Galati 6:2 Commento

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 (Gal 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 (Gal 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.

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, Gal 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, Gal 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, Gal 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, Gal 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, Gal 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, Gal 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, Gal 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, Gal 6:8. Wherefore the apostle renews the exhortation to be bountiful without weariness, seeing there is a reaping time coming, Gal 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, Gal 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, Gal 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, Gal 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, Gal 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, Gal 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, Gal 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, Gal 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, Gal 6:18.

Bear ye one another's burdens,.... Which may be understood either of sins, which are heavy burdens to sensible sinners, to all that are partakers of the grace of God; Christ is only able to bear these burdens, so as to remove them and take them away, which he has done by his blood, sacrifice, and satisfaction; saints bear one another's, not by making satisfaction for them, which they are not able to do, nor by conniving at them, and suffering them upon them, which they should not do, but by gently reproving them, by comforting them when overpressed with guilt, by sympathizing with them in their sorrow, by praying to God for to manifest his pardoning grace to them, and by forgiving them themselves, so far as they are faults committed against them: or else the frailties and infirmities of weak saints, which are troublesome, and apt to make uneasy, are meant; and which are to be bore by the strong, by making themselves easy with them, and by accommodating themselves to their weakness, and by abridging themselves of some liberties, which otherwise might be lawfully taken by them; or afflictions may be designed, which are grievous to the flesh, and are bore by others, when they administer help and relief under them, whether in a temporal or spiritual way; and when they condole them, and sympathize with them, bear a part with them, and make others' griefs and sorrows their own: and so fulfil the law of Christ; which is the law of love to one another, Joh 13:34 in opposition to the law of Moses, the judaizing Galatians were so fond of, and by which Christ's disciples may be distinguished from those of Moses, or any others. This is a law or doctrine which Christ has clearly taught, and recovered from the false glosses of the Pharisees; it is his new commandment, which he has strengthened and enforced by his own example in dying for his people, and which he, by his Spirit, inscribes upon their hearts. The Jews speak of the law of the Messiah as preferable to any other. "The law (they say (x)) which a man learns in this world is vanity, in comparison of "the law of the Messiah", or Christ;'' by "fulfilling", it is meant, doing it, acting in obedience to it, and not a perfect fulfilling it, which cannot be done by sinful creatures. (x) Midrash Kohelet, fol. 83. 1.

Have a care to preserve concord with the saints. Bear one another's burdens; be not puffed up.

However, both the laws served the Word for the instruction of humanity, both that given by Moses and that by the apostles. What, therefore, is the nature of the training by the apostles, appears to me to require to be treated of. Under this head, I, or rather the Instructor by me, will recount; and I shall again set before you the precepts themselves, as it were in the germ. ... "If we live in the Spirit, let us walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vainglory, provoking one another, envying one another. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. Be not deceived; God is not mocked. Let us not be weary in well-doing: for in due time we shall reap, if we faint not."

The Creator's law, therefore, has received the approval of the rival god, who has, in fact, bestowed upon it not the sentence of a summary dismissal, but the favour of a compendious acceptance; the gist of it all being concentrated in this one precept! But this condensation of the law is, in fact, only possible to Him who is the Author of it. When, therefore, he says, "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ," since this cannot be accomplished except a man love his neighbour as himself, it is evident that the precept, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself" (which, in fact, underlies the injunction, "Bear ye one another's burdens"), is really "the law of Christ," though literally the law of the Creator.

By “burdens” he means the needs of the body. So to the extent that anyone is richer in resources, he is called to bear the poor person’s burden and relieve poverty by his abundance.

"Bear ye one another's burdens." It being impossible for man to be without failings, he exhorts them not to scrutinize severely the offences of others, but even to bear their failings, that their own may in turn be borne by others. As, in the building of a house, all the stones hold not the same position, but one is fitted for a corner but not for the foundations, another for the foundations, and not for the corner so too is it in the body of the Church. The same thing holds in the frame of our own flesh; notwithstanding which, the one member bears with the other, and we do not require every thing from each, but what each contributes in common constitutes both the body and the building. "And so fulfil the law of Christ." He says not "fulfil," but, "complete;" that is, make it up all of you in common, by the things wherein ye bear with one another. For example, this man is irascible, thou art dull-tempered; bear therefore with his vehemence that he in turn may bear with thy sluggishness; and thus neither will he transgress, being supported by thee, nor wilt thou offend in the points where thy defects lie, because of thy brother's forbearing with thee. So do ye by reaching forth a hand one to another when about to fall, fulfil the Law in common, each completing what is wanting in his neighbor by his own endurance. But if ye do not thus, but each of you will investigate the faults of his neighbor, nothing will ever be performed by you as it ought. For as in the case of the body, if one were to exact the same function from every member of it, the body could never consist, so must there be great strife among brethren if we were to require all things from all.

Sin is a burden, as the psalmist affirms. … This burden the Savior bore for us, teaching by his life what we ought to do. He himself bears our iniquities and grieves for us and invites those who are cast down by the burden of sin and the law to take up the light yoke of virtue. Therefore the one who does not demean his brother’s salvation extends his hand as needed. So far as it lies within him he weeps with him as he weeps; he shares the neighbor’s weakness. He counts another’s sins as his own. Such is the one who fulfills the law of Christ through love.

(Vers. 2.) Carry one another's burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ. For sin is a burden, and the Psalmist testifies, saying: My iniquities have risen above my head, like a heavy burden weighing me down (Psalm 38:5). And Zechariah, in a vision, saw a weighty lead covering of iniquity (Zechariah 5). The Savior took this burden upon Himself for us, teaching us by His example what we ought to do. For indeed he carries our iniquities, and he grieves for us, and he invites those who are burdened by the weight of sins and the Law to the light burden of virtue, saying: My yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Therefore, whoever does not despair of his brother's salvation, but extends a hand to the one who prays, and as much as he can, weeps with the one who weeps, is weak with the weak, and judges his own sins as those of others, such a person fulfills the law of Christ through charity. What is the law of Christ? This is my commandment, that you love one another (John 13:34). What is the law of the Son of God? Love one another, as I have loved you. How did the Son of God love us? Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13). Whoever does not have compassion, nor is clothed with the bowels of mercy and tears, although he may be spiritual, will not fulfill the law of Christ. But let us also connect this place with the previous ones. For we follow a twofold understanding. If someone is weak in faith and is still nourished with the milk of infancy, they cannot so quickly transition from legal observance to the spiritual sacraments: you who are stronger, bear their burdens, lest your knowledge cause your brother to stumble, for whom Christ died. Also bear the need of your brother, who aids the burdened poor with the weight of destitution, and makes friends for himself with unjust money (Luke 16), whom Christ addresses after his resurrection: Come to me, blessed of my Father: possess the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink (Matthew 25:34, 35). According to this meaning, Paul, teaching Timothy in another Epistle, added: Command those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life (1 Timothy 6:17-19). He who grasps true life, surely the one who speaks: I am the life (John 14:6), fulfills the law of Christ, which aims at life.

The “law of Christ” means the law of love. The one who loves his neighbor fulfills the law. The love of neighbor is strongly commended even in the Old Testament. The apostle elsewhere says that it is by love that all the commands of the law are summed up. If so, then it is evident that even that Scripture which was given to the covenant people was the law of Christ, which, since it was not being fulfilled by fear, he came to fulfill by love. The same Scripture, therefore, and the same law is called the old covenant when it weighs down in slavery those who are grasping after earthly goods. It is called the new testament when it raises to freedom those who are ardently seeking the eternal good.

This means: “You have one deficiency but not another. The neighbor’s case is the opposite. He has another deficit but not the one you have. You must bear his and he yours. For thus is the law of love fulfilled.” By “the law of Christ” he means love, for he himself said, “I give you a new commandment, to love one another.”

There was once a brother who was very eager to seek goodness. Being very disturbed by the demon of lust, he came to a hermit and told him about his thoughts. The hermit was inexperienced and when he heard all this, he was shocked, and said he was a wicked brother, unworthy of his monk’s habit because he had thoughts like that. When the brother heard this, he despaired, left his cell and started on his way back to the world. But by God’s providence, Apollo met him. Seeing he was so upset and sad, he said to him, ‘Son, why are you so unhappy?’ The brother was very embarrassed, and at first said nothing. But when Apollo pressed him to say what was happening to him, he admitted everything and said, ‘It is because lustful thoughts trouble me. I confessed them to that hermit, and he says I now have no hope of salvation. So I have despaired, and am on my way back to the world.’ When Apollo heard this, he went on asking questions like a wise doctor, and gave him this counsel, ‘Do not be cast down, son, nor despair of yourself. Even at my age and with my experience of the spiritual life, I am still troubled by thoughts like yours. Do not fail now; this trouble cannot be cured by our efforts, but only by God’s mercy. Do as I say and go back to your cell.’ The brother did so. Then Apollo went to the cell of the hermit who had made the brother despair. He stood outside the cell, and prayed to the Lord with tears, saying, ‘Lord, you permit men to be tempted for their good; transfer the war that brother is suffering to this hermit: let him learn by experience in his old age what many years have not taught him, and so let him find out how to sympathize with people undergoing this kind of temptation.’ As soon as he ended his prayer he saw a black man standing by the cell firing arrows at the hermit. As though he had been wounded, the hermit began to totter and lurch like a drunken man. When he could bear it no longer, he came out of his cell, and set out on the same road by which the young man started to return to the world. Apollo understood what had happened, and went to meet him. He came up to him and said, ‘Where are you going? Why are you so upset?’ When the hermit saw that the holy Apollo understood what had happened, he was ashamed and said nothing. Apollo said to him, ‘Go back to your cell and see in others your own weakness and keep your own heart in order. For either you were ignorant of the devil in spite of your age, or you were contemptuous, and did not deserve to gain strength by struggling with the devil as all other men must. But struggle is not the right word, when you could not stand up to his attack for one day. This has happened to you because of the young monk. He came to you because he was being attacked by the common enemy of us all. You ought to have given him words of consolation to help him against the devil’s attack but instead you drove him to despair. You did not remember the wise man’s saying, which orders us to deliver the men who are drawn towards death, and not to cease to redeem men ready to be killed. You did not remember our Saviour’s parable, “You should not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax” (Matt. 12:20). No one can endure the enemy’s clever attacks, nor quench, nor control the leaping fire natural to the body, unless God’s grace preserves us in our weakness. In all our prayers we should ask for his mercy to save us, so that he may turn aside this scourge which is aimed even at you. For he makes a man to grieve, and then lifts him up to salvation; he strikes, and his hand heals; he humbles and exalts; he gives death and then life; he leads to hell and brings back from hell (1 Sam. 2:6). So Apollo prayed again, and at once the hermit was set free from his inner war. Apollo urged him to ask God to give him a wise heart, in order to know how best to speak.

"Bear one another's burdens." Since there is no person without sin, he urges not to be demanding toward the sins of one's neighbor, as knowing that you too have sins, and that we must behave toward one another with mutual consideration. — [PHOTIUS] For the law of Christ was therefore demonstrated through his works: for he indeed took up our sins and bore our diseases. (Isa. 53:4-5; Matt. 8:17) And the excess, that he also accepted the cross and death for us. [end of the Photius excerpt] — — [OECUMENIUS] Or that to bear one another's burdens and weaknesses is thereby the fulfilling of the law of Christ, insofar as it is done out of love. Love is the fulfillment of the divine law. (Rom. 13:10) [end of the excerpt by Oecumenius] —

Since, being human, it is impossible to be sinless, he urges not to judge the sins of one's neighbor harshly, but to bear with them, so that afterward another may also bear with his sins. He did not say: πληρώσατε, but: αναπληρώσατε, that is, fulfill all things together communally, mutually helping one another. For example, let the quick-tempered help the slow, and let the slow restrain his ardent impulses, and thus the former will not sin with the assistance of the latter, and the latter will not sin with the assistance of the former. In this way, extending hands to one another, fulfill the law of Christ through mutual help, each one by his assistance to his neighbor making up for what the other lacks. Indeed, the duty of love requires bearing one another's burdens, because in love is contained the fulfillment of Christ's commandments.

But how they ought to act towards equals he shows when he says, "Bear ye one another's burdens". Here he admonishes them to support one another, saying, "Bear ye one another's burdens." And this is to be done in three ways. In one way by patiently enduring the bodily or spiritual defects of another: "We that are stronger ought to bear the infirmities of the weak" (Rom 15:1). In a second way by coming to one another's aid in their needs: "Communicating to the necessities of the saints" (Rom 12:13). In a third way by making satisfaction through prayers and works for the punishment one has incurred: "A brother that is helped by his brother is like a strong city" (Prov 18:19). Now the reason for this admonition is the fulfillment of the law of Christ. But this is charity: "The fulfillment of the law is love" (Rom 13:10). Hence he says: "and you shall fulfil the law of Christ", i.e., charity. There are three reasons why charity is specifically linked with the law of Christ. First, because by it the New Law is distinguished from the Old; for the former is a law of fear, but the latter of love. Hence Augustine says: "Fear and love is the slight difference between the Old Law and the New." Secondly, because Christ expressly promulgated His law in terms of charity: "By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one for another" (Jn 13:35); again: "A new commandment I give unto you: that you love one another, as I have loved you" (v. 34). Thirdly, because Christ fulfilled it and left us an example how to fulfill it; for he bore our sins out of charity: "Surely he hath borne our infirmities" (Is 53:4); "Who his own self bore our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live to justice" (1 Pet 2:24); "He himself shall carry them that are with young" (Is 40:11). Thus, then, ought we to carry one another's burdens out of charity, that so we may fulfill the law of Christ.

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, Gal 6:1, Gal 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, Gal 6:3-5. To minister to the support of those who instruct them in righteousness, Gal 6:6. He warns them against self-deception, because whatever a man soweth that he shall reap, Gal 6:7, Gal 6:8. Exhorts them not to be weary in well doing, and to embrace every opportunity to do good, Gal 6:9, Gal 6:10. Intimates that his love to them led him to write this whole epistle with his own hand, Gal 6:11. Points out the object that those had in view who wished them to be circumcised, Gal 6:12, Gal 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, Gal 6:14-16. States that he bears in his body the marks of the Lord Jesus, Gal 6:17. And concludes with his apostolical benediction, Gal 6:18.

Bear ye one another's burdens - Have sympathy; feel for each other; and consider the case of a distressed brother as your own. And so fulfill the law of Christ - That law or commandment, Ye shall love one another; or that, Do unto all men as ye would they should do unto you. We should be as indulgent to the infirmities of others, as we can be consistently with truth and righteousness: our brother's infirmity may be his burden; and if we do not choose to help him to bear it, let us not reproach him because he is obliged to carry the load.

EXHORTATIONS CONTINUED; TO FORBEARANCE AND HUMILITY; LIBERALITY TO TEACHERS AND IN GENERAL. POSTSCRIPT AND BENEDICTION. (Gal. 6:1-18) 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" (Gal 5:26), but forbearing to such (Rom 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 (Gal 5:22, Gal 5:25). "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 Mat 7:2-5; Ti2 2:25; Jam 2:13).

If ye, legalists, must "bear burdens," then instead of legal burdens (Mat 23:4), "bear one another's burdens," literally, "weights." Distinguished by BENGEL from "burden," Gal 6:4 (a different Greek word, "load"): "weights" exceed the strength of those under them; "burden" is proportioned to the strength. so fulfil--or as other old manuscripts read, "so ye will fulfil," Greek, "fill up," "thoroughly fulfil." the law of Christ--namely, "love" (Gal 5:14). Since ye desire "the law," then fulfil the law of Christ, which is not made up of various minute observances, but whose sole "burden" is "love" (Joh 13:34; Joh 15:12); Rom 15:3 gives Christ as the example in the particular duty here.