ACC ~ Galatians 6 v6 - 10

OVERVIEW:

Paul turns from spiritual to temporal goods (JEROME). He proposes an absolute community of goods between disciple and master (CHRYSOSTOM), assuming that the master is worthy (AMBROSIASTER). He reminds those who fail in this (JEROME) and those who observe the law that God is never deceived. Both those who cling to the law (MARIUS VICTORINUS) and those who indulge the carnal vices (CHRYSOSTOM) will get what they deserve. To avoid sowing in a fleshly way, we must sow in God’s Spirit (JEROME), suppressing the body’s lusts by righteous conduct (AUGUSTINE), not hoping for immediate rewards (MARIUS VICTORINUS). Alternately cajoling and threatening (CHRYSOSTOM), Paul reminds his hearers that both life and the world must end (MARIUS VICTORINUS). The law is replaced by universal love (CHRYSOSTOM). This is shown most profitably in those who practice it (MARIUS VICTORINUS) and perhaps especially in teachers (JEROME).

SHARE ALL GOOD THINGS WITH THE TEACHER. CHRYSOSTOM: He means “let him display complete freedom in giving to him.” For this is what he was hinting at by saying “in all good things.” “Nothing,” he says, “is to be the disciple’s own, but everything is to be common; for he receives more than he gives, as much more as things heavenly exceed things earthly.” HOMILY ON GALATIANS 6.6.

THE TEACHER’S RESPONSIBILITY. AMBROSIASTER: He says this so that hearers may share all their goods with their teachers. But if teachers practice otherwise than they teach, hearers should protest rather than share these goods. It may be clear thereby that the law is your guide rather than the person. For it will be his problem, not yours. EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS 6.6.

REAPING AND SHARING TEMPORAL GIFTS. JEROME: The meaning is this: Since previously he has been speaking to those who are spiritual about ethics … he now on the contrary speaks to those who are still rather weak, who are disciples yet live according to the flesh. Just as they reap spiritual gifts from their teacher, so they are called to give material gifts in return. EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS 3.6.6.

6:7a | God Is Not Mocked

AVOID FURTHER ERRORS. MARIUS VICTORINUS: He adds another principle which is generally stated but is relevant to what he said above to prevent their following anything beside the gospel (that is, adding also a legalistic way of life and works). Do not err, he says, for all those things which are grounded apart from the gospel are error-prone. And he has added the force of necessity to his precept: “God,” he says, “is not mocked.” He does not say, “God knows all,” lest they should hope for some sort of cheap pardon for their error or for something that might be hidden. Rather “God is not mocked,” and Paul clarifies what will happen to those who err and those who hold fast to worldly life. EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS 2.6.

ANTICIPATING EVASIONS. JEROME: Foreseeing in the Spirit that those who ought to furnish sustenance for the necessities of life to their teacher might plead poverty … he adds, “Make no mistake; God is not mocked. “ EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS 3.6.7.

6:7b-8a | Whatever One Sows, One Reaps

SOWING AND REAPING IN THE SPIRIT. MARIUS VICTORINUS: Some Galatians, who thought that they ought to adopt the Jewish way of life, so as to observe the sabbath and undergo circumcision and do other things of this sort in their carnal understanding, could have hope in the flesh and from the flesh. Anyone, therefore, who has hope in the flesh and sows his own hope in the flesh will have a harvest from the flesh, that is, fruit from the flesh. But what fruit? Corruption, he says; for indeed the flesh is corrupted, and this is its end, that it grows corrupt and putrid. It perishes and dies. All things, then, that are of the flesh grow putrid and suffer corruption. … Therefore it is better to have hope in the Spirit, so that we may have hope [in what comes] from the Spirit: the hope and the fruit of the Spirit. This is what it means to sow in the Spirit—eternal life. For this present life indeed is life but not life eternal. But the one who lives here in the Spirit and acts according to the Spirit and does nothing corrupt sows for himself eternal life. And this will be his harvest, that on departing he will receive eternal life. EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS 2.6.8.

A WARNING AGAINST SOWING TO ONE’S OWN FLESH. CHRYSOSTOM: The one who sows with his body luxury, drunkenness and insane desires will reap what comes from these. And what is that? Punishment, vengeance, shame, ridicule and destruction. … For as these things themselves perish they corrupt the body with them. The fruits of the Spirit are not so but quite contrary. Consider now: If you sow merciful acts, heavenly habitations and eternal glory await you. If you sow love, a crown of honor waits for you—the blessings of angels and the athlete’s victory. HOMILY ON GALATIANS 6.7-8.

6:8b | Sowing to the Spirit Reaps Eternal Life

TWO FIELDS. JEROME: All that we say, do or think is sown in two fields, the fallen nature and the Spirit. If what comes from our hand, mouth and heart is good, it is sown in the Spirit and will produce fruits of eternal life. If it is bad, when harvested from the field of the sin nature it will produce an unsavory crop of corruption for us. … It should be observed that to the one who sows in the flesh is given an additional term, “in his flesh.” But the one who sows in the Spirit is said not to sow in his spirit but simply “in the Spirit.” For the one who sows good things sows not in his own spirit but in God’s, from whom he will also reap eternal life. EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS 3.6.8.

REAPING ETERNAL LIFE. AUGUSTINE: To sow in the spirit is to serve righteousness from faith and with love and not to heed the desires of sin, even though they arise from mortal flesh. … When we are under grace, we sow in tears, when desires arise from our animal body, which we resist by not consenting, so that we may reap in joy. We reap when, by the reformation of our body, no vexation or peril of temptation comes to trouble us from any physical source. EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS 61 [1B.6.7-10].

6:9 | Not Losing Heart

ON NOT GROWING WEARY IN DOING GOOD. MARIUS VICTORINUS: It is not enough that we do good; for our goodness will not be recognized straight away by God if we do good, but only if we “do not grow weary in doing good.” Many begin, many in a way persevere, yet later they give up, either tired or led astray. He justly warns them that they should not grow weary in any way, lest by their weariness they leave off what they began when they began to do well. EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS 2.6.9.

6:10a | As Opportunity Allows, Do Good to All People

TIME IS LIMITED. MARIUS VICTORINUS: He gives the strongest possible imperative to well-doing: time is short. Life is quickly reaching its term. The end of the world is at hand. “As we have opportunity” means either while we have our own life or while there is life in this world. EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS 2.6.10.

WHILE WE HAVE TIME, DO GOOD. CHRYSOSTOM: On one side he exhorts them and draws them on, while on the other he drives and pushes them, saying “therefore, while we have time, let us do good.” For just as it is not always within our power to sow, neither is it to show mercy. For when the opportunity is taken away, however vehemently we may desire it back, we shall not have it. HOMILY ON GALATIANS 6.9.

THE TABLE OF MERCY. CHRYSOSTOM: By this especially he sets them free from the narrowness inherent in the Jewish code. For the whole of Jewish philanthropy was toward those of their own race. But the way of life that comes from grace takes the whole land and sea as the table of mercy, even while it also shows the greater care that is due toward one’s household. HOMILY ON GALATIANS 6.9-10.

6:10b | The Household of Faith

DOING GOOD TO THE HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH. MARIUS VICTORINUS: Hence we are to work, and we are to work good and to work it to all so that there is no partiality toward persons. We are to do nothing except do good and good to all. For indeed if love edifies and every person is beloved, then every good that we work we ought to work on behalf of all. … However, he makes the distinction that the good that we work on behalf of all is to be worked most of all on behalf of the household of faith, that is, those who have come to believing trust in Christ and God. He comes to the climax of his argument in urging this. It was particularly germane to the Galatians. For they, by making certain additions to faith from Judaism, were not acting out of faith. They believed that they would gain fruit from works and mere ritual observance. Therefore he adds, “Let us above all do good to the household of faith, because they have adopted faith in the gospel only, that is, in Christ and God.” EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS 2.6.10.

A REFERENCE TO TEACHERS. JEROME: It seems to me possible that this passage relates to an earlier statement, so that he is using the name “household of faith” to refer to teachers, who ought, as he says, to be supplied with all that is reckoned good by those who hear them. EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS 3.6.10.