ACC ~ Galatians 6 v2

BEARING THE BURDENS OF THE POOR. ORIGEN: By “burdens” he means the needs of the body. So to the extent that anyone is richer in resources, he is called to bear the poor person’s burden and relieve poverty by his abundance. COMMENTARY ON ROMANS 10.6.

THE BURDEN THE SAVIOR BORE FOR US. JEROME: Sin is a burden, as the psalmist affirms…. This burden the Savior bore for us, teaching by his life what we ought to do. He himself bears our iniquities and grieves for us and invites those who are cast down by the burden of sin and the law to take up the light yoke of virtue. Therefore the one who does not demean his brother’s salvation extends his hand as needed. So far as it lies within him he weeps with him as he weeps; he shares the neighbor’s weakness. He counts another’s sins as his own. Such is the one who fulfills the law of Christ through love. EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS 3.6.2.

LOVE SUMS UP THE LAW. AUGUSTINE: The “law of Christ” means the law of love. The one who loves his neighbor fulfills the law. The love of neighbor is strongly commended even in the Old Testament. The apostle elsewhere says that it is by love that all the commands of the law are summed up.If so, then it is evident that even that Scripture which was given to the covenant people was the law of Christ, which, since it was not being fulfilled by fear, he came to fulfill by love. The same Scripture, therefore, and the same law is called the old covenant when it weighs down in slavery those who are grasping after earthly goods. It is called the new testament when it raises to freedom those who are ardently seeking the eternal good. EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS 58 [1B.6.2].

LOVE FULFILLED WHEN YOU BEAR EACH OTHER’S BURDEN. THEODORET: This means: “You have one deficiency but not another. The neighbor’s case is the opposite. He has another deficit but not the one you have. You must bear his and he yours. For thus is the law of love fulfilled.” By “the law of Christ” he means love, for he himself said, “I give you a new commandment, to love one another.” EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS 6.2.

Gal