To whom is Paul speaking in Galatians 4:9?
The Galatian believers addressed here were Paul’s converts from paganism and idolatry. They had recently come out of that darkness into the light of Paul’s gospel, so he speaks to those who once knew idols but now had come to know God.
Les explains that Paul’s converts came religiously from paganism, because the whole world around Paul was steeped in paganism, mythology, and idol worship. In Galatians 4:8–9, Paul is referring to people who had recently been steeped in idolatry and paganism but had now come out of the darkness and stepped into the light of Paul’s gospel. He uses the same analogy and word that Israel was steeped in with their system of worship, while the pagans were doing much the same with ritual and services. So the “you” in Galatians 4:9 are former idolaters and pagans who had now known God through Paul’s gospel.
But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?