Gálatas 6
Oecumenius
Gálatas 6:1
Many, overcome by an ambitious striving for dominion, satisfied their desire in reproving the faults of their neighbors; which he corrects by saying: If anyone is caught in a sin. For this is the kind of thing, anticipated, "you who are spiritual." Those who live according to the spirit, "restore," that is, correct such a one. Then, casting out self-love, he says, "in a spirit of gentleness." That is to say, in gentleness, which is a gift of the Holy Spirit. "Be watching yourself." Then, so that the one correcting might not become arrogant, he says: Be watching yourself also, and guard yourself, for fear that you fall by the same snares. — Commentary on Galatians
Gálatas 6:2
"Bear one another's burdens." Since there is no person without sin, he urges not to be demanding toward the sins of one's neighbor, as knowing that you too have sins, and that we must behave toward one another with mutual consideration. — [PHOTIUS] For the law of Christ was therefore demonstrated through his works: for he indeed took up our sins and bore our diseases. (Isa. 53:4-5; Matt. 8:17) And the excess, that he also accepted the cross and death for us. [end of the Photius excerpt] — — [OECUMENIUS] Or that to bear one another's burdens and weaknesses is thereby the fulfilling of the law of Christ, insofar as it is done out of love. Love is the fulfillment of the divine law. (Rom. 13:10) [end of the excerpt by Oecumenius] — — Commentary on Galatians
Gálatas 6:3
"For if anyone seems to himself to be something," that alone is nothing of what he appears to be. Therefore he is deceiving himself in nothing. — [PHOTIUS] "he deceives his own mind." For if anyone were to approve his own work, and to examine himself exactly, he would have his boasting rather in himself and not against another; that is, he would have boasting against himself, or he would condemn himself, and not another: that is, seeing himself inferior and needy, he will accuse himself, and refrain from condemning others, since he will know that his conduct does not always observe the right way, but meanwhile even falls away from it. [end of the Photius excerpt] — — Commentary on Galatians
Gálatas 6:4
"But let each person prove." Let each person examine his own deeds which he himself performed in life. For by doing this he will prepare himself for better things. Yet this is not the act of one who judges, but of one who humbles himself. For it is not fitting, he says, to boast; if anything, at least do not, he says, boast as the Pharisee did against your neighbor, but against yourself. (see Luke 18:9-14) — [THEODORET] In another way. But if you wish to make a display of your dignity, he says, inspect your own life; and even if you find it blameless, boast of yourself according to your own standard, provided indeed that this is what you ought to do. [end of the excerpt by Theodoret] — — Commentary on Galatians
Gálatas 6:5
"For each will bear his own burden." For why boast over your neighbor? he says. And you, also, will bear your own burden. And then each one's work will be tested. — Commentary on Galatians
Gálatas 6:6
"Let the one being instructed share." He commands those who partake of spiritual things to share with those of the flesh. "Let the one being instructed share the word." He said, "Let him who is taught share with his teacher food, goodwill, and honor." For this signifies what he says, "In all good things." And he rightly said "He shares," and not "He bestows": for this sharing is of a certain kind: he contributes spiritual things, whereas you contribute bodily things. — Commentary on Galatians
Gálatas 6:7
"God is not mocked." He is not deceived, nor does he give evil to the good, or good in return to the evil. For it is necessary that the unfruitful be equal to the seed. And no one, having sown beans, would reap wheat. — Commentary on Galatians
Gálatas 6:8
"for the one who sows to his own flesh." What, then, does one sow in the flesh? Drunkenness, corruption, gluttony, wastefulness. Such a person, from the flesh, that is, on account of the defective flesh, will receive a punishment there. But "to his own flesh" means through the sins sown in the flesh. "But the one who sows to the Spirit." What does it mean to sow to the Holy Spirit? What else but almsgiving, and self-discipline, and every virtue? "will from the Spirit reap eternal life." For as the seeds of the flesh and of the spirit are different, so also is the harvest. There corruption, here eternal life. — Commentary on Galatians
Gálatas 6:9
"Let us not become weary," nor grow tired, because rewards are in the future. For there will surely come a time when we will receive the good things and reap the generous things now sown for us. Then, since he mentioned a harvest and that it requires toil and labor, he added, "do not give up," as if to say: The one who reaps then does not grow tired nor become exhausted, as in this present world. Therefore do not, having heard of the harvest, again prepare yourselves to labor. For even in regard to perceptible things [αἰσθητῶν] the seed had labor, and the sickle likewise. For ploughing undoes many things, both the ploughing itself and the heat of the season. But that reaping is not such; the sickle is free from labor. For it is free from pain and sweat. For he said, "do not give up." — [PHOTIUS] Or "do not give up." That is, not becoming unpracticed, nor withdrawing from generous action. For the crown belongs to those who are led on to the end. [end of the Photius excerpt] — — Commentary on Galatians
Gálatas 6:10
"as we have opportunity." For in this life, the opportunity is for work; there it is no longer. "let us do good to all people." Toward Jews, toward Greeks, and especially toward the faithful. — Commentary on Galatians
Gálatas 6:11
The word "large" [πηλίκοις] does not indicate size, but rather the irregularity of the letters. As if he said: And although I know how to write these things well, nevertheless I have been forced to write the letter with my own hand, because, he says, my confession is set down in my own hand, that I do not preach circumcision as those who slanderously say. — Commentary on Galatians
Gálatas 6:12
"Those who desire to make a good showing." He says: those who wish to be approved by men, these compel you to be circumcised. By what kind of men? Either by Jews as keepers of the ancestral law, or by outsiders as though you were their disciples. For "in the flesh," that is, in men. "be circumcised." They wish to have others circumcised, so that they not be harassed on account of the cross and the faith, and so that they may endure persecution. But if it is "they are persecuted" [διοικῶνται], then understand it therefore: they do everything and want to please men, only that they may not be ruled and persecuted through faith. — Commentary on Galatians
Gálatas 6:13
"but they desire that you be circumcised." He shows that vanity is the aim of all their actions. For he says that these who are circumcised and who circumcise you do not do this as if keeping and observing a law, but in order that they may have an occasion for boasting by circumcising you. For that is what he means by "in your flesh," namely, that they may be teachers, he says, and have you as disciples. — Commentary on Galatians
Gálatas 6:14
How sad a thing it has become! But what is the boast? That he accepted to be crucified for us the unworthy. For this is the occasion of our boasting. May it be my boast, then, to boast in the cross of Christ, which seems to be foolishness and a thing of reproach to unbelievers. "through which the world has been crucified to me." He says "world" meaning the things of livelihood, the praise of men, the glory. Therefore all those things that are with me are dead. Then he says with emphasis: "And I," he says, "am dead to these," indicating by the double deadness the utter avoidance of them and their complete inactivity. — Commentary on Galatians
Gálatas 6:15
— [OECUMENIUS] "but a new creation." A new creation, he says, of all things; for all who were circumcised and those uncircumcised alike, having believed, have become a new creation, having buried the old man, and we having been regenerated by the washing of baptism. [end of the excerpt by Oecumenius] — — Commentary on Galatians
Gálatas 6:16
"And those who will walk by this rule." He says, "May those who are satisfied with this rule and this teaching regard everything as a new creation, and not subject themselves to the law." "and upon the Israel of God." Israel is a faithful people, as if devoted to God. And whoever has been unfaithful, even if he descends from Jacob, is cast out from the kinship that is toward him. — Commentary on Galatians
Gálatas 6:17
"From now on let no one trouble me." He does not say this out of reluctance, God forbid. But intending that the laws he has put in place remain unalterable, so that nothing may be added to or taken away from them after him. — [PHOTIUS] "let no one trouble me." Let no one bring against me an accusation for the things I do. For even in silence I have a greater defense through my deeds. For the marks of Christ, that is, the wounds and scars for Christ's sake, themselves testify to his path and zeal on his behalf, and to the sincere and pure and unstained nature of the preaching. "Let no one trouble me concerning my labors." To what extent do you afflict and trouble me, he says, being agitated do you offer? Be ashamed, if nothing else, but at least of the marks of Christ, which for your sake and because of the proclamation to you I carry about in my body. And when he says the marks of Christ, he at once reminds that he also suffered for us. And therefore in every way it was fitting to abandon the law and be established in faith. [end of the Photius excerpt] — "the marks of the Lord Jesus." By "marks" he means the sores, the wounds, the sufferings for the Lord and for the preaching. "for I bear in my body." As if he said: Let no one slander me among you as a hypocrite. For these very wounds and the blows suffered for the Lord bear witness that I live sincerely. For he was slandered, doing everything as if from hypocrisy, sometimes proclaiming circumcision, at other times not. — Commentary on Galatians
Gálatas 6:18
"with your spirit." With a mindful spirit. He wishes to attain favor for his soul. — Commentary on Galatians