Galatians Chapter 6.

GALATIANS CHAPTER 6.

           

The Evangelical Liberty.

           

The Law of Christ.  5:26-6:10.   The Law of Christ is Christ himself in His inspiration, His example and His Teaching.

           

A/   Fraternal Support.  5:26-6:5. 

Vanity or `kenodoxia', is the pursuit of success in the Church, both by religious and moral performances, and by the disparagement of the brethren.  In Phil.2:3 it is opposed to humility.  The verb `prokaleomai' means to "call out, challenge, call forth."  It refers to religious provocations in the bosom of the Church.

           

`Phthoneo' means "to envy," "to be jealous."  Those Churches which glided on the slope of legalism as those in Galatia, could not easily escape self-conceit and envy which are a shame to the spiritual life.  Only as the conscience of the Church is continually renewed by the absolute free grace of Salvation, can the Church maintain itself in inward peace and humility.

           

6:1.  Paul addresses them as brethren, that is, as members of the Churches of Galatia.  The moral recommendations which follow, concern the interior life of these communities.  Paul would have them to understand what it is to walk by the Spirit.  The man who has erred is most probably a member of the Church.  This man is one who has been surprised in some fault.

`prolambanein', means "to anticipate."  Souter gives "take before."  It also means "foresee, seize for yourself, reserve."  It can mean "detect, overtake, surprise."  Bonnard would give the word the meaning here, "surprise, take by surprise."   This sense is attested in the Wisdom of Solomon and in a papyrus document.  We do not know what particular fault is in view here. 

           

`paraptoma', means in Paul, any particular violations of the law of God,  Rom. 5:15-18,20;  11:11;  2.Cor.5:19;  Col.2:13;  it is generally employed in the singular.

           

Paul writes to his readers as to spiritual men.  And though in 1.Cor.3, he does make a distinction between, spiritual, carnal and minors of the spiritual life.  But probably in Galatians, he addresses them all as spiritual, for they have received, and live by the Spirit.   The ministry of restoration is described by the verb `katartizo'.  The life of the believer is under the constant supervision and fraternal superintendence of the Church.  The Spirit of meekness is the Holy Spirit, for Paul is making an allusion to what he wrote in 5:22,25.  There does not exist in the Church a class of Christians with special right to rebuke.

           

Guthrie says there is an element of surprise in the word "overtaken," R.S.V.   The word "trespass" means literally, "to step aside."

           

"You who are spiritual."  Paul is thinking of a distinct contrast between those who obey the dictates of the spiritual, and those who do not.

           

The word `restore' draws attention to the continuity of the action.  Restoration is generally not a single act, but a persistent procedure.  (Guthrie).

           

"Look to yourself."  The change from the Plural to the Singular should be noted.  The verb denotes a steady consideration.  (Guthrie).

           

6:2.  Verse 2-10 give a series of moral exhortations without much literary coherence.  "Bear ye one another's burdens."   What are these burdens?  As verse 2 follows verse 1, they may be the burden of moral faults, or moral temptations.  The reference may be personal sufferings.  The term burdens can designate physical sufferings, or economic, or social sufferings.  It is not necessary to see in this verse an exhortation to share property, nor goods.  Neither is it necessary to see a reference to the giving of assistance to those in need or have illness.  The idea here, that rather than to judge and to accuse one another, they should assist one another reciprocally in the moral and spiritual conflict.

           

The verb `bastazo' does not here signify to support, bear, sustain, uphold, as it does in Rom.15:1.  Paul does exhort his readers to tolerate, to endure and to suffer the faults of others in the cause of peace.  But `bastazo' has also the meaning "to support, to carry, to bear."  It is probably not adequate to say that the law of Christ is to love one's neighbour.  This expression does not occur anywhere else in the New Testament, and is only once found in Rabbinic Literature, but the idea was current and generally accepted  that when the Messiah came, He would interpret the law perfectly.  This would explain a number of New Testament expressions, such as, "a new commandment," John 13:34. "The law of liberty" James 1:25.  The idea is based on the words of Jesus as assembled by Matthew in Matt.5-7.

           

It is really the law of God, to which the Son of Man gave complete entire submission and He revealed the true sense (against the interpretations of the Scribes).  This is that which Paul describes as "the law of the Spirit of life." Rom.8:2.   For Paul there is complete identity between this law (summed up in the command to love), and the leading and injunctions of the Holy Spirit.

           

Guthrie points out that `fulfil' is probably aorist in v.2, although there is strong support for the future.  The aorist reinforces the completeness of the fulfilment. Ridderbos notes the `burdens' refer to whatever oppresses a man spiritually, and threatens to induce him to sin or to keep him in sin.  This is pictured as a burden, because one goes bowed under its weight and fears that he will succumb to its pressure.  In the bearing of such burden, the Galatians must help and support each other.  This is to be an exercise of spiritual fellowsip, designed to help them stand by each other in the struggle against sin, and in the event of defeat to raise one another up again.  (Ridderbos).

           

6:3. If someone or anyone imagines he has arrived at a state of spiritual or moral perfection, then he deceives himself.  He is nothing, firstly, because his pride reveals the emptiness of his piety, and above all because no person stands accepted before God, except by His Grace. 

           

`Phrenapatao', is used only here in the New Testament.  And the word has as yet, not been found in Greek literature.  But the substantive `phrenapates' is attested in Hellenistic Greek and figures in Titus 1:10 with the meaning of Seducer.

           

6:4.  At first it might appear that this verse contradicts verse 3.  Paul has reminded them of the vanity of all self-righteousness, and of all personal pride and boasting.  But now, he exhorts each of his readers to examine his own work.  But there is no contradiction between these two verses.  The idea common to both verses is the condemnation of the spirit of judgment upon others.  They were not to be occupied in discerning blame or praise in their brethren.  But they were rather to examine themselves before God.  Each man must test his own work.  This `work' (ergon), may refer to the whole of the personal life of the Christian considered in its unity or the personal activity in the service of the Church, just as Paul often spoke of his own apostolic work;  we prefer the first of these two views.

           

This word `prove' (dokimazeto) played a rather important role in the reflection of primitive Christianity (Phil.1:10,26; 2:16);   It is a matter of trial and proving in view of the judgment of God.  And the spiritual exercise involved being proved by God, rather than that of conscience.  Because the standards by which we judge ourselves are the revealed standards and demands of God.  The demands of God are the standards of judgment.  In this proving of ourselves the final judgment is continually contemplated.  This self-activity of proving, or of moral discernment, should play an important role in the inner life of the Churches, and it should also play an important role in determining the moral behaviour of believers in the world. Luke 12:56; Rom.1:28;  2:18; 12:2; Eph.5:10; 1.Cor.3:13; 11:28; 16:3; 1.Thess.2:4.

           

The end or close of the verse is no less surprising than its beginning.  When Paul strips the man in every way of all grounds of boasting in himself and not in comparison with others, he is to

boast in his self-examination as he appears in solitude to God.  The apostle speaks of two subjects of boasting, his apostolic labour (Rom.15:17; 1.Cor.9:15; 2.Cor.1:12; Phil.2:16), and the grace of Jesus Christ (Gal.6:14).  To boast without merit, besides, this ministry had been entrusted to him as an act of grace.  For every Christian likewise, though gratuitously justified, he can know the personal joy and glory of the task accomplished, it is to glory of faithful service before God, and not in comparison to others.

           

6:5.  The word `burden' in verse 5 suggests a `pack'.  This may appear as a new contradiction to verse 2.  But in verse 2 it is a question of spiritual help, whereas in verse 5 it is a more pure, unmingled individualism (ekastos).  The solution lies in the future tense of `bastasei', "shall bear."  This has a clear reference to the last judgment.   Mutual aid in the Church, but solitude or solitariness of the man before the judgment of God.  Also, it is not necessary to give the same sense to `phortion' as to `baros'.  `Baros' is the weight of personal moral suffering.  `Baros' is a crushing weight which unexpectedly descends on the person concerned and is completely outside his control.  But in verse 5 it is a general load which all must carry, like a hiker equipped with the bare minimum.

           

`Phortion' is the baggage or pack that represents the whole life of the man in the light of the judgment.  Compare Matt.11:30; 23:4.  In these verses in Matthew the word `phortion' designates the weight of legal demands, but that sense scarcely suits Galatians 6:5.  The freeness of justification does not exclude the reality of the final judgment.  But until, and in the last judgment, then man can rest upon the grace accomplished in Jesus Christ, Rom.8:34.  The grace accomplished and revealed in Jesus Christ does not suppose the judgment, but it confirms it.  As Ridderbos points out, `burden' in verse 5 does not refer to the oppressive weight as in verse 2.  But in verse 5 `burden' is the normal duty which falls upon every man.

           

6:6.  The thought, they must share with all the teacher has to impart.  The communication of truth is to become the means of fellowship, or sharing together.  There is to be no selfish exclusiveness.  There is to be no exclusive participation or apprehension of truth.  See Exp.Grk.N.T.

           

Did Paul fear his statement in the previous verse, might be taken by the Galatians in the wrong way?   Would they say that their instructors must bear their own financial load, and so cease to support them?   (Note: LHB's written notes end here)  Further Greek words :-

           

6:6.   O katechoumenos, "the being instructed in." To katechounti,  "without the (one)       instructing."

           

6:7.  Me planasthe,  "be ye not led astray." Ou mukterizetai, "is not mocked."  O gar ean,  "for whatever." Speire,  "may sow."   Therisei,  "will reap."

           

6:8. O speiron, "the (one) sowing."  Phoran,  "corruption."

           

6:9.   To de kalon, "and the good."  Poiountes,  "doing."  Mu egkakomen, "let us not lose heart."  Kairo, gar  idio, "for in its own time."  Therisomen,  "we shall reap.

Mu ekluomenoi, "not fainting."

           

6:10.  Ara, "then."  Malista de,  "and most of all."    Oelous,  "members of the family."

           

6:11.  Pelikois,  "in how large."  Egrapsa,  "I wrote."   Te eme cheiri,  "with my hand."

           

6:12.  Euprosopesai,  "to look well."  Peritemnesthai,  "to be circumcised."  Monon, "only."  Diokontai,  "they are persecuted."

           

6:13.  Oude gar,  "for not."   Oi peritemnomenoi, "the ones being circumcised."  Auto inomon, "themselves law."

Phulassousin,  "keep."   Te umetera,  "your."  Kauchesontai,  "they may boast."

           

6:14.  Emoi de,  "but to me."  Me genoito,  "may it not be."

Kauchasthai,  "to boast."   Ei me,  "except."  Di ou,"  Through whom."  Emoi, "to me."     Estauro tai,   "has been crucified."   Kago,  "and I."