Galatians 6

Ga 6:1-18.

EXHORTATIONS

CONTINUED; TO

FORBEARANCE AND

HUMILITY;

LIBERALITY TO

TEACHERS AND IN

GENERAL.

POSTSCRIPT AND

BENEDICTION.

1. Brethren--An expression of kindness to conciliate attention.

Translate as Greek, "If a man even be overtaken" (that

is, caught in the very act [ALFORD and ELLICOTT]: BEFORE he expects:

unexpectedly). BENGEL explains the "before" in the

Greek compound verb, "If a man be overtaken in a fault before

ourselves": If another has really been overtaken in a fault

the first; for often he who is first to find fault, is

the very one who has first transgressed.

a fault--Greek, "a transgression," "a fall"; such as a

falling back into legal bondage. Here he gives monition to those who

have not so fallen, "the spiritual," to be not "vainglorious"

(Ga 5:26),

but forbearing to such

(Ro 15:1).

restore--The Greek is used of a dislocated limb, reduced to its

place. Such is the tenderness with which we should treat a fallen member

of the Church in restoring him to a better state.

the spirit of meekness--the meekness which is the gift

of the Holy Spirit working in our spirit

(Ga 5:22, 25).

"Meekness" is that temper of spirit towards God whereby we accept His

dealings without disputing; then, towards men, whereby we endure meekly

their provocations, and do not withdraw ourselves from the burdens

which their sins impose upon us [TRENCH].

considering thyself--Transition from the plural to the singular. When

congregations are addressed collectively, each individual should take

home the monition to himself.

thou also be tempted--as is likely to happen to those who reprove

others without meekness (compare

Mt 7:2-5;

2Ti 2:25;

Jas 2:13).

2. If ye, legalists, must "bear burdens," then instead of legal

burdens

(Mt 23:4),

"bear one another's burdens," literally, "weights." Distinguished by

BENGEL from "burden,"

Ga 6:4

(a different Greek word, "load"): "weights" exceed the strength

of those under them; "burden" is proportioned to the strength.

so fulfil--or as other old manuscripts read, "so ye will fulfil,"

Greek, "fill up," "thoroughly fulfil."

the law of Christ--namely, "love"

(Ga 5:14).

Since ye desire "the law," then fulfil the law of Christ, which is not

made up of various minute observances, but whose sole "burden" is

"love"

(Joh 13:34; 15:12);

Ro 15:3

gives Christ as the example in the particular duty here.

3. Self-conceit, the chief hindrance to forbearance and sympathy

towards our fellow men, must be laid aside.

something--possessed of some spiritual pre-eminence, so as to be

exempt from the frailty of other men.

when he is nothing--The Greek is subjective: "Being, if he would

come to himself, and look on the real fact, nothing" [ALFORD]

(Ga 6:2, 6;

Ro 12:3;

1Co 8:2).

deceiveth himself--literally, "he mentally deceives himself." Compare

Jas 1:26,

"deceiveth his own heart."

4. his own work--not merely his own opinion of himself.

have rejoicing in himself alone--Translate, "Have his

(matter for) glorying in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to

another (namely, not in regard to his neighbor, by comparing himself

with whom, he has fancied he has matter for boasting as that neighbor's

superior)." Not that really a man by looking to "himself alone" is

likely to find cause for glorying in himself. Nay, in

Ga 6:5,

he speaks of a "burden" or load, not of matter for glorying, as

what really belongs to each man. But he refers to the idea those

whom he censures had of themselves: they thought they had

cause for "glorying" in themselves, but it all arose from unjust

self-conceited comparison of themselves with others, instead of looking

at home. The only true glorying, if glorying it is to be called, is in

the testimony of a good conscience, glorying in the cross of

Christ.

5. For (by this way,

Ga 6:4,

of proving himself, not depreciating his neighbor by comparison) each

man shall bear his own "burden," or rather, "load" (namely, of

sin and infirmity), the Greek being different from that in

Ga 6:2.

This verse does not contradict

Ga 6:2.

There he tells them to bear with others' "burdens" of infirmity in

sympathy; here, that self-examination will make a man to feel he has

enough to do with "his own load" of sin, without comparing himself

boastfully with his neighbor. Compare

Ga 6:3.

Instead of "thinking himself to be something," he shall feel the "load"

of his own sin: and this will lead him to bear sympathetically with his

neighbor's burden of infirmity. ÆSOP says a

man carries two bags over his shoulder, the one with his own sins

hanging behind, that with his neighbor's sins in front.

6. From the mention of bearing one another's burdens, he passes to one

way in which those burdens may be borne--by ministering out of their

earthly goods to their spiritual teachers. The "but" in the Greek,

beginning of this verse, expresses this: I said, Each shall bear his own

burden; BUT I do not intend that he should not think of others, and

especially of the wants of his ministers.

communicate unto him--"impart a share unto his teacher": literally,

"him that teacheth catechetically."

in all good things--in every kind of the good things of this

life, according as the case may require

(Ro 15:27;

1Co 9:11, 14).

7. God is not mocked--The Greek verb is, literally, to

sneer with the nostrils drawn up in contempt. God does not suffer

Himself to be imposed on by empty words: He will judge according to

works, which are seeds sown for eternity of either joy or woe. Excuses

for illiberality in God's cause

(Ga 6:6)

seem valid before men, but are not so before God

(Ps 50:21).

soweth--especially of his resources

(2Co 9:6).

that--Greek, "this"; this and nothing else.

reap--at the harvest, the end of the world

(Mt 13:39).

8. Translate, "He that soweth unto his own flesh," with a view to

fulfilling its desires. He does not say, "His spirit," as he does say,

"His flesh." For in ourselves we are not spiritual, but carnal. The

flesh is devoted to selfishness.

corruption--that is, destruction

(Php 3:19).

Compare as to the deliverance of believers from "corruption"

(Ro 8:21).

The use of the term "corruption" instead, implies that

destruction is not an arbitrary punishment of

fleshly-mindedness, but is its natural fruit; the corrupt flesh

producing corruption, which is another word for destruction: corruption

is the fault, and corruption the punishment (see on

1Co 3:17;

2Pe 2:12).

Future life only expands the seed sown here. Men cannot mock God

because they can deceive themselves. They who sow tares cannot reap

wheat. They alone reap life eternal who sow to the Spirit

(Ps 126:6;

Pr 11:18; 22:8;

Ho 8:7; 10:12;

Lu 16:25;

Ro 8:11;

Jas 5:7).

9.

(2Th 3:13).

And when we do good, let us also persevere in it without fainting.

in due season--in its own proper season, God's own time

(1Ti 6:15).

faint not--literally, "be relaxed." Stronger than "be not weary."

Weary of well-doing refers to the will; "faint not" to relaxation of

the powers [BENGEL]. No one should faint, as in an earthly harvest

sometimes happens.

10. Translate, "So then, according as (that is, in proportion as)

we have season (that is, opportunity), let us work

(a distinct Greek verb from that for "do," in

Ga 6:9)

that which is (in each case) good." As thou art able, and

while thou art able, and when thou art able

(Ec 9:10).

We have now the "season" for sowing, as also there will be

hereafter the "due season"

(Ga 6:9)

for reaping. The whole life is, in one sense, the "seasonable

opportunity" to us: and, in a narrower sense, there occur in it more

especially convenient seasons. The latter are sometimes lost in looking

for still more convenient seasons

(Ac 24:25).

We shall not always have the opportunity "we have" now. Satan is

sharpened to the greater zeal in injuring us, by the shortness of his

time

(Re 12:12).

Let us be sharpened to the greater zeal in well-doing by the shortness

of ours.

them who are of the household--Every right-minded man does well to

the members of his own family

(1Ti 5:8);

so believers are to do to those of the household of faith, that is,

those whom faith has made members of "the household of God"

(Eph 2:19):

"the house of God"

(1Ti 3:15;

1Pe 4:17).

11. Rather, "See in how large letters I have written." The

Greek is translated "how great" in

Heb 7:4,

the only other passage where it occurs in the New Testament. Owing to

his weakness of eyes

(Ga 4:15)

he wrote in large letters. So JEROME. All the

oldest manuscripts are written in uncial, that is, capital letters, the

"cursive," or small letters, being of more recent date. Paul seems to

have had a difficulty in writing, which led him to make the uncial

letters larger than ordinary writers did. The mention of these is as a

token by which they would know that he wrote the whole Epistle with his

own hand; as he did also the pastoral Epistle, which this Epistle

resembles in style. He usually dictated his Epistles to an amanuensis,

excepting the concluding salutation, which he wrote himself

(Ro 16:22;

1Co 16:21).

This letter, he tells the Galatians, he writes with his own hand, no

doubt in order that they may see what a regard he had for them, in

contrast to the Judaizing teachers

(Ga 6:12),

who sought only their own ease. If English Version be retained,

the words, "how large a letter (literally, 'in how large letters'),"

will not refer to the length of the Epistle absolutely, but that

it was a large one for him to have written with his own hand.

NEANDER supports English Version, as more

appropriate to the earnestness of the apostle and the tone of the

Epistle: "How large" will thus be put for "how many."

12. Contrast between his zeal in their behalf, implied in

Ga 6:11,

and the zeal for self on the part of the Judaizers.

make a fair show--

(2Co 5:12).

in the flesh--in outward things.

they--it is "these" who

constrain you--by example

(Ga 6:13)

and importuning.

only lest--"only that they may not," &c. (compare

Ga 5:11).

suffer persecution--They escaped in a great degree the Jews' bitterness

against Christianity and the offense of the cross of Christ, by making

the Mosaic law a necessary preliminary; in fact, making Christian

converts into Jewish proselytes.

13. Translate, "For not even do they who submit to circumcision, keep

the law themselves

(Ro 2:17-23),

but they wish you (emphatical) to be circumcised," &c. They arbitrarily

selected circumcision out of the whole law, as though observing it

would stand instead of their non-observance of the rest of the law.

that they may glory in your flesh--namely, in the outward change

(opposed to an inward change wrought by the SPIRIT) which they have

effected in bringing you over to their own Jewish-Christian party.

14. Translate, "But as for me (in opposition to those

gloriers 'in your flesh,'

Ga 6:13),

God forbid that I," &c.

in the cross--the atoning death on the cross. Compare

Php 3:3, 7, 8,

as a specimen of his glorying. The "cross," the great object of shame

to them, and to all carnal men, is the great object of glorying to me.

For by it, the worst of deaths, Christ has destroyed all kinds of death

[AUGUSTINE, Tract 36, on John, sec. 4]. We

are to testify the power of Christ's death working in us, after the

manner of crucifixion

(Ga 5:24;

Ro 6:5, 6).

our--He reminds the Galatians by this pronoun, that they had a

share in the "Lord Jesus Christ" (the full name is used for greater

solemnity), and therefore ought to glory in Christ's cross, as he did.

the world--inseparably allied to the "flesh"

(Ga 6:13).

Legal and fleshly ordinances are merely outward, and "elements of the

world"

(Ga 4:3).

is--rather, as Greek, "has been crucified to me"

(Ga 2:20).

He used "crucified" for dead

(Col 2:20,

"dead with Christ"), to imply his oneness with Christ crucified

(Php 3:10):

"the fellowship of His sufferings being made conformable unto His

death."

15. availeth--The oldest manuscripts read, "is" (compare

Ga 5:6).

Not only are they of no avail, but they are nothing. So

far are they from being matter for "glorying," that they are "nothing."

But Christ's cross is "all in all," as a subject for glorying, in "the

new creature"

(Eph 2:10, 15, 16).

new creature--

(2Co 5:17).

A transformation by the renewal of the mind

(Ro 12:2).

16. as many--contrasting with the "as many,"

Ga 6:12.

rule--literally, a straight rule, to detect crookedness; so a

rule of life.

peace--from God

(Eph 2:14-17; 6:23).

mercy--

(Ro 15:9).

Israel of God--not the Israel after the flesh, among whom those

teachers wish to enrol you; but the spiritual seed of Abraham by faith

(Ga 3:9, 29;

Ro 2:28, 29;

Php 3:3).

17. let no man trouble me--by opposing my apostolic authority, seeing

that it is stamped by a sure seal, namely, "I (in contrast to the

Judaizing teachers who gloried in the flesh) bear

(as a high mark of honor from the King of kings)."

the marks--properly, marks branded on slaves to indicate their owners.

So Paul's scars of wounds received for Christ's sake, indicate to whom

he belongs, and in whose free and glorious service he is

(2Co 11:23-25).

The Judaizing teachers gloried in the circumcision mark in the flesh of

their followers: Paul glories in the marks of suffering for

Christ on his own body (compare

Ga 6:14;

Php 3:10;

Col 1:24).

the Lord--omitted in the oldest manuscripts.

18. Brethren--Place it, as Greek, "last" in the sentence,

before the "Amen." After much rebuke and monition, he bids them

farewell with the loving expression of brotherhood as his last

parting word (see on

Ga 1:6).

be with your spirit--which, I trust, will keep down the

flesh

(1Th 5:23;

2Ti 4:22;

Phm 25).

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