In this section, Paul develops some of the implications of walking by the Spirit. Paul focuses on concrete situations in which the fruit of the Spirit may operate. The situations Paul here selects are those that develop out of the legalism which is the error with which the letter deals. The theological error of legalism produces practical errors, sins. Legalism's good intention is to produce righteousness; to its surprise it produces the opposite, sins. Then its solution is to try harder. When that does not work, it blames the sins on man's lower or sinful nature. The Biblical solution is to reject the legalism that is the cause of the sins, and to accept and to adopt the Biblical theology of salvation by grace through faith and its practical implementation, walking by the Spirit and not by law. To walk by the Spirit is to walk in love which is the fulfilling of the law of Christ.
GALATIANS 6:1-5.
1. Brethren, if indeed a man is overtaken in some failure,
you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit
of gentleness, considering yourself, lest you too be tempted.
2. Bear one another's burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ.
3. For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing,
he deceives himself.
4. But let each one examine his own work,
and then he will have reason for boasting in himself alone
and not in another.
5. For each one shall bear his own load.
6:1. "Brethren, if indeed a man is overtaken in some failure,Paul opens this section again by addressing his fellow-Christians as brethren. This sets the tone of the section because it deals with interpersonal relationships. The first situation Paul deals with is that of the one who has been overtaken in some failure. Contrary to the intention of legalism, one is overtaken by sin (Rom. 7:8-11). The Greek verb, prolambano, which is translated "overtaken," literally means "to take beforehand," hence "to overtake, to surprise." Not only is the one under law surprised by the sin, but legalism is always surprised by the results that it produces, the sins. The Greek word, paraptoma, which is translated "failure," literally means "a falling beside," hence "a false step, blunder, failure." It is not the usual Greek word for sin, hamartia. The result of doctrinal legalism is sins, which from the point of view of grace, are not a falling short of the law, but are blunders and failures from which one must be restored. The Greek verb, katartizo, which is translated "to restore," means "to render fit or complete," hence "to mend, repair." It is used for the setting of a dislocated or broken bone and making it fit and useful. This must be done with care. This is what love would do. This grace (love in action) can be done only by one who is walking by the Spirit. Paul calls such ones, "you who are spiritual." He is not referring to some class of self-designated mystical, superior spiritual people. By this term, pneumatikoi, he means those who are walking by the Spirit. They have that fruit of the Spirit, meekness, by which they consider themselves, lest they also are tempted. The temptation is to legalism. To adopt a superior attitude that this cannot happen to me is to fall into legalism: to place oneself under a standard to which one compares oneself and considers oneself capable of always conforming. The Greek word, prautes, which is translated "meekness or gentleness," means "gentleness, humility, courtesy, considerateness, meekness" in the older favorable sense of "unassuming." A meek person is one who is soft, not hard, toward God and others; not weak but having controlled strength.
you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness,
considering yourself, lest you too be tempted."
6:2. "Bear one another's burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ."Paul continues his discussion of the first situation. He exhorts his readers to bear one another's burdens. The Greek word, bare, which is translated "burden," means "a weight." A burden is something too heavy for one person to bear alone and must be shared by others. Paul is probably referring to the burden that legalism imposes (Acts 15:10). This seems to be implied by the last clause of the verse: "thus fulfil the law of Christ." Not only does love fulfill the law in bearing one another's burdens, but it also removes the legalistic weight of the law and replaces it with the easy yoke of Christ (Matt. 11:28-29). The law of Christ is the commandment He gave: Love one another even as I have loved you (John 13:34).
6:3. "For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing,Paul continues his discussion of the first situation. He explains why they must bear one another's burdens as discussed in the previous verse. He does this by discussing the situation mentioned in the last verse of the previous chapter ( 5:25). Legalism produces an overblown view of oneself by the attempt to conform to the standard of the law. In the attempt to be justified by the law one is tempted and often does over value one's works in order to make oneself conform to the standard. Such ones deceive themselves. Paul is here probably referring to the work of the Judaizing teachers.
he deceives himself."
6:4. "But let each one examine his own work,Paul continues the discussion of the previous verse. He exhorts them to examine their own work. This is the way to correct such an overblown view of oneself and self deception. Such a sober and objective evaluation of one's work will limit boasting to himself and not to others. The Jewish legalists were boasting in the circumcision of others and Paul is attempting to eliminate such boasting.
and then he will have reason for boasting in himself alone
and not in another."
6:5. "For each one shall bear his own load."Paul concludes the discussion of the previous two verses. He gives the reason for such self examination of one's own work: each man must bear his own load. The Greek word, phortion, which is translated "load," literally means "something borne or carried," hence, a ship's cargo. The legalist is thus forced to carry his own load. There is no other one to carry it for him; legalism separates men from each other and places them in competition with each other. There is no contradiction between verses 5 and 2; not only are different Greek words used in these two verses, but also different subjects are being discussed. In this verse Paul is discussing legalistic burden bearing and in verse two he is discussing the burden bearing of love.
GALATIANS 6:6-10.
6. And let the one who is taught the word
share all good things with him who teaches.
7. Do not be deceived, God is not mocked;
for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.
8. For the one who sows to his own flesh
shall from the flesh reap corruption,
but the one who sows to the Spirit
shall from the Spirit reap eternal life.
9. And let us not lose heart in doing good,
for in due season we shall reap, if we do not grow weary.
10. So then, as we have opportunity,
let us do good to all men,
and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
6:6. "And let the one who is taught the wordIn this verse, Paul now turns to another situation which is not unrelated to previous discussion. Paul exhorts his readers that are being taught the word to share all good things with him who teaches. This is in accordance to what Paul will later teach in first letter to the Corinthians (9:7-11; 13-14).
share all good things with him who teaches."
6:7. "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked;Paul continues his discussion of this second situation. In this and the next verse Paul refers to sowing and reaping. Although the principle of sowing and reaping applies to any work done, Paul is applying it to the particular case of the sowing and reaping that a teacher does.
for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap."
6:8. "For the one who sows to his own fleshPaul continues his discussion of sowing and reaping. In this verse, he is contrasting the sowing and reaping of the legalistic teacher with the sowing and reaping of the teacher of the gospel and of the grace of God. The legalistic teacher sows to the flesh and will reap from the flesh corruption. What he has taught, salvation by the works of the law, by the flesh, will produce the works of the flesh and its end corruption. But the teacher of the grace of God has sown to the Spirit and will from the Spirit reap eternal life. The flesh is not the sinful nature and the Spirit is the Spirit of God and not the new nature.
shall from the flesh reap corruption,
but the one who sows to the Spirit
shall from the Spirit reap eternal life."
6:9. "And let us not lose heart in doing good,Paul extends the principle of sowing and reaping to all Christian good works. He exhorts his readers not to lose heart in doing good. He encourages them with the promise that they will reap in God's appointed harvest time, if they do not grow weary or faint.
for in due season we shall reap, if we do not grow weary."
6:10. "So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all men,In the previous verse, Paul has spoken of the season for harvest, in due season, in its own time. In this verse, Paul speaks of the season for sowing, as they have opportunity or time. And he also speaks of the field for sowing: all men and especially to those of the household of faith. And he also speaks of the seed to be sown: doing good. The good that they are to sow is whatever will benefit all men and do no harm to them. Love will not only find a way but also will find what to do.
and especially to those who are of the household of faith."
GALATIANS 6:11-18.
11. See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand.
12. Those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh
try to compel you to be circumcised,
simply that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.
13. For those who are circumcised do not even keep the law themselves,
but they desire to have you circumcised,
that they may boast in your flesh.
14. But may it never be that I should boast,
except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,
through which the world has been crucified to me,
and I to the world.
15. For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision,
but a new creation.
16. And those who will walk by this rule,
peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.
17. From now on let no one cause trouble for me,
for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.
18. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethern. Amen.
6:11. "See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand."In this verse, Paul indicates that he is now writing the letter in his own hand. The "large letters" does not mean that Paul is writing in large letter because of his weak eyesight; it probably means he is using large letters to emphasize the importance of this conclusion. Large letters could also refer to the use of capital letters; the rest of the letter was probably written in cursive or small letters.
6:12. "Those who desire to make a good showing in the fleshPaul now introduces the first of the main themes in this conclusion: the error of circumcision. He criticizes the insincerity of Jewish legalists; they are compelling the Galatians to be circumcised so that they can make a good showing in the flesh. In showing off this work of the flesh they are sowing to the flesh. The specific reason they are compelling the circumcision of the Galatians is so that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ; they doing it for their own safety. Thus Paul introduces the second main theme of this conclusion: the cross of Christ.
try to compel you to be circumcised,
simply that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ."
6:13. "For those who are circumcised do not even keep the law themselves,Paul continues his criticism of the Jewish legalists. Paul charges that they don't even keep the law themselves. They only want to glory in your flesh. They wanted the Galatians circumcised not only to avoid persecution but that they might boast of their success in proselytizing Gentiles; that is, to enhance their reputations.
but they desire to have you circumcised,
that they may boast in your flesh."
6:14. "But may it never be that I should boast,Paul contrasts himself to the Jewish legalist; he boasts only in the cross of Christ. Paul does not care what reputation he has with men (the world). Through the cross of Christ the world has been crucified to him. The world (the Jews and the Greeks) has been crucified to him in the sense that the world's opinion of Christ (stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Greeks; I Cor. 1:22-23) has come to have no meaning to him; he does not value it. And he has been crucified to the world in the sense that he has died with Christ ( Gal. 2:20) to the world.
except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,
through which the world has been crucified to me,
and I to the world."
6:15. "For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision,Paul now asserts the other side of the cross, the resurrection. The resurrection of Christ and the new creation inaugurated by it makes both circumcision and uncircumcision without meaning or value. Paul is probably referring to the fact that sex has no place in the new creation ( Gal. 3:28; Matt. 22:30). It is a new creation, not new in terms of time, but in terms of quality, different in kind from the old creation.
but a new creation."
6:16. "And those who will walk by this rule,Paul now pronounces a blessing on as many as walk by the new creation rule stated in the previous verse. He includes the Israel of God in this blessing; he expects that the Jews will be saved. The peace of the blessing is the peace with God which comes from personal relationship to God by faith and the mercy is the mercy of God who forgives men of their sins and does not pour His wrath on them.
peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God."
6:17. "From now on let no one cause trouble for me,Paul now concludes his letter with the assertion of his apostolic authority. He wants no man to cause him trouble. He explains the reason: He bears in his body the marks of an apostle. They are the marks of Jesus.
for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus."
6:18. "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethern. Amen."Paul concludes his hand written postscript with a benediction as he does in all his letters. Instead of speaking about the law and circumcision as the Jewish legalist would obviously have ended their letters, Paul ends his letter speaking of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. And he puts it in the form of benediction upon his readers. It is only the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that can set their spirits free from legalism. Then he adds at the end of the benediction before the "Amen" a final address of affection, "brethren."