Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5 For each one shall bear his own load.
“The law would demand the cutting off of such a one. It is harsh and merciless. [And for the Judaiazing teachers, Paul agrees with that testimony for the good of the church.] But [for the formidable babes in Christ] grace bears a different message. ‘Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.’” (Arno Gaebelein)
“‘Brethern’— spiritual, not natural — ‘if a man be overtaken’ - Εαν προληφθη· If he be surprised, seized on without warning, suddenly invaded, taken before he is aware: all these meanings the word has in connections similar to this...There is a great difference between a man who being suddenly assailed falls into sin, and the man who transgressed in consequence of having walked in the counsel of the ungodly, or stood in the way of sinners.” (Adam Clarke) — “‘restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.’ You are to act as if you felt it possible that you might also be overtaken with a fault; and you should act as you would wish that others should do toward you.” (Albert Barnes) How different from the ways of the world should the universal church of God be!
“‘Bear ye one another’s burdens’—When after reprehension sin is become a burden, set to your shoulder, and help to lift it off. ‘Support the weak, be patient toward all,’ 1 Thessalonians 5:14. Nature hath taught the deer to help one another in swimming, the cranes one another in flying; one stone bears up another in buildings contrived by art, etc.” (John Trapp)—
“‘and so fulfill the law of Christ.’ The word law, when applied here to Christ, serves the place of an argument. There is an implied contrast between the law of Christ and the law of Moses. ‘If you are very desirous to keep a law, Christ enjoins on you a law which you are bound to prefer to all others, and that is, to cherish kindness towards each other. He who has not this has nothing. On the other hand, he tells us, that, when every one compassionately assists his neighbor, the law of Christ is fulfilled; by which he intimates that every thing which does not proceed from love is superfluous; for the composition of the Greek word ἀναπληρώσατε, conveys the idea of what is absolutely perfect. But as no man performs in every respect what Paul requires, we are still at a distance from perfection. He who comes the nearest to it with regard to others, is yet far distant with respect to God.” (John Calvin)
“‘For if anyone thinks himself to be something,’ has a high conceit of his own knowledge and attainments as a Christian, ‘when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine’- proved- ‘his own work,’ put it to the test by comparing it with God’s word, the Bible. ‘And then,’ if it is shown by that to be right, ‘he will have rejoicing in himself alone,’ in the evidence which he has of his own conformity in heart and life to God’s truth.— ‘and not in another’; not in his fancied superiority over his neighbor.” (Justin Edwards)
“The self-deceiver takes his counter, and sets it up for a thousand pound, as the Pharisees and Laodiceans.” (John Trapp)
“‘For every man shall bear his own burden.’... That is, God will judge every man in the last day, according not to what others have done, but to what he himself hath done, 1 Corinthians 3:8.” (Matthew Poole)
“This the apostle says to take off men from dwelling upon, and censuring the actions of others, and from making use of them to set off their own, and buoy themselves up with vain hopes, because they are better than others; and also to engage them to attend strictly to their own actions, and consider them simply and absolutely as in themselves, and not as compared with other men's, since they will be accountable for their own actions, and not other men's; and will be judged according to their own works, and not in a comparative view to others.”(John Gill)
Galatians 6:6 Let him who is taught the Word share in all good things with him who teaches. 7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
“‘Let him who is taught the Word share in all good things”- temporal as well as spiritual grace and fellowship- with him who teaches.’ “When the doctrine of the devil is preached people are prodigal in their willing support of those who deceive them.” (Martin Luther)
But ministers, who are faithful teachers of the Word, reap evil from carnal parishioners. They cannot get a cool cup of encouragement. Nor are they served forgiveness for any faults, as the evil teachers are.
“‘’Do not be deceived,’ carnal works-based Christians, “God is not mocked;’ God is not to be trifled with.1. Either by the notion that there will be no rewards and punishments. 2. Or by the idea that a bare profession will suffice to save us. 3. Or by the fancy that we shall escape in the crowd. 4. Or by the superstitious supposition that certain rites will set all straight at last, whatever our lives may be. 5. Or by a reliance upon an orthodox creed, a supposed conversion, a presumptuous faith, and a little almsgiving.” (C. H. Spurgeon)
“‘For whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.’ The law runs through all creation, from the natural up to the supernatural life— from the world of sensation to the world of spirits— from this earthly existence to life eternal. The what and the how much are proportionate. The wheat-seed comes not up as barley, and the scanty sowing sends not forth an abundant harvest. The acorn comes not up as the sycamore, nor does the orange seed produce the fig-tree. Each has its own crop. What we put into the earth, that we know will come back to us after many days. Or rise into the world of man. Here the same law obtains. What man labours for, that he for the MOST PART achieves.” (Bishop A. P. Forbes) The most part— Because in the spiritual realm, if you seek righteousness by the works of the law, your harvest will fail.
“The carnal man, in the seed-time of life sowing to the flesh, cannot look forward to the harvest, with an hope to reap spiritually.” (Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary) “For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption,’— that is, fthoran (Greek #5356)]—destruction. — “death everlasting” (John Wesley)— “but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” By the spiritual it is said, “You” oh God, “will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your Holy One see decay.”-destruction! (Psalm 16:10)
Galatians 6:9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
“‘And let us not grow weary while doing good,’ Consider the Christian man’s vocation in the present world. ‘Well-doing.’ While other men are setting before themselves, as objects of ultimate attainment, the possession of wealth, of worldly aggrandisement, of luxurious ease, he is to be emulating the example of Him of whom it was said, ‘He went about doing good.’ This life is not merely for contemplation. Nor is it merely for projecting schemes—religious castle-building. We are placed here to do, not to plan or talk. The believer is endowed by God with the capacity for imparting blessing to his fellow-men.” (C. M. Merry)
“But the path of duty is often found to be the path of difficulty and discouragement. Efforts to do good are often misunderstood and ill-requited; benevolent plans are ridiculed, motives misrepresented, kindness of heart abused, hopes of success treated as visionary and absurd. Still the conscientious, right-minded, true servant of God is a man of determination; he acts from principle, not impulse; his heart is in the work, therefore he proceeds in it, doing his utmost to discharge the duties God has laid on him.” (George Weight, M. A.)
“‘for in due season’— at the endtime— ‘we shall reap if we do not lose heart.’ I sow seed and try to perform deeds in my corner of the world— burdens placed on my heart by the Spirit. And I need this admonition to not lose heart, as likewise Joseph the dreamer never seemed to lose his. “It will be a full reward. Never did the most plenteous harvest reward the labours of the husbandman more certainly or fully, than the joys and glories of the future world shall reward the faithful, persevering, and diligent disciples of Jesus. They shall enter into the joy of their Lord. Once more: This reward will bear some proportion to our faithfulness and diligence in our Lord’s service here.” (John Rodgers, D. D.)
“‘We shall reap’— As the husbandman, in ploughing, sowing, and variously laboring in his fields, is supported by the hope of a plentiful harvest, which he cannot expect before the right and appointed time; so every follower of God may be persuaded that he shall not be permitted to pray, weep, deny himself, and live in a conformity to his Maker's will, without reaping the fruit of it in eternal glory.” (Adam Clarke)—
“‘if we do not lose heart— if we faint not. That is, we shall reap the fruit which God promises, if we ‘persevere to the end.’... Those who do not persevere resemble indolent husbandmen, who, after ploughing and sowing, leave the work unfinished, and neglect to take the necessary precautions for protecting the seed from being devoured by birds (Satan), or scorched by the sun, or destroyed by cold. It is to no purpose that we begin to do good, if we do not press forward to the goal.” (Calvin)
10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.
“‘Therefore, as we have opportunity,’ If time be as ‘the grass,’ fading and fleeting, opportunity is as ‘the flower of the grass,’ more fading, as it is more beautiful and valuable.”(Hugh Stowell, M. A.)— “Every season is not adapted to tillage and sowing.” We must wait on the Spirit.
Moreover: “Active and prudent husbandmen will observe the proper season, and will not indolently allow it to pass unimproved. Since, therefore, God has set apart the whole of the present life for ploughing and sowing, let us avail ourselves of the season, lest, through our negligence, it may be taken out of our power.” (John Calvin)—
“‘let us do good to all. “Charity [monetary gifts, as well as good deeds] asks not the name or nation of a fellow-creature in distress.” (Sutcliffe)— BUT “‘especially unto them who are of the household of faith!’ or believers, because they belong to the same family with ourselves.
This similitude is intended to excite us to that kind of communication which ought to be maintained among the members of one family. There are duties which we owe to all men arising out of a common nature; but the tie of a more sacred relationship, established by God himself, binds us to believers.” (John Calvin) We are able to comfort them with the same comfort that we have received of Yeshua, our God.
“Remember that when Joseph made himself known unto his brethren in Egypt, and entertained them at a sumptuous dinner, that ‘Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of the others;’ and do you recollect the reason of that strange proceeding of his? I will tell you, Joseph and Benjamin were the only sons of Rachel by Jacob, their father, and so they were two brothers by the same father and the same mother, and therefore were more nearly allied to one another than all the rest. And we read that when Joseph first saw his brother Benjamin, ‘his bowels did yearn upon him, and he sought where to weep.’ And so I would have you, my brethren, to follow Joseph’s good example, if ever you shall meet with any member of ‘the household of faith,’ ‘who in this transitory life is in trouble, sorrow, need, sickness, or any other adversity’; then give him more readily and more abundantly than to any one else, for he is more nearly related to you by the Spirit, if not by the flesh.” (H. H. Davies, MA)
Galatians 6: Glory in the Cross Alone
11 See with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand! 12 As many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh, these would compel you to be circumcised, only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. 13 For not even those who are circumcised keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. 14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.
“‘See with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand!’... The greater the toil to which he had submitted on their account, the stronger were their inducements to read it, not in a superficial manner, but with the closest attention.” (John Calvin)
“‘As many as desire to make a fair show in the flesh,’ to wear a specious exterior in the earthly, unspiritual element in which they move.” (C. J. Ellicott) They desired “to make a good appearance irrespective of inward truth and righteousness, is prompted by the unrenewed, fleshly nature, and makes its fair showing in that sphere.” (Vincent Word Studies)—“‘these would compel you to be circumcised, only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.’ Such men pay no regard to edification, but are guided by an ambitious desire to hunt after popular applause. The Greek verb εὐπροσωπὢσαι, (100) is highly expressive, and denotes the kind looks and address which were assumed for the purpose of pleasing. He charges the false apostles with ambition. As if he had said, ‘When those men lay circumcision upon you as a necessary burden, do you wish to know what sort of persons they are, what are the objects of their regard or pursuit? You are mistaken if you imagine that they are at all influenced by godly zeal. To gain or preserve the favor of men is the object they have in view in offering this bribe.’” (John Calvin)
“‘For not even those who are circumcised keep the law,’— They receive circumcision and profess Judaism, not from a desire to be conformed to the will of God.” (Adam Clarke)—”’but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh.’ That they may glory in this mark of circumcision, fixed in your flesh, and boast of the many converts to Judaism which they have had the interest and address to make." (Thomas Coke) “...and make a merit of this with the other Jews.” (John Wesley) They thus made peace with the "synagogue of Satan." (Revelation 3:9)— “By this term... he may mean all false and hypocritical professors, who would make themselves the church, the only church of God, but are far enough from it...," (Matthew Poole) saying, “Behold my crowns now attending synagogue.”
Likewise: “You will find many who are prompted more by ambition than by conscience to defend the tyranny of the papal system. I speak of our courtly apostles, who… pronounce, with an air of authority, that the decrees of the holy Church of Rome must be observed with reverence. And what is their own practice all the while! They pay no more regard to any decisions of the Roman See than to the braying of an ass, but they take care to avoid personal risk. In short, Paul had the same kind of controversy with those impostors as we now have with hypocritical professors of the gospel, who hold out to us a monstrous union between Christ and the Pope. Paul therefore declares that they are not acting the part of honest men, and that they have no other object in enjoining circumcision (or baptism in the latter case) than to boast to the Jews (or Pope and his cronies) of the converts they have made. Such is the import of the words, that they may glory in your flesh. ” (Martin Luther)
“‘But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,’ that is, for the doctrine of the cross, or of justification by the death of Christ crucified.” (John Trapp) "Without the cross, all is darkness on the ritual code; without the cross, all is gloom on the prophets; without the cross, the whole of revelation is devoid of seals.” (Joseph Sutcliffe)
Paul did not glory in circumcision, as the Jews of old did, nor in mere baptisms, as Rome does, but only in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
“Behold our Divine High Priest, offering up the great sacrifice required for the redemption of the souls of men; the very Son of God pouring forth His own blood upon the altar, an atonement for the sins of the whole world.” (Bishop Atterbury) “The cross is the high altar from whence the blood flows that washes away the guilt of the nations. The cross confers truth, honour, and glory on all the tragic altars of the patriarchs, and on the whole Hebrew ritual. A crucified Messiah is the true brazen serpent, exalted on the pole to heal the wounded camp. The cross is the weeping theme of all the prophets, which loses all its obloquy in the rising glory of the Son of God, putting death beneath His feet, and opening the gates of immortality.” (Sutcliffe) to all such as trust in Him for their salvation from sin and death.—“‘by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”—"The world is crucified; has lost its power to control me, and I my desire to follow it.”(Edwards) Jewish rites and Gentile philosophies were equally uninteresting to him. “I know them to be empty and worthless. If Jews and Gentiles despise me, I despise that in which they trust; through Jesus, all are crucified to me— their objects of dependence are as vile and execrable to me, as I am to them.” (Clarke)
“‘For in Christ Jesus, [that is, in the kingdom of Christ] neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything’ 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’ (Ephesians 2:10; 15-16).
New creature (2 Corinthians 5:17)—a transformation by the renewal of the mind (Romans 12:2).” (Jamieson, Faussett, Brown)
“A vicious horse is none the better tempered because the kicking straps prevent his dashing the carriage to atoms; and so a man is none the better really because the restraints of custom and providence may prevent his following that course of life which he would prefer. Poor fallen human nature behind the bars of laws, and in the cage of fear of punishment, is none the less a sad creature; should its Master unlock the door we should soon see what it would be and do.” (C. H. Spurgeon)
“In what sense is a Christian a new creature? Is it a physical or a moral one? It is only a moral one. New faculties are not given him; but his faculties have new qualities and applications. Compare Paul after his conversion with Paul before his conversion: his body and soul, his learning and abilities, and the ardour of his disposition, continued the same; and yet, was there ever a being so different?
How far does this change extend? A new creed, or a new denomination, does not make a man a new creature. The new creation is not a change from vicious to virtuous only; but from natural to spiritual, from earthly to heavenly, from walking by sight to walking by faith.” (W. Jay)
Galatians 6: End of Epistle
16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. 17 From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. 18 Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
“And as many as walk’ - as many as live— ‘according to this rule’ — Greek ‘canon’ [or law], ...peace and mercy be upon them, and [even] upon the Israel of God - the true church of God.” (Albert Barnes)
"’The Israel of God.’— To one who enters into the ideas taught by St. Paul, the anxiety of some persons in the present day to discover that the English are descended from the lost ten tribes of Israel is altogether mistaken. Even if they could prove their very improbable theory, it would have nothing but an ethnological, or at best a sentimental, interest. Religiously it is not of the slightest importance. All Christians, whatever their birth and descent, are the true Israel of God...
'Abraham’s seed’ –The Jew traced his pedigree back to Abraham. He was Abraham's seed. Therefore he accounted himself the heir of the promises made to Abraham. The Christian possesses Abraham's faith. By means of this he becomes Abraham's seed (Galatians 3:29), while the Jew who lacks faith is disowned.” (Pulpit Commentaries)
“‘From now on’—for the remainder of my life, even until the end of this age.—‘let no one trouble me,’ by calling my commission, my doctrine, or my faithfulness in question; or with contentions against my office, quarrels and disputes on account of my renouncing circumcision and the ceremonies of the Mosaic law.” (Joseph Benson) — Let them not “make opposition to obstruct the progress of my work.” (John Calvin)— “of my preaching—‘for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.’ ... scars of the wounds he had received in the cause of Christ, on account of his attachment to Him and his zeal in serving Him.” (Justin Edwards)
“How often has an old soldier shown his scars with pride and exultation as a proof of his attachment to his country! Numerous scars; the loss of an arm, an eye, or a leg, are thus the much valued and vaunted pledges of attachment to liberty, and a passport to the confidence of every man who loves his country. ‘I prize this wound,’ said Lafayette, when struck in the foot by a musket ball at Germantown, ‘as among the most valued of my honors.’ So Paul felt in regard to the scourges which he had received in the cause of the Lord Jesus. They were his boast and his glory; the pledge that he had been engaged in the cause of the Saviour, and a passport to all who loved the Son of God.” (Albert Barnes)
“‘Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.’ The unmerited favour, and the enlightening, quickening, sanctifying, and comforting influences of his Spirit; be with your spirit — to guide, animate, renew, purify, and comfort you in the ways of truth and peace, of wisdom, piety, and virtue.” (Joseph Benson)— that they may obtain the ultimate prize of pardon and ultimately the promise of life everlasting.
We, as the Galatians, should “look with affection to Paul, as the highly favored servant... Surely, it [his canon or letter] is profitable to bless God, in, and for, the ministry of His servants; and, therefore, we love the Apostle, for his love to his Master, and zeal in His service. Farewell for the present, Paul! Who but must love thee, and desire to follow thee, as thou hast followed Christ? Shall we not by and by, meet thee before the throne, and bless our Covenant God together? Even so, Amen. Reader! the grace of our Lord Jesus be with the whole Israel of God! Amen.” (Hawkers Poor Man’s Commentary)