Chapter VI
About various special discoveries of Christian love (1–10). Conclusion to the message (11–18)
Gal.6:1-10.
When converting a sinner to the true path, one must act in a spirit of meekness. You should also take care of your neighbors in their needs and failures, being forgiving of their shortcomings, in view of the fact that each of us also has our own sins. The moral section ends with a new call to do good to people.
Gal.6:1. Brethren! If a person falls into any sin, you who are spiritual, correct him in the spirit of meekness, each one watching himself, so as not to be tempted.
“He will fall” - accidentally, unexpectedly for himself, out of enthusiasm from the outside (προληφθῆ - more precisely: “will be captured”). – “Spiritual” – οι πνευματικοί, i.e. those Christians in whom the Holy Spirit most manifested His power, in whom He became the guiding principle of life, while among the mass of Christians the influence of the flesh is still strong (cf. 1 Cor. 3 :1–3). These are the people whom Ap. calls them “perfect” (1 Cor. II:6; Phil. III:15), “strong” (Rom. 15:1). - “So as not to be tempted,” that is, so as not to fall into sin. For a “spiritual” person, a brother’s transgression should, therefore, serve as a warning, remind him of his own weakness, and this memory will force him to treat the sinner more gently...
Gal.6:2. Bear one another's burdens, and in this way fulfill the law of Christ.
Not only the brother’s sin, but also any heaviness (“burden”) that is felt by our brothers should also be felt by us, as if oppressing ourselves. Therefore, we must help our brother bear his burden, by which we must understand everything that depresses a person, which he cannot cope with on his own - both his spiritual and material adversities. Such a broad understanding of the word “burdens” is also encouraged by the conclusion of the verse: “in this way fulfill the law of Christ” or Christ’s commandment about love, which actually consists of the essence of the law of Christ (Matthew 22 et seq., John 13:34). Fulfillment of the law of Christ. and now he already sees from the side of the Galatians, but this fulfillment is still imperfect. It will be perfect only over time (αναπληρώσετε - from αναπληροῦν to perform in perfect form
, in contrast to πληρουρν simply
to perform
. In Galatians, it is still impossible to state αναπληροῦν, but only πληροῦν). This perfect fulfillment of the law of Christ is only possible when the Galatians always help the brothers to bear their “burdens.”
Gal.6:3. For whoever thinks himself to be something when he is nothing deceives himself.
Ap. called on Christians to bear "one another's" burdens. With his last words, he made it clear that everyone has burdens, burdens, awareness of their shortcomings and these very shortcomings. But there are people who think too much of themselves (this is indicated by the expression “to count oneself as something” cf. 1 Cor. 3:18, 10:12, 14 and especially 1 Cor. 8:2). Such a person, since he is in fact nothing, only deceives himself, completely confuses himself in thoughts (φρεναπατᾶ), and he is no longer able to properly treat his dejected brother, to serve him.
Gal.6:4. Let each one test his own work, and then he will have praise only in himself, and not in another,
Instead of enjoying his imaginary virtues, a Christian should rather examine his behavior (“his work” or doing). - “Then he will have praise...” Translation is not precise. More precisely: “then he will have reason to boast only in relation to himself, and not in relation to another.” Ap's thought. like this. We often praise ourselves only because we see the unpraiseworthy actions of others. Meanwhile, assessing yourself from such a point of view is wrong. We need to test ourselves, find out all our strengths and abilities and think about whether we have used these abilities as we should. Then it will turn out that we have nothing to boast about, that we should rather ask God for forgiveness for having neglected His gifts.
Gal.6:5. for each one will bear his own burden.
Here is the basis or motivation for self-examination. We need to pay serious attention to our behavior, because each of us will carry the results of our earthly work into another life, before the throne of the Eternal Judge (cf. Rev. 14:13; 2 Cor. 5:10, Matt. 5 et seq.). At the same time, Ap. to denote the concept of “burden” he no longer takes the same word as he used in Gal.6:2. There is the word τά βάρη, which means every burden, no matter where it comes from and no matter how long it has to be borne. The word φορτίον is placed here, which means the weight that someone loads on themselves or allows to be placed on themselves in order to carry it to a certain goal. Actions that are committed by a person himself here, in earthly life, are such a burden that he himself, and not others, must bear throughout life and beyond (for example, for a depraved life a person often pays with a disease that no one can share with him can not)…
Gal.6:6. Instructed by the word, share every good thing with the one who instructs.
Already at that time there were among Christians special teachers of the faith for people who were little knowledgeable about it (cf. Acts 13:1; 1 Cor. 12:26; Eph. 4:11). Anyone who receives instruction in the word is obliged to reward the teacher with everything good (“every good thing”), that is, earthly gifts, material goods (cf. 1 Cor. 9:11; Rom. 15:27. Teaching of the 12 Apostles XIII ,2; XV et seq.).
Gal.6:7. Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap:
The Judaizers, apparently, rebelled quite a lot against this position of the Apostle and armed the Galatians, allowing themselves to mock (μυκτηρίζεσθαι - in Russian, not exactly: “quarrel” - in the expression: “God cannot be mocked”). Instead of talking about himself, Ap. says about God that one cannot mock Him, as did the Judaizers, who actually mocked Paul. Thus, the Apostle wants to say that the order that exists in the Church is the will of God Himself. God also makes sure that man always reaps what he sows; here on earth, from a certain seed the same seed is produced.
Gal.6:8. He who sows to his flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
Now Ap. speaks not of what is sown, but of the soil into which the seeds are thrown. The difference in the harvest depends on the difference in soil. Whoever throws seeds “into the flesh,” that is, cares about the flesh, will receive only decay from this soil. On the contrary, whoever sows “to the spirit,” on the ground of the spirit, will receive from the spirit eternal life, so that the general rule given at the end of Gal. 6:7 also applies here. Ap. He wants to say by this that whoever uses his property only to improve his own well-being (Rom. 13:14), who indifferently passes by the needy brothers, will receive nothing except what the soil on which he uses his property can provide, i.e. that is, nothing but corruption (cf. Col. 2:22; 2 Pet. 1:4, 2:12, 19). The one who, on the contrary, uses his earthly acquisitions for the good of society, and specifically for spiritual good, will receive eternal life - of course, not from money, but from the Spirit, to whose service he gave himself (cf. Matt. 6:19–24, 19:21).
Gal.6:9. Let us not become weary in doing good, for in due season we will reap if we do not give up.
“Let us not lose heart” - more precisely: “let us not abandon him.” A person sometimes has to get tired under the burden of the duty he has assumed to do good to his neighbors. But he must quickly shake off the feeling of such fatigue.
Gal.6:10. So, as long as we have time, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who belong to our faith.
A Christian must do good to all people, but first of all to those who are related to him in faith.
Gal.6:11-18.
At the conclusion of the message of Ap. Once again he utters a bitter complaint against his opponents - the Judaizers - and then declares that for him personally the cross of Christ is the only pride of his life.
Gal.6:11. You see how much I wrote to you with my own hand.
The apostle wanted the Galatians to imagine his face as clearly as possible (cf. Gal. 4 and Gal. 5:2). Therefore, contrary to his custom of using the services of scribes to whom he dictated messages when writing messages, he now took up the pen himself and wrote a rather large message and, moreover, in very large letters (“how many” - more precisely: “what large letters” πηλίκοις γράμμασιν ). Why he wrote in “large letters” is unknown. Maybe he couldn’t see well and his eyes hurt5, so he couldn’t write small, or maybe in order to give special importance to this message.
Gal.6:12. Those who want to boast in the flesh force you to be circumcised only so that you will not be persecuted because of the cross of Christ,
Gal.6:13. For even those who are circumcised do not keep the law, but they want you to be circumcised, that they may boast in your flesh.
Paul cannot forget that while he is away from the Galatians, they are being seduced by the Judaizers; to warn his readers against them, he says here that these false teachers, who base all their dignity on their carnal Jewish advantages (Rom. 2:28; Eph. 2:11; Phil. 3ff.), - who are of no importance to moral and religious life, the sphere of which is the spirit, force the Galatians to be circumcised in those forms in order to free themselves from the persecution of unbelieving Jews, for whom the cross of Christ was a temptation (Gal. 5:11; 1 Cor. 1:23). The law itself, its internal content, does not matter to such people: they do not comply with its numerous instructions. - “Cutting people.” Why Ap. uses the present tense about Jews? After all, they were already circumcised a long time ago (cf. Gal. 5:12)? He means by this that circumcision was for them something like a dogma, which they constantly preached: they were people of circumcision (Gal. 2:12). - “Boasting in your flesh,” that is, having circumcised you, they will refer to this as proof of their devotion to the law of Moses. And this could be useful to them when the unbelieving Jews began to reproach them for believing in Christ. These people, so to speak, wanted to insure themselves against persecution for their faith in Christ by taking out a patent for “reliability.”
Gal.6:14. But I do not want to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
Gal.6:15. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but a new creation.
Ap. does not belong to the category of such people seeking the favor of the world. - “But I do not desire” - more precisely: “let it not happen to me that”... While they are seeking glory for themselves, trying to put the stamp of Judaism on a larger number of pagans, the Apostle considers the cross of Christ to be the only source of his pride, which at the same time time is also his cross: he himself experienced and felt what Christ experienced and suffered on the cross (Gal. 2:19). And just as for Christ His relation to the narrow boundaries of the Jewish nationality ceased with death on the cross, so for Paul, who participates in this death. Through the crucified Jesus, peace came to Paul and Paul died to the world. What Ap. really died to the world - this is absolutely true, because now, at the present time, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision matters: there are only new “creatures” created in Christ for a new, eternal life (cf. 2 Cor. V: 17).
Gal.6:16. To those who act according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and on the Israel of God.
To those who hold the same way of thinking as the Apostle, he sends his blessing. - “And to the Israel of God,” that is, true Israel, which, indeed, can be called the people of God. By this “Israel” it is most natural to understand Christians from Judea, in whom Israel continues its life as the people of God (Rom. 11: 1–8, 9: 27–29; Phil. 3 cf. interpretation by Ephraim the Syrian, Ambrosiastes, who understood this expression).
Gal.6:17. However, let no one burden me, for I bear the marks of the Lord Jesus on my body.
“However” is more correct: “from the rest” of Israel (τοῦ λοιποῦ) “no one should prepare labor or burden for me.” Ap. does not want the rest of the Israelis, who have recoiled from God, to interfere in his affairs and put obstacles in his way. – “The Ulcers of the Lord Jesus” – according to Tischendorf and other new editions: “The Ulcers of Jesus.” By “ulcers” (τα στίγματα) one must understand the actual marks on the body made by some kind of cutting instrument or hot iron. According to the ancient general opinion of interpreters, Ap. This is what he calls the scars remaining on his body from the wounds inflicted on him during the persecution of the Jews (2 Cor. 11:24, 25). He calls them “the stripes of Jesus” because he imagines Christ as the God-man Jesus, being scourged and beaten by soldiers at the trial of Pilate (Matt. 27:26, 30; John 19:1, 3), and because he considers his own suffering as participation in the suffering - Jesus (Phil. 3:10: Col. 1:24) ... “If someone saw a warrior out of ranks bloodied and covered with countless wounds, would he begin to accuse him of cowardice and betrayal when he wears proof of his courage in his very body? The same, he says, should be judged about me... My wounds provide evidence stronger than words and more extensive than this message” (Chrysostom).
Gal.6:18. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.
Ap. in the message he said a lot of unpleasant things for readers. As if covering with his love all their misdeeds and wanting to show that he is not angry with them, he sends them the same greeting that he usually adds in his messages and calls them “brothers.”
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1. Famous singer John Lenon: at the peak of his fame, (in 1966) during his interview with a leading American magazine, he said: “Christianity will soon end, it will simply disappear, I don’t even want to argue about it. I'm just sure of it. Jesus was OK, but his ideas were too simple. Today we are more famous than HE! After he announced that the Beatles were more famous than Jesus Christ, he died tragically. One psychopath shot him six times at point-blank range! It is noteworthy that the killer did this with the aim of taking away his popularity and becoming famous throughout the world as the killer of the famous singer!
2. Brazilian President Tancredo Naves: during his presidential election campaign he publicly said: “If I get 500,000 votes for my party, then even God himself will not be able to remove me from the presidency!” Of course he got those votes, but he suddenly fell ill one day before he became president and died suddenly!
3.Brazilian composer, singer, poet (and sexual maniac): during a show in Rio de Janeiro, taking a drag from a cigarette, noisily blew smoke into the air and blasphemously proclaimed: “God, this is for you!” He quickly died at the age of 32 from AIDS, in severe pain.
4. The engineer who built the Titanic: after the completion of construction work, reporters asked him how safe his miracle - the ship - would be, to which he replied with irony in his voice: “Now even God cannot sink it!” As a result: everyone probably knows what happened to the unsinkable Titanic!
5. The famous actress Marlin Monroe: during the presentation of her show, she was visited by evangelist Billy Graham. He said that the Spirit of God sent him to preach to her. After listening to the preacher, she replied: “I don’t need your Jesus!” Just a week later she was found dead in her apartment.
6. Singer Bon Scott: in one of his songs in 1979, he sang: “Don't stop me, I'm flying all the way down the freeway to hell!” On February 19, 1980, he strangled himself (by choking on his own vomit)!
7. In 2005, in the city of Campinas, Brazil: a group of drunken friends came to pick up their friend from home for further entertainment. The mother of this girl, very worried about them, walked her to the car and holding her daughter by the hand said with trepidation: “My daughter, go with God, and may He protect you,” to which she boldly replied: “In our car there is no longer room for Him, unless He climbs in and rides in the trunk...” A few hours later, the mother was informed that this car had been involved in a terrible fatal car accident and everyone had died! The car itself was mutilated beyond recognition, but the police reported that despite the fact that the entire car was completely destroyed so that it was impossible to even recognize its make, its trunk remained completely undamaged, which is completely contrary to common sense. Imagine everyone’s surprise when the trunk easily opened and a tray of eggs was found in it, and not a single one of them broke or even cracked!
8. Jamaican journalist and dancer Christina Hewitt: said: “The Bible is the worst book ever written!” Soon, in June 2006, she was found burned beyond recognition in her own car.
Many important people in history have often forgotten that it was not they, but only the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was given the highest authority! Power over life and death!
All these madmen died, but only one Jesus Christ died, rose again and is alive today!
We fully accept His rightful authority for our own good.
And I would like to say to all modern madmen once again: “Sober up and repent, why should you die at the wrong time, because God cannot be mocked!”
Translation and editing by Pastor Alexander Kapriyan.
