Bible Commentaries
Galatians 6

Verses 1-18

1 A true self-knowledge will humble us so that we can deal meekly with a brother who has suddenly slipped. The law would condemn him, but we are to seek to bring him back into line.

5 There is a contrast here between a burden and a load. Burden is from the element meaning heavy. Both of these elements occur together in Matthew 23:4 "heavy loads". In Matthew 11:30 our Lord did not say "My burden is light", but "My load is light". When a brother becomes overburdened it is our duty and privilege to help him bear his burden. But the load the Lord lays on us is not too heavy. We cannot do a service which God has assigned to another. In this each one must bear his own load.

6 In order to perpetuate the instruction of His saints God has made it obligatory that such a service should be recognized and proper compensation provided for those who instruct.

7 The figure of sowing and reaping is a most encouraging one to consider. The farmer plants the seed and sees no results at all for some time. He waits long and patiently ere he reaps the harvest. So we, too, may see little come of our sowing for the spirit, but in the proper season we shall reap as we have sown. That which is for the flesh will rot. That which is for the spirit will endure for the eons. There is much, very much, to make us despondent, but we should ever keep in mind the eonian harvest for which we are preparing.

11 It seems probable that the rest of the epistle was penned by Paul himself. His usual custom was to write only a short ending to attest the genuineness of a letter, but here he is so concerned that he rehearses the heart of the argument in his own handwriting. It has been suggested that the writing was in large characters because of his defective eyesight.

12 In this marvelous finale, Paul focuses the light of the cross upon the motives actuating both sides of the controversy. The Circumcisionists played for popularity. They dreaded persecution. They appealed to the flesh. How many of us are following the spirit of this course today? Paul boasted only in the cross, which puts an end to the flesh, whether in us or in the world. Now there is a new creation, in which the flesh has no place. This should settle the whole controversy.

16 Paul does not wish to condemn all of the Circumcision indiscriminately for the sins of his opponents. Those amongst them who acknowledge the power of the cross in the midst of their observances, on these he invokes peace and mercy, for they are the true Israel of God.

17 It was customary to mark a slave with the brand of his master. Paul's many persecutions had doubtless left many marks, all of which indicated his loyalty to his Lord.

18 Note the emphasis on spirit in line with the teaching of the epistle.