In the Greco-Roman world, a pedagogue was a household slave responsible for a child's moral supervision and daily escort to school—not the primary teacher but a custodian and guide. Paul uses this image powerfully: the Corinthians may have countless 'tutors' in Christ but only one father (1 Cor 4:15). More famously, he describes the Mosaic law as a pedagogue that guided us until Christ came (Gal 3:24-25). Once faith arrived, we're no longer under this custodian. The metaphor captures both protection and limitation—necessary for a season, but meant to be outgrown.