College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
Galatians 6:1-5
C.
DEMANDS OF FREEDOM Galatians 6:1-10
1.
Mutual helpfulness and responsibilities Galatians 6:1-5
TEXT 6:1-5
(1) Brethren, even if a man be overtaken in any trespass, ye who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; looking to thyself, lest thou also be tempted. (2) Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. (3) For if a man thinketh himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. (4) But let each man prove his own work, and then shall he have his glorying in regard of himself alone, and not of his neighbor. (5) For each man shall bear his own burden.
PARAPHRASE 6:1-5
1 Also, brethren, if any member of your churches, through the strength of temptation, or the frailty of his own nature, is surprised into any work of the flesh, ye who are teachers and rulers, restore such a person to his proper place in Christ's body, the church, by meek instructions and affectionate rebukes; and thou who readest, take a view of thine own frailty, lest even thou fall by temptation.
2 Instead of rebuking one another with harshness, sympathize with one another in every distress; and thus fulfill the law of Christ, which enjoins benevolence even to those who fall into sin.
3 For if any one, thinking highly of himself, is immoderately severe towards his brethren when they fall into sin, and does not assist the distressed, such a person, being nothing, deceiveth himself in thinking himself better than others.
4 But, the worth of a man being shewn by his works, let every one try his own work, rather than the work of others, and if good, then he shall have boasting in himself alone, and not in another, as worse than him.
5 To bring your actions to the trial, is absolutely necessary; for every one, at the judgment, shall answer for his own actions only.
COMMENT 6:1
Brethren, even if a man be overtaken in any trespass
1.
The King James uses the word fault.
2.
Many folk have a besetting sin that overtakes them on occasion.
3.
Consider the word overtaken.
a.
The devil can overtakeovercome in life as well as in doctrine.
b.
That they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him unto his will. 2 Timothy 2:26
c.
This is not willful sinbut one whose spiritual endurance is at an end.
4.
The Galatians are addressed as brethren.
a.
Paul calls attention to a family relationship which should serve to obligate one to the needy.
b.
God's family relationship should warm our hearts toward those in need.
ye who are spiritual
1.
Some feel these were men among the Galatians who were eminent for their knowledge and goodness.
2.
MacKnight thinks they were those possessed of spiritual gifts. If any man thinketh himself to be. spiritual. 1 Corinthians 14:37
restore such a one
1.
Not to aggravate, scold, and drive further away.
a.
The Greek word means To make fit.
b.
It is used in Matthew 4:21 of repairing nets.
c.
Liddell and Scott says it is used of setting a broken limb.
2.
What if he will not be restored?
a.
Paul answers, Refuse him. Titus 3:10
3.
There is a state beyond restoration.
a.
Impossible to renew. Hebrews 6:4-6
in a spirit of gentleness
1.
A repentant sinner is not to be given gall and vinegar to drink.
2.
Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness? 1 Corinthians 4:21
looking to thyself
1.
There is no sin which one person has committed, but what another may commit it.
2.
We can examine others and forget self.
a.
But I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected. 1 Corinthians 9:27
b.
Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 1 Corinthians 10:12
1)
David fell.
2)
Noah, a preacher of righteousness, fell.
3.
Preachers can get so negative that they become sour and disgruntled.
a.
Some men preach that others need to pray and to love, and they do not realize that they need it.
b.
Some men preach as though they were the only saints.
4.
Preachers can emphasize love and be unlovely.
5.
Looking is also translated considering.
a.
The verb denotes looking intentlybeing on guard.
1)
Look therefore whether the light that is in thee be not darkness. Luke 11:35
2)
Mark them that are causing the divisions. Romans 16:17
b.
Sometimes it is used as something to aim at.
1)
While we look not at the things which are seen. 2 Corinthians 4:18
2)
Not looking each of you to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others. Philippians 2:4
lest thou also be tempted
1.
He fell yesterday, I may fall today.
2.
The restoring one may fall short of his duty.
a.
He may withhold help.
b.
He may be betrayed into Pharisaismself righteousness.
c.
He may become harsh.
3.
If the restorer falls, then the needy person may say, What right has he to speak to me; look what he does. I am not guilty of that.
COMMENT 6:2
Bear one another's burdens
1.
Christians must have strong shoulders.
2.
Paul writes, Love believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 1 Corinthians 13:7
3.
Note how the early church did this.
a.
Them that believed were of one heart and soul. Acts 4:32-36
4.
Sharing only goes so farit has some limitation.
a.
If any will not work, neither let him eat. 2 Thessalonians 3:10
5.
Consider the word weight or burden.
a.
The word means an excessive weight, such as it is a toil to carry.
b.
Now we that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves, Romans 15:1
WORD STUDY 6:2
Burdens (barosBAR oss). At first glance there seems to be a contradiction between Galatians 6:2 and Galatians 6:5. First we are to bear one another's burden, and then, each man is to bear his own burden. The solution lies in the two different Greek words for burden. The burden of Galatians 6:2 which must be shared is baros, which means heavy, having great weight. The burden of Galatians 6:5 which each one must carry for himself is phortion (for TEE on), which is a common word for freight or cargo.
Thus, we must all help one another in the oppressive burdens of life, but we also each have certain things for which we alone are responsible.
COMMENT 6:3
fulfill the law of Christ
1.
What is the law of Christ?
a.
A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another. John 13:34
b.
This is my commandment, that ye love one another. John 15:12
thinketh himself to be something
1.
This refers to those who think they are big ones when they are zeros.
a.
People, who if bought for their worth and sold at their evaluation, would net a great profit.
b.
If I have the gift of prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:2
2.
There are those who like to eulogize themselves.
3.
These are puffed up to their own destruction.
a.
Love. is not puffed up. 1 Corinthians 13:4
b.
Let no man rob you of your prize by a voluntary humility and worshipping of the angels, dwelling in the things which he hath seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind. Colossians 2:18
1)
A spiritual mind will be humble.
2)
Puffing up prepares for a bubble to burst.
c.
That in us ye might learn not to go beyond the things which are written; that no one of you be puffed up for the one against the other. 1 Corinthians 4:6
d.
Now as concerning things sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but love edifieth. 1 Corinthians 8:1
1)
Those who are Ph.D.'S in their thinking, but not in their training, often are troublemakers.
2)
The ignorant man knows not that he does not know.
he deceiveth himself
1.
A magician can do strange things with others.
2.
The puffed up person can strangely fool himself.
a.
There is no one more miserable than the self-deluded person.
b.
If any man thinketh himself to be religious, while he bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his heart, this man's religion is vain. James 1:26
COMMENT 6:4
But let a man prove his own works
1.
Prove means to examine.
a.
See 1 Corinthians 11:28. Let a man examine himself at the table.
b.
2.
We have to give account of our own life, therefore we must be concerned. Cf. Romans 2:6; Romans 14:12; Galatians 6:8; 2 Corinthians 5:10
then shall he have his glorying in regard of himself alone
1.
See 2 Corinthians 1:12 for the meaning of this. For our glorying is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God,.
a.
A thorough examination of self, leaves no room for self-glory.
b.
The grace of God is our glory and it eliminates the big I.
2.
If a person is egotistical, he compares himself with what is inferior and thereby exalts himself all the more.
a.
IllustrationA robin saw itself in a mirror, ruffled up its feathers, and found itself destroying itself by its own image.
b.
Such a person will hang himself, for he keeps giving himself enough rope.
and not of his neighbor
1.
The Catholic Bible reads, And not in comparison with another.
2.
He will not have time to glory over his neighbor's weakness.
3.
He will not be like the Pharisee: God I thank thee that I am not as the rest of the men. Luke 18:11
PROVE YOUR OWN WORK 6:4
The subject of works is a constant problem to those who make too much of grace. Some say that there is absolutely nothing that anyone can do to obtain salvation. It is absolutely by God's grace. Immediately after a statement of absoluteness, they qualify it by saying, you are saved by faith.
When pressed with scriptures that concern obedience, they then defend their position by saying obedience is works and you are not saved by works but by faith only. This last argument is in opposition to James 2:24, which says that we are not saved by faith only.
A man in a row boat has two oars. One can be called faith and the other obedience or works. The use of both oars sends the boat upstream. The use of one sends the boat in a circle and downstream.
In the 1920'S astronomers felt sure, as a result of their calculations, that there must be another planet in the skies. This act of faith drove people to search for it. As a result, Pluto was discovered.
But, in science, faith is never a stopping place. It does not prove anything. It merely stimulates research in the direction of the suggested truth. Religious faith has exactly the same function. It is the insight to perceive that something is true and the motivation to go ahead and prove it.
Contrary to what we may have thought, God does not want us to take Him for granted. He wants us to prove Him. The Bible says so. prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts Malachi 3:10, that ye may prove what is that. will of God, Romans 12:2; But let every man prove his own work, Galatians 6:4.
STAND FAST IN FREEDOM
Christ makes us free, Galatians 6:4. This is a statement of fact then expanded in the following verses.
The Christian knows of a freedom which liberates and yet which has the necessary limitations for community living. Jesus said, If you continue in my word, you are my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed, John 8:31-32; John 8:36. This freedom through Christ liberates one from the power of sin from self-centeredness, from anxiety, and from fear of death. It enables one to live freely among his fellows with loving concern for them. It is this kind of freedom with which we should seek to fill the emptiness of our lives.
Love for Christ calls forth an obedience from us and we do not consider it working for our salvation.
Under His authority those of the bride are no longer under law. Freed by the great Lover, we face a greater obligation. Under the law people did not need to think, make choices; work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. But. we must think, choose, weigh, test, be accountable for our own thoughts, words, actions.
COMMENT 6:5
For each man shall bear his own burden
1.
This sounds like a contradiction of Galatians 6:2.
2.
The Greek word meansburden or responsibility.
a.
Jesus said, My yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:30
b.
For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne and lay them on men's shoulders. Matthew 23:4
c.
This word is different from burden of Galatians 6:2. Here it means toil, trials.
3.
Each one of us shall bear his own load of duty and accountability.
a.
This we will be called upon to answer for in the judgment.
b.
No one can shoulder our responsibility for us.
STUDY QUESTIONS 6:1-5
884.
With what word does Paul open this chapter?
885.
May we assume that Paul was not yet ready to disfellowship them for their false teaching?
886.
Define the word overtaken.
887.
Explain the meaning of trespass.
888.
What is the idea of a besetting sin?
889.
Is this a sin committed by the will or against it?
890.
Who were the spiritual ones?
891.
Were they the most saintly ones?
892.
Could it refer to the ones with spiritual gifts?
893.
What is meant by the word restore?
894.
How do you go about it?
895.
Are there impossible ones? (Cf. Hebrews 6:4-5)
896.
What do you do if one refuses you? (Cf. Titus 3:10)
897.
What kind of a spirit does the restoring one need?
898.
What is meant by gentleness?
899.
What do you need to look to yourself?
900.
Is it possible to forget your own weakness while looking at the weakness of others?
901.
Is there any danger in trying to help people?
902.
Is it possible for a person to be unlovely while speaking on the subject?
903.
What would you look for in self while counseling?
904.
Does the verse mean that you may fall into their temptations?
905.
In what way is this a very real problem?
906.
Define fear.
907.
Are Christians to be burden bearers?
908.
Did the early church set us an example?
909.
Paul teaches that burden bearing does what?
910.
Can we go to the extreme in slave driving responsibilities?
911.
What warning is given in this verse?
912.
How do people get big ideas about themselves?
913.
Is it possible for a person to be nothing?
914.
What is the danger of being puffed up?
915.
Does knowledge puff up people?
916.
Do people become proud of their spirituality?
917.
Can a person play the part of a magician?
918.
How does one fool himself?
919.
When a man examines his work, how should he compare it?
920.
When we compare ourselves with others, what kind of a person do we select?
921.
When we glorify ourselves in comparison to others, what do we generally do to the other individual?
922.
Will we glory in self if we compare ourselves to Christ?
923.
How often should we prove our work?
924.
Do we have teaching encouraging self-examination once a week? Cf. 1 Corinthians 11:28
925.
Is this verse a contradiction of Galatians 6:2?
926.
What does burden mean?
927.
Did Jesus urge burden-bearing?
928.
If we shoulder other people's burdens, should we expect others to shoulder ours?