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... [ Continue Reading ]
BRETHREN, IF A MAN BE OVERTAKEN IN A FAULT,.... Or "be taken before" in one; not, as Grotius thinks, before this epistle should come to them, which is a very jejune and empty sense of the words; nor before the conversion of the man, because sins before conversion do not come under the notice and cog... [ Continue Reading ]
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 sa... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IF A MAN THINK HIMSELF TO BE SOMETHING,.... Of himself; to have anything of himself, to do anything of himself, and of himself to attain to life and salvation: WHEN HE IS NOTHING: of himself; not even as a creature, but owes his being and preservation, and all the mercies of life, to another, e... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT LET EVERY MAN PROVE HIS OWN WORK,.... Not concern himself about the actions and works of others; let him review his own heart and actions; let him examine, try, and prove his whole conduct in life by the rule of God's word, when he will find enough at home, without bearing hard upon, and censuri... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR EVERY MAN SHALL BEAR HIS OWN BURDEN. That is, either do his own work, which God has allotted him to do, whether in a more public or private station of life; which, because it is generally troublesome to the flesh, is called a "burden", and "his own", being peculiar to himself, and in which no ot... [ Continue Reading ]
LET HIM THAT IS TAUGHT IN THE WORD,.... Instructed in the knowledge of the word, either of the essential Word, the Lord Jesus Christ, of his person, office, and grace; or rather of the written word, particularly the Gospel, which is sometimes called the word, without any additional epithet, which di... [ Continue Reading ]
BE NOT DECEIVED,.... By false teachers, who, in order to engross all to themselves, dissuaded the Galatians from communicating to their honourable pastors, and faithful ministers of the word; or by themselves, who being of a tenacious and covetous disposition, devised various things to excuse them f... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR HE THAT SOWETH TO HIS FLESH,.... Not that taking due care of a man's body, seeking the preservation of its health, providing proper food and raiment for himself, and all necessaries for the good and support of his family, is to be called sowing to his flesh, nor is he to be called a carnal sower... [ Continue Reading ]
AND LET US NOT BE WEARY IN WELL DOING,.... This may be understood of well doing, or doing good works in general, of every sort; which are such as are done according to the will of God, from a principle of love to him, in faith, and in the name and strength of Christ, and with a view to the glory of... [ Continue Reading ]
AS WE HAVE THEREFORE OPPORTUNITY,.... Or "ability", so the phrase is sometimes used z; as occasion requires, objects offer, as there is ability of well doing, and that continues; while the time of life lasts, which is the time for sowing, or doing good works: LET US DO GOOD UNTO ALL MEN; not only t... [ Continue Reading ]
YE SEE HOW LARGE A LETTER,.... Whether it be read as imperative, "see ye", observe, take notice; or as indicative, "ye see", ye do see, or you may see with your own eyes, it is of no great consequence: "how large a letter", or "with what letters"; which some understand of the largeness of the charac... [ Continue Reading ]
AS MANY AS DESIRE TO MAKE A FAIR SHOW IN THE FLESH,.... By whom are meant the false apostles, who are here described, and their views, aims, and ends, opened and exposed. These were very desirous to carry a good face of things outwardly, of appearing outwardly righteous before men, and to be account... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT NEITHER THEY THEMSELVES THAT ARE CIRCUMCISED,.... That is, the pleaders for, and preachers of circumcision, whether they themselves were actually circumcised, or not; it means those that were of the circumcision, on that side of the question, whether heartily or not: KEEP THE LAW; of circumcisi... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT GOD FORBID THAT I SHOULD GLORY,.... The apostle, on the contrary, expresses his aversion to glorying in anything these men did; not in his outward carnal privileges, as a Jew; nor in his moral, civil, and legal righteousness; nor in his gifts and attainments; nor in his labours and success, as o... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IN CHRIST JESUS,.... These words are omitted in the Syriac and Ethiopic versions; Galatians 5:6, 1 Corinthians 7:19, they contain a reason why the apostle gloried in a crucified Christ, and looked upon the world as dead to him, and he to that, in every state of it; particularly as it may design... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AS MANY AS WALK ACCORDING TO THIS RULE,.... Or canon; meaning not the canon of the Scriptures in general, which is the perfect rule, and only standard of faith and practice; according to which we are to walk, believe, and act; but either the doctrine of justification by the righteousness of Chri... [ Continue Reading ]
FROM HENCEFORTH LET NO MAN TROUBLE ME,.... Having so clearly stated and explained the doctrine of justification, and so largely proved that it is not by works, but by faith, and that circumcision and other rituals of the ceremonial law were not necessary to it, he desires, nay, in an authoritative w... [ Continue Reading ]
BRETHREN,.... So he calls them, to testify his affection for them, notwithstanding their infirmity and instability, and the roughness with which he had treated them; and to show his great humility and condescension in owning the relation, and putting them on a level with himself, which the pride of... [ Continue Reading ]