Galatians 6
Summary for Gal 6:1-10: 6:1-10 a Living by the Spirit (5:13–6:10 b) results in doing good (6:1-5 c) and reaping rewards from one’s work (6:6-10 d).Summary for Gal 6:1-5: 6:1-5 e Paul outlines how to treat other Christians with love when they sin. 6:1 f Perhaps some of the Galatians were proud of their obedience to the law or their spiritual freedom and willpower. But those who are truly godly are not proud of their accomplishments but humbly help others.
• be careful: We are all susceptible to the same temptation to sin (Rom 3:9-20 g).
6:2 h Carrying each other’s burdens (6:1 i) fulfills the law of Christ to love one another (5:13-14 j; see also Lev 19:18 k; Matt 22:36-40 l; John 13:34 m; 15:12 n; 1 Jn 3:23 o).
6:3 p Those with a proud attitude wrongly assume they are too important to help the weak (see study note on 6:1).
6:4 q Instead of regarding ourselves as better than others, we should examine our own work and ensure that we obey Christ in everything (cp. 1 Cor 3:12-15 r).
6:5 s If believers carry their own load (6:4 t), they will have no occasion to treat a brother or sister with contempt (6:3 u).
Summary for Gal 6:6-10: 6:6-10 v In financially supporting those who teach them God’s message (6:6 w), believers harvest a spiritual crop. 6:6 x Supporting Christian teachers applies 5:13 y and 6:2 z (cp. 1 Tim 5:17-18 aa).
6:7 ab you cannot mock the justice of God: God cannot be fooled by spiritual pretenses. All people will harvest the consequences of their actions (what you plant; see also Job 4:8 ac; Ps 126:5 ad; Prov 22:8 ae; Hos 8:7 af; 10:12-15 ag; Luke 19:21-23 ah; 1 Cor 3:12-15 ai; 9:11 aj; 2 Cor 9:6 ak).
6:8 al Living to please the Spirit is only possible in the Spirit’s power (3:3 am; 5:16 an). Those who trust in human effort and those who think they can do as they wish are in the same position: They live to satisfy their own sinful nature. Such people harvest decay and death. Those who live by the Spirit’s power and trust in God will harvest everlasting life.
6:9 ao Let’s not get tired: Either by letting sinful behavior creep in or by grasping for a legal code of conduct rather than being in step with the Spirit (5:25 ap).
• At just the right time we will reap: This assurance is a source of strength for Christians to continue doing good work (cp. Rom 8:28 aq).
• if we don’t give up: The fulfillment of God’s promises to believers requires their steadfast perseverance in faith (see also Luke 18:1 ar; 2 Cor 4:1 as).
6:10 at Therefore: This statement forms an inclusio (bookends) for the section (5:13–6:10 au) by stating the same theme as 5:13 av: Freedom in the Spirit compels us to do good to others in love.
• Doing good to those in the family of faith demonstrates God’s faithfulness to his children: He provides for all their needs.
Summary for Gal 6:11-18: 6:11-18 aw Paul took up the pen from his amanuensis (secretary) and added a postscript in his own handwriting to show that the letter was authentically his and to make a final appeal.
Summary for Gal 6:12-13: 6:12-13 ax For all of their theological reasoning, the false teachers’ motivation was self-serving: They felt pressure from non-Christian Jews and were more concerned with their own reputation than with honoring God.
6:14 ay In contrast with the false teachers (6:12-13 az), Paul’s motivation was to increase, not his own reputation, but God’s glory. Boasting about law-keeping would detract from recognition of the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
• In the Greco-Roman world, the cross was a senseless scandal to those who did not believe (5:11 ba; 1 Cor 1:23 bb; cp. John 6:53-61 bc), but it is the basis for a Christian’s faith and hope (1 Cor 1:17-18 bd; 15:3 be; Phil 2:8-11 bf; Col 1:20-22 bg; 2:14-15 bh).
6:15 bi The Galatians had missed the point of the Good News, that a new creation has come in Christ by the Spirit, not by human effort (cp. 2 Cor 5:16-17 bj).
6:16 bk This principle is putting trust in Christ for salvation (6:14-15 bl)
• they are the new people of God (literally and [or even] upon the Israel of God): The Greek conjunction kai, usually translated “and,” often means “even.” If it means and, then the Israel of God is a separate group from all who live by this principle; if it means even, then they are the same group. The Jewish people still have an identity before God (Rom 9:1-5 bm; 10:1-4 bn; 11:1-32 bo). Gentiles who believe have been grafted in, and Jews who disbelieve have been pruned out of the spiritual Israel (Rom 11:17-24 bp; cp. Phil 3:2-3 bq; Col 2:11-12 br). Paul thus considers all Christians to be the true Israel (see Rom 2:28-29 bs; 9:6-8 bt; cp. Gal 4:21-31 bu). The phrase the Israel of God does not appear elsewhere in the New Testament or in other literature; perhaps the false teachers promised this identification to Gentiles who would accept circumcision. If so, then Paul turned their argument on its head: The believing Gentiles in Galatia didn’t need circumcision, for they were already God’s Israel—his true people—through faith in Christ.
6:17 bv don’t let anyone trouble me with these things: No one has a right to criticize Paul or his message because of his proven status as Christ’s servant.
• Paul’s scars (Greek stigmata) probably resulted from the severe persecution he had endured as a servant of Christ (see Acts 14:19 bw; 2 Cor 6:4-10 bx; 11:21-33 by). In contrast with the physical mark of circumcision that the false teachers in Galatia wanted to impose on Gentile Christians, Paul’s scars of suffering were proof that he was Christ’s servant (cp. Exod 21:6 bz).
6:18 ca Paul prayed at the end as at the beginning (1:3-4 cb). More than law, the Galatians needed the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ to be with their spirit.
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