Chapter 6
As this chapter begins, we have to wonder if Paul's whole outline had a new Roman numeral starting at vs 5:16. (It was at 5:1) Right after that he addresses the desires of the flesh. He lists them, and then he contrasts that list with the characteristics of those led by the Spirit. Now he starts 6 with "bearing one another's burdens". With helping each other to overcome, to repent of, lapses in living the Spiritual life, and to do so without getting too judgmental about it as we examine our own shortcomings to empathize with others' shortcomings. We all have our own problems.
2022 - In vss 1-5, three commands are given. Restore brothers "caught" in sin. I don't know if that word caught means like "red handed" or means "trapped" in sin. The definition is a bit complicated, but I can tell that it does not mean "trapped" in sin. It can mean surprise or detect. It is also aorist passive subjunctive. Basically, that just means if anyone anywhere is ever "caught" in sin. As general as the aorist passive subjunctive is, perhaps Paul also means "caught" to be sort of an open situation. Caught in whatever way he might be caught - using all the multiple possibilities that word can imply. People get caught in sin in an infinite number of ways. Doesn't matter what happened. The point here is that "we who are spiritual" should help them "escape" their sin, to repent, to move on from it, rather than be "stuck" in it. Second, bear one another's burdens. Is this about listening to the troubled, is it about taking food to the grieving and the sick and the infirm and the widows and widowers? I get the sense, from the Greek word, that we are to "take the weight of it upon ourselves". So take the load off of others, and deal with it ourselves. Make some of their responsibility our responsibility. Probably we would know better what to do if we had a closer relationship with our brothers and sisters in Christ. You have to know what the load is before you can help carry it. Preparing meals, babysitting, paying a bill for someone. Third, be hard on yourself. Set our goals high. Deal with your own burdens. In so doing, it will be easier on those who help you bear them, and you will be better able to handle whatever comes up. Or maybe this is more about keeping what you do to yourself, so that you know you are doing these things, but don't depend on your neighbor to tell you how great a job you're doing. Perhaps Paul is even saying we shouldn't tell anyone at all that we're doing these things.
2023 - This verse:
1 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. [Gal 6:1 ESV]. To me, the transgression about which we are talking is not a "one time thing". But I can't find anything in the grammar that says that. The grammar would apply to being caught - as in "hand in the cookie jar". That is probably the more correct way to look at it because "restore" is in the present active imperative. It is a command to restore them as soon as they are "caught". I guess we could be "caught" in something we've been doing a long time, but have not been previously caught. Going to bars, looking at the wrong magazines, flirting with other women. Being caught in the act on any of these could in fact just be the tip of the iceberg that is a long time habit of doing this. I do not think Paul means there has to be a big "restorative" meeting if someone overhears a fellow church member cuss when he has a blowout. But surely such a meeting might be helpful if that person is forever using that kind of language. That's what's bothering me I guess. I want there to be a "threshold" that triggers this imperative, so I can do the little sins without anyone interfering. Hmmm...That might be a problem with my thinking all right...
2025 - Vs 2:
2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. [Gal 6:2 ESV]. I think "the law of Christ" is pointing back to "love they neighbor as thyself" in 5:14. To love others is to take some of their load onto yourself. Don't just look out the window across the road. Go help! Give them your time to help with what they need to do.
2022 - Vss 6-10 are pretty generic also. It is not clear to me exactly what is in view. We are to do good, to everyone, as we have opportunity. It is not just those who set themselves up as teachers who are to behave this way, but also those who are taught. I think maybe this is the idea here...I am not really sure. We aren't to do nice things for others just so we can get the credit for being good to others. If we are doing it for our own good, we are seeking rewards in the flesh. If we are sincere in doing good, our reward is spiritual. This seems to be setting things up for vs 12 below. In 12, Paul says the Judaizers are teaching for themselves, for their own worldly goals. What they are doing is for the teachers, not in any sense for the taught. Do not therefore listen to them.
This chapter starts with an appeal for individual holiness. We are to keep away from sin, we are to "gently" admonish others who sin, but look first to our own problems before we jump on others.
Paul apparently closes the letter in his own large handwriting. Perhaps he didn't see well...At any rate, he now unmasks the motivation of the Judaizers with these verses:
12 It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. [Gal 6:12 ESV]
The "old school Jews" were still very powerful. Being put out of the synagogue for following "the Way" was still a very real thing. Your business would suffer, your children would suffer, your finances would suffer if you were put out. These Judaizers were trying to ingratiate themselves with the "old school" by bringing these errant Jews (Christians) back to the Law. Let them claim Christ if they want, as long as they still follow the tradition of the "old school". By doing so, the Judaizers gained standing with the traditional power structure. These were looking out for themselves only, with no care whatever for the souls of those they were teaching....and yet, they too believed they were helping. Believing this made it ok to help themselves while they were at it.
2023 - I wonder where money was involved in all this. Paul says the Judaizers ask for big paychecks, and they don't want to be persecuted for Christ. They want to maintain a good working relationship with the old school, Christ rejecting Jews. There is no "above the line" way to do both and still be a committed Christ follower. When you can't find a spiritual motivation, look for a monetary one. How did money flow from Christians persuaded to follow the law to the non-Christian synagogue Jews, and how did the false teachers facilitate that flow? These were mostly Gentiles. Did they have to sign up for classes at the synagogue so they could follow the law better? Not much money in that. But maybe as part of that, the Pharisees taught them about making a great show of the massive contributions to the temple you were making - as a Gentile trying to get right with the Law. For now, that's the only way I can see to "follow the money".
2022 - One last thing...here is the closing verse:
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen. [Gal 6:18 ESV]. This is the first case I have noticed where the word "adelphos" is used for brothers, and the ESV did not put in a footnote saying "Or brothers and sisters". They left this one alone for some reason. It is used as a noun, and is in the vocative plural masculine. I don't believe I have seen that word "vocative" before. The word appears to be spelled and used just like it is used everywhere else. I would like to do a little study and see how often this vocative case shows up. But adelphos is used 343 times in 317 verses in the NT. The vocative case is "a direct address or exclamation. In this verse, we also find the vocative: 16 "Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. [Act 1:16 ESV]. There is also no footnote in 1:16. HOWEVER, in vs 14, there is the usual footnote on "and his brothers". The noun's case here is dative. In vs 15, it is genitive, and there is no footnote. I also saw a number of places where it was accusative, as in this verse: 2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, [Mat 1:2 ESV], which has no footnote. Did Jacob have no sisters? Why couldn't it mean both here? So...based on this, I still say the ESV is putting this in much more for political reasons than for translation reasons. I just still do not see any consistency in where the footnotes belong. AT BEST, it is interpretation on the part of ESV, and not a strict translation...well...in the verse, they always use just the masculine form. It is only in the footnotes that they bring sisters into it, and the footnote always says "OR" brothers and sisters, depending on context, so that you can decide for yourself. But...wouldn't we do that anyway, even without the footnote? Who would ever use the Bible to say that all these rules and regs apply only to the men and women can do as they please???? That would be ridiculous!