Galatians 6:1-10

Galatians 6:1-10

I.                   Galatians 6:1-5

a.       V. 1

                                                              i.      The word used may imply being taken unaware by sin

                                                            ii.      “you who are endowed with the Spirit”- the restoration of fellow Christians in danger is the responsibility of the entire community

                                                          iii.      Is Paul applying Jesus teaching from Matthew 18:15-17 as C. H. Dodd suggests?

                                                          iv.      An awareness of the possibility of falling into sin oneself also enables the spirit of gentleness Paul instructs us to have

                                                            v.      Cf. I Corinthians 10:12

b.      V. 2

                                                              i.      Cf. Matthew 5:42

                                                            ii.      Cf. Romans 15:1; I Corinthians 9:19-23

                                                          iii.      Cf. I Peter 5:7, quoting Psalm 55:22

                                                          iv.      A “burden” in Paul was often financial (Cf. I Thessalonians 2:5-9; II Thessalonians 3:8; II Corinthians 12:16)

                                                            v.       “The Torah is not conceived as being identical, or equivalent, or at any rate co-extensive, with the law of God…The law of God, which at one stage and on one level finds expression in the Torah, may at another stage and on a different level find expression in the ‘law of Christ’.” – C.H. Dodd

c.       V. 3

                                                              i.      If we imagine ourselves to be better than we ought, it becomes harder for us to sympathize with others and bear their burdens in gentleness

                                                            ii.      Jesus was clearly someone extremely special, and yet He displayed a willingness to bear the burden of our sin (Philippians 2).  This prevents anyone from thinking they are too good or important to bear another’s burdens.

                                                          iii.      Cf. Romans 12:3, I Corinthians 8:2

d.      V. 4

                                                              i.      We should judge ourselves by our own growth, not in relation to others

                                                            ii.      Cf. I Peter 1:7; I Corinthians 3:13; II Corinthians 10:12

                                                          iii.      Cf. Luke 18:11

e.       V. 5

                                                              i.      “load” different from “heavy burden” in v. 2.  “Load” implies usual things like a traveler’s pack, etc., not an excessive burden too much for one person to bear

                                                            ii.      There are some burdens that cannot be born for another

                                                          iii.      The “mature spiritual community…is the one which is able to distinguish those loads which individuals must bear for themselves, and those burdens where help is needed.” – J.D.G. Dunn

II.                Galatians 6:6-10

a.       V. 6

                                                              i.      Cf. I Corinthians 9:3-14; I Timothy 5:17f.

                                                            ii.       Luke 10:7; Matthew 10:10

b.      V. 7

                                                              i.      The only two other places where Paul draws on this metaphor it has to do with financial matters (I Corinthians 9:10-11 and II Corinthians 9:6)

                                                            ii.      Cf. Job 4:8; Proverbs 22:7-9; Hosea 8:7; 10:12f.

c.       V. 8

                                                              i.      Like the natural world, we reap what we sow spiritually, whether that be destruction or eternal life

                                                            ii.      Eternal life would be synonymous with the resurrection

                                                          iii.      Reaping as imagery of the final judgment- Job 4:8; Joel 3:12-13; Revelation 14:14-16; Matthew 13:30; Mark 4:29

d.      V. 9

                                                              i.      We may tire because of the delay of the end-time harvest, or because of our own weakness and inability to keep our eyes on Jesus

e.       V. 10

                                                              i.      Christians may be especially in need because of having been cut off from their families, friends, and social networks due to their faith in Christ

                                                            ii.      Cf. Ephesians 2:19; I Timothy 3:15; II Corinthians 9:6-9

                                                          iii.      The household is defined by faith, not membership in Israel

                                                          iv.      What would people think about Christians and the love and goodness they profess if those in the household of faith were seen to be neglected?

                                                            v.      “as we have opportunity” doesn’t mean that every now and then an opportunity will present itself, but that life itself is an opportunity to live for God

                                                          vi.      There “is no meaningful distinction between theology and ethics in Paul’s thought, because Paul’s theology is fundamentally an account of God’s work of transforming his people into the image of Christ.” – Richard B. Hayes