Bible Commentaries

Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

If a man be overtaken — Gr. προληφθη , be taken before he is aware, before he hath time to consider, or bethink himself of better. It is of incogitancy that the saints sin; put them in mind, and they mend all. It is of passion, and passions last not long. "There is no way of wickedness in them; they stand not in the way of sinners, they sit not down in the seat of scorners," Psalms 1:1 ; Psalms 139:24 .

Restore such a one — Gr. καταρτοζετε , set him in joint again. A metaphor from surgeons and bone setters who handle their patients tenderly. Or from such as take a mote out of one’s eye gently and warily.

Lest thou also be tempted — I have known a good old man, saith Bernard, who when he had heard of any that had committed some notorious offence, was wont to say with himself, Ille hodie, et ego eras, He fell today, so may I tomorrow. Mr Bradford set down in his diary what good he saw in any man, bewailing the lack of it in himself, and praying for more grace; as if he saw or heard of any evil in another, he noted it, as in danger to do so himself; and still added, Lord, have mercy upon me. (Prof. to his Serm. of Rep.)

return to '

Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

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, …

return to '

For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.

Think himself to be something — The self-deceiver takes his counter, and sets it up for a thousand pound, as the Pharisees and Laodiceans. Of such it may be said, as Quintilian somewhere of some overweeners of themselves, that they might have proved excellent scholars if they had not been so persuaded already.

return to '

But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.

But let every man prove — This is an excellent remedy against self-deceit, and a means to make one fit to reprove others with mercy and meekness.

And then shall he have rejoicing — Ut testimonium perhibeat conscientia propria, non lingua aliena, saith Augustine, that thine own conscience and not another man’s tongue may testify for thee. Omnis Sarmatarum virtus extra ipsos, saith Tacitus. All the self-deceiver’s goodness is shored up by popularity or other base respects.

return to '

For every man shall bear his own burden.

For every man shall bear — Be thorough therefore in the work of self-examination. Sparing a little pains at first, doubles it in the end; as he who will not cast up his books, his books wilt cast up him at length. The misery of most men is, that their minds are as ill set as their eyes, neither of them look inwards. How few are there that turn short again upon themselves so as to say, What have I done? Woe to all such when God shall send out summons for sleepers, when he comes to search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees, …, Zephaniah 1:12 .

return to '

Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.

Communicate unto him — Not sharing as an alms, but sharing as a right; seePhilemon 1:17; Philemon 1:17 ; as wages for his work, Mark 6:8 ; as pay for his pains,1 Corinthians 9:14; 1 Corinthians 9:14 . See Trapp on " 1 Corinthians 9:14 "

return to '

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

Be not deceived — Think not all well saved that is withheld from the minister. It is a saying in the civil law, Clericis Laici sunt oppido infensi; many think it neither sin nor pity to beguile the preacher. But God is not mocked, neither will he be robbed by any, but they shall hear, Ye are cursed with a curse, Malachi 3:8-9 , even with Shallum’s curse,Jeremiah 22:11-13; Jeremiah 22:11-13 , that used his neighbour’s service without wages, and would sacrilegiously take in a piece of God’s windows into his wide house, Galatians 6:14 .

God is not mocked — They that would mock God, imposturam faciunt, et patientur (as the emperor said of him that sold glass for pearls), they mock themselves much more.

return to '

For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

For he that soweth to his flesh — He that neglecting his poor soul, cares only to feather his nest and to heap up riches. Si ventri bene, si lateri, as Epicurus in Horace; if the belly may be filled, the back fitted, let the soul sink or swim, he takes no thought.

return to '