe what Paul taught in Galatians that there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/i-separated-from-the-southern-baptists-when-they-adopted-the/)

[Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/)

> [The marks of Jesus are imprisonment, chains, scourgings, blows and stoning in bearing testimony to the Gospel. Galatians 6:17 - 17 Finally, let no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/the-marks-of-jesus-are-imprisonment-chains-scourgings-blows-and/)

[John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/)

> [Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. To these I commit my day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/love-joy-peace-patience-kindness-goodness-faithfulness-gentleness-and/)

[Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/)

> [ “This is, indeed, an insightful observation. The Archbishop \[Joseph L. Berardin\] insists that the natural resemblance between Christ and his priests must not stop… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-king-jewett/this-is-indeed-an-insightful-observation-the-archbishop-joseph-l/)

Paul King Jewett

> [But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/but-when-the-holy-spirit-controls-our-lives-he-will-produce-this-kind/)

[Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/)

> [“Galatians: “But ye, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of the promise.” And again, in the same Epistle, he plainly declares that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-church-fathers/galatians-but-ye-brethren-as-isaac-was-are-the-children-of-the/)

The Church Fathers

> [Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh, for the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-the-apostle/walk-in-the-spirit-and-ye-shall-not-fulfil-the-lust-of-the-flesh-for/)

[Paul the Apostle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-the-apostle/)

> [ I find it fascinating that Paul \[the apostol\], writing to the Galatians, responds to the question, "What does it mean to live in Christ?"… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/i-find-it-fascinating-that-paul-the-apostol-writing-to-the-galatians/)

[John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/)

> [The God in whose hands are all our days and ways, did cast into my hand one day a book of Martin Luthers; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/the-god-in-whose-hands-are-all-our-days-and-ways-did-cast-into-my/)

[John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/)

## More by Bart D. Ehrman

> [“If you get fired from your job, that’s outside your control, so you shouldn’t be personally invested in your job.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bart-d-ehrman/if-you-get-fired-from-your-job-that-s-outside-your-control-so-you/)

[Bart D. Ehrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bart-d-ehrman/)

> [“It’s like what some Episcopalians say about themselves today: get four in a room and you’ll find five opinions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bart-d-ehrman/it-s-like-what-some-episcopalians-say-about-themselves-today-get-four/)

[Bart D. Ehrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bart-d-ehrman/)

> [“The Synoptics simply accept a Christological view that is different from Paul’s. They hold to exaltation Christologies, and Paul holds to an incarnation Christology.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bart-d-ehrman/the-synoptics-simply-accept-a-christological-view-that-is-different/)

[Bart D. Ehrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bart-d-ehrman/)

> [“If Jesus really were equal with God from “the beginning,” before he came to earth, and he knew it, then surely the Synoptic Gospels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bart-d-ehrman/if-jesus-really-were-equal-with-god-from-the-beginning-before-he-came/)

[Bart D. Ehrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bart-d-ehrman/)

> [“Moreover, this earlier tradition has a different view of Christ than the one that Paul explicates elsewhere in his surviving writings. Here, unlike in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bart-d-ehrman/moreover-this-earlier-tradition-has-a-different-view-of-christ-than/)

[Bart D. Ehrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bart-d-ehrman/)

> [“Origen delved into theological areas that had not yet been examined by any of his predecessors in the faith .. Later theologians questioned his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bart-d-ehrman/origen-delved-into-theological-areas-that-had-not-yet-been-examined/)

[Bart D. Ehrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bart-d-ehrman/)

> [“Later orthodox theologians would have found this view completely inadequate. In stressing that the Father was “greater” than the Son, Tertullian articulated a view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bart-d-ehrman/later-orthodox-theologians-would-have-found-this-view-completely/)

[Bart D. Ehrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bart-d-ehrman/)

> [“What we think of as the twenty-seven books of “the” New Testament emerged out of these conflicts, and it was the side that won…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bart-d-ehrman/what-we-think-of-as-the-twenty-seven-books-of-the-new-testament/)

[Bart D. Ehrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bart-d-ehrman/)

> [“Paul, by the way, never says that Jesus declared himself to be divine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bart-d-ehrman/paul-by-the-way-never-says-that-jesus-declared-himself-to-be-divine/)

[Bart D. Ehrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bart-d-ehrman/)

> [I have such a fantastic life that I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude for it. . . . But I don't have anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bart-d-ehrman/i-have-such-a-fantastic-life-that-i-feel-an-overwhelming-sense-of/)

[Bart D. Ehrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bart-d-ehrman/)

> [“similarity among all the speeches in Acts suggests that they were written by the same person—Luke.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bart-d-ehrman/similarity-among-all-the-speeches-in-acts-suggests-that-they-were/)

[Bart D. Ehrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bart-d-ehrman/)

> [“pastors don’t want to make waves; or they don’t think their congregations are “ready” to hear what scholars are saying;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bart-d-ehrman/pastors-don-t-want-to-make-waves-or-they-don-t-think-their/)

[Bart D. Ehrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bart-d-ehrman/)

> [“This is one of the hard-and-fast ironies of the Christian tradition: views that at one time were the majority opinion, or at least that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bart-d-ehrman/this-is-one-of-the-hard-and-fast-ironies-of-the-christian-tradition/)

[bart D. Ehrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bart-d-ehrman/)

> [“If Jesus predicted that the imminent apocalypse would arrive within his own generation, before his disciples had all died, what was one to think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bart-d-ehrman/if-jesus-predicted-that-the-imminent-apocalypse-would-arrive-within/)

[Bart D. Ehrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bart-d-ehrman/)

> [Sometimes Christian apologists say there are only three options to who Jesus was: a liar, a lunatic or the Lord. But there could be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bart-d-ehrman/sometimes-christian-apologists-say-there-are-only-three-options-to/)

[Bart D. Ehrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bart-d-ehrman/)

[Explore all 118 Bart D. Ehrman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bart-d-ehrman/)

## More Angel quotes

> [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/)

[Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/)

> [If I wer an angel,i would make all your wishes come true..but I'm only a girl a girl who loves you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nix/if-i-wer-an-angel-i-would-make-all-your-wishes-come-true-but-i-m-only/)

[Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nix/)

> [Peace is the first thing the angels sang. Peace is the mark of the children of God. Peace is the nurse of love. Peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-i/peace-is-the-first-thing-the-angels-sang-peace-is-the-mark-of-the/)

[Pope Leo I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-i/)

> [“Every child is born as angel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/every-child-is-born-as-angel/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [“Behind my eyelids, I saw him dancing in spirals of coloured light, emerald, blue, and brilliant purple, enfolding him like the wings of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-hall/behind-my-eyelids-i-saw-him-dancing-in-spirals-of-coloured-light/)

[Alexis Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-hall/)

> [All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/all-that-i-am-or-ever-hope-to-be-i-owe-to-my-angel-mother/)

[Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/)

> [I don't think people will ever forget I was an 'Angel,' anymore than they'll forget Sally Field was 'The Flying Nun.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-ladd/i-don-t-think-people-will-ever-forget-i-was-an-angel-anymore-than/)

[Cheryl Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-ladd/)

> [It's a great story for us whenever an entrepreneur makes a crazy amount of money and we get to tell the world about it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lacy/it-s-a-great-story-for-us-whenever-an-entrepreneur-makes-a-crazy/)

[Sarah Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lacy/)

> [I believe in UFOs, I believe in extraterrestrials, and I believe in angels. And maybe they'll protect all of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/i-believe-in-ufos-i-believe-in-extraterrestrials-and-i-believe-in/)

[Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/)

> [Sometimes we have the absolute certainty there's something inside us that's so hideous and monstrous that if we ever search it out we won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-selby-jr/sometimes-we-have-the-absolute-certainty-there-s-something-inside-us/)

[Hubert Selby, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-selby-jr/)

> [Flowers are the alphabet of angels, whereby they write on the hills and fields mysterious truths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/flowers-are-the-alphabet-of-angels-whereby-they-write-on-the-hills/)

[Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/)

> [You should never feel lonely, neglected, fearful, or defeated when you remember that there are the shining ones. They are watching with keen interest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flower-a-newhouse/you-should-never-feel-lonely-neglected-fearful-or-defeated-when-you/)

[Flower A. Newhouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flower-a-newhouse/)

> [Hark the herald angels sing, 'Glory to the new-born king.' Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wesley/hark-the-herald-angels-sing-glory-to-the-new-born-king-peace-on-earth/)

[Charles Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wesley/)

> [Man was created a little lower than the angels and has been getting a little lower ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/man-was-created-a-little-lower-than-the-angels-and-has-been-getting-a/)

[Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/)

> [Mooner was walking around laying his hands on the cars, divining karma. "this is it", he said, standing by a small khaki-colored jeep."this car…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/mooner-was-walking-around-laying-his-hands-on-the-cars-divining-karma/)

[Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/)

[Browse all 4,625 Angel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angel/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“In Galatians 4:14 Paul is not contrasting Christ with an angel; he is equating him with an angel.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Bart D. Ehrman"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bart-d-ehrman/in-galatians-4-14-paul-is-not-contrasting-christ-with-an-angel-he-is/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Angel"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bart-d-ehrman/in-galatians-4-14-paul-is-not-contrasting-christ-with-an-angel-he-is/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94a/bart-d-ehrman-3928_angel_in-galatians-4-14-paul-is-not-contrastin_519380.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94a/bart-d-ehrman-3928_angel_in-galatians-4-14-paul-is-not-contrastin_519380.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94a/bart-d-ehrman-3928_angel_in-galatians-4-14-paul-is-not-contrastin_519380.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“In Galatians 4:14 Paul is not contrasting Christ with an angel; he is equating him with an angel.” — Bart D. Ehrman",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Bart D. Ehrman",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bart-d-ehrman/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“In Galatians 4:14 Paul is not...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bart-d-ehrman/in-galatians-4-14-paul-is-not-contrasting-christ-with-an-angel-he-is/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bart-d-ehrman/in-galatians-4-14-paul-is-not-contrasting-christ-with-an-angel-he-is/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
