Galatians 6

Galatians 6:1-18 . EXHORTATIONS CONTINUED; TO FORBEARANCE AND HUMILITY; LIBERALITY TO TEACHERS AND IN GENERAL. POSTSCRIPT AND BENEDICTION.

1. Brethren--An expression of kindness to conciliate attention. Translate as Greek, "If a man even be overtaken" (that is, caught in the very act [ALFORD and ELLICOTT]: BEFORE he expects: unexpectedly). BENGEL explains the "before" in the Greek compound verb, "If a man be overtaken in a fault before ourselves": If another has really been overtaken in a fault the first; for often he who is first to find fault, is the very one who has first transgressed.
a fault--Greek, "a transgression," "a fall"; such as a falling back into legal bondage. Here he gives monition to those who have not so fallen, "the spiritual," to be not "vainglorious" ( Galatians 5:26 ), but forbearing to such ( Romans 15:1 ).
restore--The Greek is used of a dislocated limb, reduced to its place. Such is the tenderness with which we should treat a fallen member of the Church in restoring him to a better state.
the spirit of meekness--the meekness which is the gift of the Holy Spirit working in our spirit ( Galatians 5:22 Galatians 5:25 ). "Meekness" is that temper of spirit towards God whereby we accept His dealings without disputing; then, towards men, whereby we endure meekly their provocations, and do not withdraw ourselves from the burdens which their sins impose upon us [TRENCH].
considering thyself--Transition from the plural to the singular. When congregations are addressed collectively, each individual should take home the monition to himself.
thou also be tempted--as is likely to happen to those who reprove others without meekness (compare Matthew 7:2-5 , 2 Timothy 2:25 , 2:13 ).

2. If ye, legalists, must "bear burdens," then instead of legal burdens ( Matthew 23:4 ), "bear one another's burdens," literally, "weights." Distinguished by BENGEL from "burden," Galatians 6:4 (a different Greek word, "load"): "weights" exceed the strength of those under them; "burden" is proportioned to the strength.
so fulfil--or as other old manuscripts read, "so ye will fulfil," Greek, "fill up," "thoroughly fulfil."
the law of Christ--namely, "love" ( Galatians 5:14 ). Since ye desire "the law," then fulfil the law of Christ, which is not made up of various minute observances, but whose sole "burden" is "love" ( John 13:34 , 15:12 ); Romans 15:3 gives Christ as the example in the particular duty here.

3. Self-conceit, the chief hindrance to forbearance and sympathy towards our fellow men, must be laid aside.
something--possessed of some spiritual pre-eminence, so as to be exempt from the frailty of other men.
when he is nothing--The Greek is subjective: "Being, if he would come to himself, and look on the real fact, nothing" [ALFORD] ( Galatians 6:2 Galatians 6:6 , Romans 12:3 , 1 Corinthians 8:2 ).
deceiveth himself--literally, "he mentally deceives himself." Compare James 1:26 , "deceiveth his own heart."

4. his own work--not merely his own opinion of himself.
have rejoicing in himself alone--Translate, "Have his (matter for) glorying in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another (namely, not in regard to his neighbor, by comparing himself with whom, he has fancied he has matter for boasting as that neighbor's superior)." Not that really a man by looking to "himself alone" is likely to find cause for glorying in himself. Nay, in Galatians 6:5 , he speaks of a "burden" or load, not of matter for glorying, as what really belongs to each man. But he refers to the idea those whom he censures had of themselves: they thought they had cause for "glorying" in themselves, but it all arose from unjust self-conceited comparison of themselves with others, instead of looking at home. The only true glorying, if glorying it is to be called, is in the testimony of a good conscience, glorying in the cross of Christ.