Chú giải Kinh Thánh

This chapter chiefly consists of two parts. In the former the apostle gives us several plain and practical directions, which more especially tend to instruct Christians in their duty to one another, and to promote the communion of saints in love, Ga 6:1-10. In the latter he revives the main design of the epistle, which was to fortify the Galatians against the arts of their judaizing teachers, and confirm them in the truth and liberty of the gospel, for which purpose he, I. Gives them the true character of these teachers, and shows them from what motives, and with what views, they acted, Ga 6:11-14. And, II. On the other hand he acquaints them with his own temper and behaviour. From both these they might easily see how little reason they had to slight him, and to fall in with them. And then he concludes the epistle with a solemn benediction.

This chapter is composed entirely of affectionate exhortation, and the expression of the apostle's earnest solicitude in the behalf of the Christians in Galatia. He exhorts them Galatians 6:1 to bring back to the ways of virtue anyone who through the strength of strong temptation had been led astray. He entreats them Galatians 6:2 to bear one another's burdens, and thus to show that they were true friends of Christ, and governed by his laws. He entreats them not to be lifted up with pride, and not to affix an inordinate estimate to anything that they possessed, assuring them that their true estimate was to be formed from the character of their own works; Galatians 6:3-5. He exhorts them to minister to the needs of their public teachers, the preachers of the gospel; Galatians 6:6. In Galatians 6:7-10, he reminds them of the solemn day of judgment, when all will be tried; assures them that people will be judged and rewarded according to their works; and entreats them not to be weary in well-doing, but to labor on patiently in doing good, with the assurance that they should reap in due season.

In Galatians 6:11, he shows them the interest which he felt in them by his having done what was unusual for him, and what perhaps he had done in no other instance - writing an entire letter in his own hand. He then states the true reason why others wished them to be circumcised. It was the dread of persecution, and not any real love to the cause of religion. They did not themselves keep the Law, and they only desired to glory in the number of converts to their views; Galatians 6:12-13. But Paul says that he would glory in nothing but in the cross of Christ. By that he had been crucified to the world, and the world had been crucified to him Galatians 6:14; and he repeats the solemn assurance that in the Christian religion neither circumcision nor uncircumcision was of any importance whatever; Galatians 6:15. This was the true rule of life, and on as many as walked according to this principle, he invokes the blessing of God; Galatians 6:16. He closes the Epistle by entreating them to give him no more trouble. He bore in his body already the marks or sufferings which he had received in the cause of the Lord Jesus. His trials already were sufficient; and he entreats them to spare him from future molestation Galatians 6:17, and closes with the benediction; Galatians 6:18.

The apostle teaches them to be tender and affectionate towards any who, through surprise and the violence of temptation, had fallen into sin; and to bear each other's burdens, Galatians 6:1, Galatians 6:2. To think humbly of themselves, and to conclude concerning their own character rather from the evidence of their works than from any thing else, Galatians 6:3-5. To minister to the support of those who instruct them in righteousness, Galatians 6:6. He warns them against self-deception, because whatever a man soweth that he shall reap, Galatians 6:7, Galatians 6:8. Exhorts them not to be weary in well doing, and to embrace every opportunity to do good, Galatians 6:9, Galatians 6:10. Intimates that his love to them led him to write this whole epistle with his own hand, Galatians 6:11. Points out the object that those had in view who wished them to be circumcised, Galatians 6:12, Galatians 6:13. He exults in the cross of Christ, and asserts that a new creation of the soul is essential to its salvation; and wishes peace to them who act on this plan, Galatians 6:14-16. States that he bears in his body the marks of the Lord Jesus, Galatians 6:17. And concludes with his apostolical benediction, Galatians 6:18.

INTRODUCTION TO Galatians 6

In this chapter the apostle exhorts to the exercise of various things, which greatly become professors of religion, such as meekness towards backsliders, love to the saints, modesty in themselves, and beneficence to others; exposes the hypocrisy and ambition of the false teachers, in order that the Galatians might beware of them, and not be ensnared by them; and gives an account of his own disposition, conduct, and sufferings, as a rule and example to them, and by which they might judge of the difference between him and the false apostles; and concludes the epistle with his apostolical salutation and benediction. Having mentioned the fruits of the spirit in the preceding chapter, he singles out some of them, and a little enlarges upon them; and begins with meekness, as that should be used by spiritual men to fallen believers, which he persuades to, not only because they are brethren, and but men, and have been overtaken in sin unawares; but because, though they themselves are spiritual, yet should consider they are liable to be tempted, Galatians 6:1. And next he advises to show their love to one another, by bearing each other's burdens, which he enforces by this argument, it being a fulfilling the law of Christ, Galatians 6:2. And whereas pride and haughtiness lie in the way of such a deportment, he dissuades from a vain opinion of a man's self, that being no other than self-deception, Galatians 6:3, and observes, that a man will have the best view of himself and see what occasion he has for glorying, when he considers himself simply and nakedly, and not in comparison with others, Galatians 6:4, and there is good reason why he should do so, seeing every man must give an account of his own actions, be judged according to them, and receive his reward or punishment, Galatians 6:5. Hence the apostle passes to liberality and beneficence, and first to teachers of the word, to whom such as are taught by them should communicate, and that in good things, and in all good things, Galatians 6:6. The arguments used to enforce this exhortation are, that to do otherwise is a deception of themselves, and is a mocking of God; and besides, they shall be treated according to their actions, the use or abuse of what God has given them, signified by a proverbial expression, what a man sows, that shall he reap, Galatians 6:7, which is enlarged upon and illustrated, by observing, that he that spends his substance merely on himself, and on carnal pleasures, and to indulge the flesh, the issue of things to him will be ruin, temporal and eternal; but he that lays out his substance on spiritual things, and for spiritual purposes, the issue will be life everlasting, Galatians 6:8. Wherefore the apostle renews the exhortation to be bountiful without weariness, seeing there is a reaping time coming, Galatians 6:9, and then points out the persons in general to whom good is to be done as opportunity offers, even all men, but especially such as are believers in Christ, are of his family, and particularly stewards there, as ministers of the Gospel are, Galatians 6:10. And thus the apostle, having finished what he chiefly intended in this epistle, observes to the Galatians the great regard he had to them, shown in writing to them so long a letter, and that with his own hand, Galatians 6:11. And as his chief view was to detect the false apostles, he cannot conclude without taking some further notice of them, which he does by exposing their hypocrisy and ambition; they only made a show of religion outwardly, and obliged others to do that, which they did not choose themselves, namely, to be circumcised; and their ends in all this were, that they might be free from persecution, and have matter of glorying in the proselytes they made, Galatians 6:12, but the apostle was of a quite different temper and disposition; so far was he from glorying in his own flesh, or others, that his determination was to glory only in Christ, and in his cross, and that for this reason, because the world thereby was crucified to him, and he unto the world, Galatians 6:14, as also, because circumcision, which the false teachers obliged to, and gloried in, and likewise uncircumcision, were of no avail in religious, spiritual, and eternal affairs, but a new creature, Galatians 6:15, and this is what everyone ought to attend unto as the rule of his walk and conduct, since upon such shall be mercy and peace, as upon the Israel of God, Galatians 6:16. And whereas the false apostles boasted of the flesh, and circumcision in it, the apostle opposes thereunto the marks of his sufferings for Christ, which he bore in his body; and therefore with great gravity and authority charges, that no man should give him any further trouble about what had been the subject matter of this epistle, Galatians 6:17, and closes it with his usual salutation, expressing his affection for the Galatians, as his brethren, wishing the best of blessings for them, the grace of Christ, and that this might be in their hearts, and with their spirits, Galatians 6:18.

Ch. Galatians 6:1-10. Exhortations to bear with an erring brother, to cultivate humility, to exercise liberality

11–18. Autograph conclusion. Summary of the Epistle and Benediction

CHAPTER 6

Galatians 6:2. ἀναπληρώσατε] Lachm. and Schott read ἀναπληρώσετε, following B F G, 33, 35, and several vss. and Fathers. Looking at this amount of attestation, to which the vss. give special weight (including Vulg. It.), and considering that the imperative might readily have been occasioned by the preceding imperatives, the aorist form being involuntarily suggested by the similar future form, the future is to be preferred.

Galatians 6:10. ἐργαζώμεθα] A B L, min., Goth. Oec. read ἐργαζόμεθα. Approved by Winer, but too feebly attested, especially as hardly any version is in favour of it. A mere error in transcribing, after the preceding indicatives θερίσομεν and ἔχομεν. Looking at the frequent confusion of ω and ο, we must also regard as a copyist’s error the reading in Galatians 6:12 of διώκονται, adopted by Tisch., and attested by A C, etc., instead of διώκωνται (B D, etc.).

Galatians 6:12. μή] is, with Lachm. and Tisch., following decisive testimony, to be placed after Χριστοῦ.

Galatians 6:13. περιτεμνόμενοι] B L, many min., also VSS. and Latin Fathers, read περιτετμημένοι.[247] Recommended by Griesb., adopted by Lachm. and Scholz, and approved by Rinck and Reiche. And justly; the preterite is absolutely necessary, as the Judaistic teachers are meant. The present has crept in as a mere mechanical error of the transcribers, who had just previously written περιτέμνεσθαι, and perhaps also recollected Galatians 5:3.

Galatians 6:14. Τῷ before ΚΌΣΜῼ is omitted by Lachm. on weighty evidence; but it might be readily suppressed, owing to the preceding syllable ΓΩ, especially as the article might be dispensed with, and ΚΌΣΜΟς just before was anarthrous.

Galatians 6:15. ἘΝ ΓᾺΡ ΧΡΙΣΤῷ ἸΗΣΟῦ ΟὔΤΕ] B, 17, Arm. Aeth. Goth. Chrys. Georg. Syncell. Jer. Aug. Ambrosiast., have merely ΟὔΤΕ ΓΆΡ (Syr. Sahid., Οὐ ΓΆΡ). Approved by Mill, Semi, Griesb., Rinck, Reiche; adopted by Bengel, Schott, Tisch. Justly; the Recepta is manifestly an amplifying gloss, derived from Galatians 5:6.

ἘΣΤΊΝ] Elz. and Matth. read ἸΣΧΎΕΙ, against decisive evidence. Derived from Galatians 5:6.

Galatians 6:16. ΣΤΟΙΧΉΣΟΥΣΙΝ] A C* D E F G, 4, 71, Syr. utr. Sahid. It. Cyr. Victorin. Jer. Aug. Ambrosiast., read ΣΤΟΙΧΟῦΣΙΝ. Approved by Griesb., placed in the margin by Lachm., adopted by Tisch. But the present suggested itself most readily to the unskilled transcribers, and what ground could these have had for the alteration into the future?

Galatians 6:17. ΚΥΡΊΟΥ is omitted before ἸΗΣΟῦ in A B C*, א, 17, 109, Arr. Aeth. Arm. Vulg. ms. Petr. Alex. Suspected by Griesb., omitted by Lachm. and Tisch. A frequent addition, in this case specially derived from Galatians 6:18; hence several witnesses add ἩΜῶΝ.

[247] In favour of this may probably be reckoned also F with περιτεμνήμοι, and G with περιτεμνημένοι, which betray through the wrongly written η perfect forms.

CONTENTS.

Continuation of the special admonitions begun in Galatians 5:26 (Galatians 6:1-5); then an exhortation to Christian morality in general, with allusion to its future recompense (Galatians 6:6-10). A concluding summary, in the apostle’s own handwriting, of the chief polemical points of the epistle (Galatians 6:11-16); after which Paul deprecates renewed annoyance, and adds the benediction (Galatians 6:17-18).

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).