1Paul adviseth them to reform the faulty with gentleness, 2and to bear one another's burdens. 3A caution against vanity. 6He exhorteth to be liberal toward spiritual instructors: 9and not to be weary in doing good. 12He sheweth the carnal views of those who preached circumcision, 14and his own professed dependence on Christ only, regardless of the world. 8He concludeth with a prayer.
1BRETHREN,a if a man be 1overtaken 2in 3a fault, ye 4which are spiritual, 5restore such an one 6in the spirit of meekness; 7considering thyself, lest thou also be 8tempted.
a Rom. 14:1; 15:1; 1 Cor. 9:22.
1 Or, come beforehand, surprised, namely, out of carelessness or weakness, not out of willful purpose.
2 Or, through. Gr. in.
3 Namely, whereby he has offended you or others.
4 That is, who are enlightened by the Spirit of God, and endued with competence to be able to admonish others. See 1 Cor. 3:1.
5 Namely, by good instruction and admonition. The Greek word signifies properly to make whole, to perfect, to supply the want, or to restore something. See Mat. 4:21.
6 Or, with the spirit. Gr. in the spirit.
7 That is, recalling your own infirmities, how easily you also might thereby be overtaken with similar sins.
8 That is, be not brought by the temptations of the devil and the flesh to the same sins.
29Bearb ye one another’s 10burdens, and so 11fulfil 12the law of Christ.
9 That is, help to bear, to bear with, amend, and remove them with christian moderation and compassion.
b Mat. 11:29; John 13:14; Rom. 15:1; 1 Thes. 5:14.
10 That is, infirmities and defects, which lie as a heavy burden upon the people.
11 That is, satisfy, accomplish, observe.
12 Namely, of loving one another, John 13:34, 35, which, although it be also written by Moses, Lev. 19:18, yet it is specially called the law of Christ, because He most strictly commanded the same to His disciples, by exhortation as well as by His example, John 15:12; 1 John 3:16.
3For if a man 13think himself to be something, 14when he is nothing, he 15deceiveth himself.
13 That is, thinks to be of something great, holy or special; esteems much of himself, and thinks that he is better than his neighbor. From which it commonly springs that one reproves so severely the failings of the neighbor.
14 That is, whereas he has nothing good of himself, and all that he has, he has received from God, 1 Cor. 4:7; 2 Cor. 3:5.
15 That is, makes himself foolishly wise, while it is not so.
4But let every man 16prove 17his own work, and 18then shall he have 19rejoicing 20in himself alone, and 21not in another.
16 That is, examine and test, not according to his own pleasure, but according to the rule and touchstone of God’s law.
17 That is, his own actions and dealings; not so much the actions of others.
18 Namely, when he finds that his actions are agreeable to the law of God.
19 That is, shall be able to glory with a good conscience, not of his own worthiness or merits, Rom. 3:27; 1 Cor. 1:29, 31, but that he walks uprightly before God according to His law, 1 Cor. 9:15; 2 Cor. 1:12.
20 That is, of his own good conduct in life, and in his own conscience.
21 That is, not comparing himself with others, whom he may think not to be as good as he, as the pharisee did, Luke 18:11.
5Forc every man shall bear 22his own burden.
c Psalm 62:12; Jer. 17:10; 32:19; Mat. 16:27; Rom. 2:6; 14:12; 1 Cor. 3:8; 2 Cor. 5:10; Rev. 2:23; 22:12.
22 That is, give an account unto God of his own works and be judged according to his own actions.
6Letd him that is 23taught 24in the word 25communicate unto him that 26teacheth 27in all good things.
d Rom. 15:27; 1 Cor. 9:11.
23 The Greek word catechoumenos signifies indeed one who is instructed in the primary principles of religion, but here it is taken wider for all kinds of hearers, who by the preaching of God’s Word, are instructed in the Christian religion, of what state so ever they be.
24 Namely, of God.
25 That is, let him also give his part for the maintenance of the teachers.
26 Gr. catechizeth, as before.
27 Or, of all goods, that is, liberally, in order that the ministers may so much the better bestow all their time in the administration of their office. Gr. in all good things.
728Bee not deceived; God is not 29mocked: forf whatsoever a man 30soweth, that shall he also reap.
28 That is, do not vainly imagine and delude yourselves, not permit yourselves to err.
e 1 Cor. 6:10.
29 Or, God doth not permit himself to be mocked. Namely, with vain pretenses and evasions, which many use for not obeying God’s commands; seeing He does not accept those evasions, neither lets them go unpunished. Gr. God is not mocked.
f Luke 16:25.
30 That is, has bestowed upon the teachers, whereof is spoken previously, as well as to the poor whereof he speaks in that which follows. A similitude whereby the abundant fruit of communicativeness is set forth. As out of one grain that is sown, oftentimes an hundred grow up and are sown again, Gen. 26:12. See of the same 2 Cor. 9:6.
8For he that soweth 31to his flesh shall 32of the flesh 33reap 34corruption; but he that soweth 35to the Spirit shall 36of the Spirit reap 37life everlasting.
31 That is, he who bestows his goods only to live voluptuously thereof, or to gather treasurers for himself, and does not think of maintaining the ministers, or the poor.
32 That is, of this misuse of his goods, which are bestowed only on his flesh.
33 That is, from which he shall obtain recompense and fruit.
34 Namely, temporal and eternal.
35 That is, he who bestows his goods unto spiritual things, thereby to further God’s glory and men’s salvation, and to do good to the poor.
36 That is, forasmuch as he has bestowed his goods unto spiritual things.
37 That is, not only here receive in this life temporal blessing, but also hereafter eternal happiness, as a fruit of liberality, not of merit but of grace. See Mat. 25:34, 35, etc.
9Andg let us 38not be weary 39in well doing: for 40in due season we shall 41reap, if we 42faint not.
g 2 Thes. 3:13.
38 The Greek word signifies to grow remiss in good by evil means; as it happens many times about the matter in hand, because the multitude of the poor is great, and amongst them oftentimes there are many unworthy and many unthankful persons, and because the time of the reward does not come right away.
39 That is, showing forth liberality.
40 That is, although the time of reward be deferred, as there is time between sowing and reaping, yet nevertheless the same shall certainly come.
41 See verse 8.
42 Gr. be dissolved, or loosened.
10As we have 43therefore opportunity, let us do 44good unto 45all men, especiallyh unto them who are of the 46household of faith.
43 Namely, to sow, that is, to do good to the poor; which must be done in the time of this life, which is short and uncertain.
44 Gr. work good, that is, show forth liberality.
45 Namely, poor or others who have need of our help and assistance. See Luke 10:36, 37.
h 1 Tim. 5:8.
46 That is, the believing Christians, who, together with us, are members of the congregation, which is the house of the living God, 1 Tim. 3:15. To these we are more obliged; and it would be improper that they, who belong to one house, should let one another suffer hunger and want.
1147Ye see 48how large a letter I have written unto you 49with mine own hand.
47 Or, See.
48 Or, with how many words, or writings.
49 That is, without causing it to be written by the hand of another, as indeed he did, Rom. 16:22, and only subscribed his name with the salutation, 1 Cor. 16:21; Col. 4:18. Thereby he shows therefore how greatly he esteems the Galatians; and this he did that the false apostles would not say that it was not Paul’s epistle, and should bring forth another epistle instead of it, as if it were written by him, as they indeed used to do, 2 Thes. 2:2.
12As many as desire to make 50a fair shew 51in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should 52suffer persecution 53for the cross of Christ.
50 Or, will be much respected, or, be respectable. He understands here the false apostles.
51 Or, according to the flesh, that is, by the observation of the outward and corporal ceremonies. Gr. in the flesh.
52 Namely, by the Jews, as we are daily persecuted mostly by them, because we teach that the law of Moses is fulfilled and abrogated by Christ.
53 That is, for the doctrine of Christ, which is so called, because the sum and contents of the same is, that life is procured for us by the cross of Christ, 1 Cor. 2:2.
13For neither they themselves 54who are circumcised 55keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory 56in your flesh.
54 Namely, and urge circumcision so strongly as yet necessary unto salvation.
55 Namely, in the other points, which are also commanded in the law, but lead an irregular or hypocritical life.
56 That is, that they may get many adherents among you, and vainly boast thereof to the Jews.
14But God forbid that I should glory, 57save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, 58by whom 59the world is crucified 60unto me, and 61I unto the world.
57 That is, crucified for us in the orthodox doctrine of Christ, 1 Cor. 2:2.
58 Namely, the cross of Christ. Or, Christ crucified. The sense comes all to one.
59 That is, honor, favor and respect with the people.
60 That is, is despised and rejected by me.
61 Namely, while I am despised, persecuted, and cast of by the world for the doctrine of Christ, 1 Cor. 4:12, 13.
15Fori62in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth 63any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a 64new creature.
i Mat. 12:50; John 15:14; 2 Cor. 5:16; Gal. 5:6; Col. 3:11.
62 That is, in the Kingdom and the congregation of Christ, or, according to the doctrine of Christ. See Gal. 5:6.
63 Namely, to obtain by circumcision eternal life, or to be hindered by uncircumcision from obtaining the same.
64 Or, new creation, whereby is understood regeneration and renewing of a person by the Holy Spirit. See 2 Cor. 5:17.
16Andj as many as walk 65according to this rule, 66peace 67be on them, and 68mercy, and 69upon the Israel of God.
j Psalm 125:5.
65 That is, according to this doctrine which I have propounded and declared in this epistle, of man’s justification before God, of Christian liberty, and of a Christian conduct.
66 That is, all manner of spiritual blessings, and especially reconciliation with God, and assurance hereof in their minds by the Holy Spirit, Rom. 5:1.
67 Or, shall be.
68 Namely, of God, Who is the fountain from where flows man’s reconciliation and salvation.
69 That is, upon all true believers, who are true Israelites, and so acknowledged by God; which he adds to distinguish them from the Israelites according to the flesh. See Rom. 2:28, 29; 9:6, etc.
17From henceforth let 70no man trouble me: fork I bear in my body 71the marks of the Lord Jesus.
70 Namely, these false apostles. This he speaks with an apostolic authority to restrain their further willfulness.
k 2 Cor. 4:10.
71 Namely, of the stripes, bands and wounds which I have received for the sake of Christ and His doctrine. Hereby he wanted to show that he evaded no persecutions, as the false apostles did. See 2 Cor. 11:23, etc.
1872Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your 73spirit. Amen.
72 This is a salutation and wish, with which the apostle concludes his epistles, as he testifies himself, 2 Thes. 3:17. See also, Rom. 16:24; 1 Cor. 16:23; 2 Cor. 13:13.
73 That is, soul, mind.