15/11/20 – Galatians 6:6-10

Galatians 6:6 – Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.

is taught (twice) – katecheo (to sound toward; charm with resounding sound; teach orally; instruct; inform by word of mouth; be orally informed) Derived from echos (a sound; noise; spoken roar of the sea waves; rumour; report) We get “echo” (sound repeated by reflection) from the Greek echo. We also get our word “catechism” (instruction in Christian principles) from the Greek word for teaching orally, by word of mouth. Literally, the one who orally teaches the word as a catechism.

Therefore we are clearly talking about an oral teaching, rather than written word teaching. Of course, most teaching in those days was done orally. Paul claimed to have learned at the feet of Gamaliel; this would have been oral teaching. Note that the word “taught” in Acts 22:3 is paideuo, which primarily means to train or discipline children. In those days children sat around the teacher and learned orally.

Acts 22:3 – I am verily a man [which am] a Jew, born in Tarsus, [a city] in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, [and] taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.

communicate – koinoneo (enter into fellowship with; become a sharer; be made a partner) It has the idea here of sharing what one has with another, that is, his goods become common property in terms of who uses them. Here it would refer to sharing his goods with the teacher. koinoneo derives from a word meaning to have things in common with each other. Teachers often were not paid a regular salary and thus relied upon gifts (such as food, clothing and lodging) from their students. Thus the student was to hold his “good things” in common with the one who taught him.

him that teaches in all good things – Paul is simply saying that a person who is taught the Word (“faithfully” is assumed here) deserves to be repaid with all good things (that are necessary for his living), that is, the student is responsible for the maintenance of the teacher, to see that he receives his needs.

The workman is worthy of his hire; those who faithfully preach the Word should be considered worth paying well for their efforts.

1 Timothy 5:17-18 – ¹⁷Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. ¹⁸For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer [is] worthy of his reward.

Don’t cut corners when it comes to paying those who faithfully preach the Word.

Also note that there is a danger of holding back too much of our good things while we are yet on this earth. You can’t take it with you!

Luke 16:25 – But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

Those who do not receive the good things in this lifetime may receive them later. If we hold onto our goods too much, then we may lose them, but if we ensure that our good things are properly used, then one day we will receive the benefit. And our hearts will be on what we have and particularly where we have stored it.

Matthew 6:19-21 – ¹⁹Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: ²⁰But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: ²¹For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Galatians 6:7 – Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

be …. deceived – planao (cause to stray; lead astray; lead aside from the right way; lead away from the truth; lead into error; deceive; sin; to be led away into error and sin) Do not be led into the error of thinking you can deceive others by not sharing all good things (Vs 6 above). You may be able to deceive others into thinking you have done what you could, but you would only be deceiving yourself, for God will not be mocked by your false pretences.

Paul encouraged the Corinthians to give generously to other Christians in need.

2 Corinthians 9:6-7 – ⁶But this [I say], He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. ⁷Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, [so let him give]; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

However, with the Galatians Paul might have been focusing more on their spiritual attributes, noting the previous chapter with its emphasis on the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit, particularly noting that Vs 8 below also refers to a more spiritual application of man’s sowing and reaping.

So, Paul appears to be commenting on those who think that cutting costs when paying the teachers of the Word will save them money for something else perhaps. Or that such teachers should not expect too much. It’s the same today. Too many pastors are paid so little because (as is assumed by the church) pastors are serving God and will often accept a lower rate of pay simply because it’s a ministry. The same also applies to Christian school teachers: too often they are paid less than the award rates because the school board wants to cut costs somewhere. So many ministries run short on funds (including many small Christian schools), and if they raise school fees, fewer children will attend and therefore less money in the bank to pay the teachers. However, teachers are seen as fair game; it is seen as the best way of cutting costs without losing students. But Paul here would condemn such behaviour, saying that if they are worth the money, then don’t quibble about their pay, but give them reward for their good teaching. And, those who pay less simply because they can get away with it are likely to end up devaluing the effectiveness of their teacher or pastor. If you sow less, then you will reap less!

Thus Paul says: “Do not fool yourselves trying to get away with giving as little as possible, for God who knows all things is not mocked (or fooled); you will get what you pay for, no more, no less!”

It really highlights the difference between the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit. One focuses upon self while the other focuses upon the needs of others.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 – ⁹Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, ¹⁰Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

Or that infamous quote (in Australia) which was allegedly based on Galatians 5:19-21, which, if quoted, may lose you your job, especially if you are employed by a well-known Australian airline, or a rugby club: (although it is more likely that the actual biblical reference was meant to be 1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

Galatians 5:19-21 – ¹⁹Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are [these]; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, ²⁰Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, ²¹Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told [you] in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Note that the actual meaning of “effeminate” in 1 Corinthians 6:9 is “catamite; of a boy kept for homosexual relations with a man; male prostitute; effeminate”.

Galatians 6:8 – For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

flesh – or the old nature, the old man of sin.

corruption – phthora (corruption; destruction; perishing; can be applied to ethical and moral corruption; can mean eternal misery in hell) Here it would refer to everlasting condemnation in hell.

phthora is only used 9 times in the NT, and each use refers to the spiritual corruption caused by sin and its consequences. It derives from phtheiro (to corrupt or destroy; in the opinion of the Jews, the temple was corrupted or "destroyed" when anyone defiled or in the slightest degree damaged anything in it, or if its guardians neglected their duties), which in turn was derived from phthio (to pine or to waste away)

Similarly to Galatians 6:8, the bondage of corruption is contrasted with the liberty of the Spirit in Romans 8:21 (Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption (phthora) into the glorious liberty of the children of God.)

Some of those 9 NT occurrences of phthora contrast the corruption caused by sin with the incorruption of the glorified children of God.

1 Corinthians 15:42-43 – ⁴²So also [is] the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption (phthora); it is raised in incorruption (aphtharsia – incorruption; purity): ⁴³It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:

Also see 1 Corinthians 15:50.

phthora is translated “perish” in Colossians 2:22.

Interestingly, 4 of the 9 NT occurrences are in 2 Peter.

2 Peter 1:4 – Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption (phthora) that is in the world through lust.

2 Peter 2:12, 9 – ¹²But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed (phthora), speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption (phthora);

¹⁹While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption (phthora): for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.

Extra note: That word “escaped” in 2 Peter 1:4 is apopheugo (“escaped”) which is only used 3 times in the NT, all in 2 Peter – 1:4, 2:18, 2:20.

2 Peter 2:18 – For when they speak great swelling [words] of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, [through much] wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.

2 Peter 2:20 – For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

The context in 2 Peter 1:4 clearly denotes these people to be genuine Christians, which makes it extremely likely that the Ch.2 occurrences of apopheugo (“escaped”) are also genuine Christians, and therefore 2 Peter 2:21 (For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known [it], to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.) has to be talking about genuine Christians falling away rather than just good church-goers.

So “corruption” here (in Galatians 6:8) must be seen as the consequences of sin in this life and an everlasting consequence following the judgment if this corruption is not dealt with through salvation in Christ while we are yet on this earth. Therefore it is not a term that Paul would have used lightly, for on it would rest the eternal destiny of every person on this earth if it is not “escaped” as per 2 Peter 1:4.

life everlasting – The equivalent of “everlasting life” in John 3:16 but with the words in a different order.

In Galatians Paul has emphasised the contrast between the flesh and the Spirit. In the following, this equates to the works of the law vs the hearing of faith. …..

Galatians 3:2 – This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

….. where the promise of the Spirit is through that faith.

Galatians 3:14b – that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Paul also equates these two opposing ideas in his allegory of Sarah and Hagar, where Sarah represents the freedom in Christ by that promise of the Spirit, and Hagar represents the bondage of the law over those who are of the flesh (Galatians 4:22-31).

Then in Galatians 5:16-25 Paul compares the works of the flesh (the sin nature) with the fruit of the Spirit. And, now he looks at the consequences of choosing one or the other in our daily lives. That is, Paul is clarifying what our actions will say about the choice we have made regarding the flesh vs the Spirit.

Jesus made it clear that all would be resurrected one day, and be sent to one of only two destinations: heaven or hell.

John 5:28-29 – ²⁸Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, ²⁹And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

Note how Jesus refers to this in John 6:37 (All that the Father giveth me shall come to me); all will be resurrected and will be there; no-one at all will miss out on this event! Calvinists try to say that this “All” refers only to the elect by quoting the second half of John 6:37 (and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out). However, they fail to explain why “shall come” (= to be present) in the 1^st half is a different Greek word to “cometh” (= to arrive or to follow) in the 2^nd half. They also fail to explain how “All” in the 1^st half could equate to the individual “he” in the 2^nd half. In fact, the 1^st half discusses the all who will be present at the resurrection, while the 2^nd half discusses those individuals who have chosen to come to Jesus.

Therefore, if you sow (carry out in your life) the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21) you will be condemned to everlasting destruction in hell, while if you sow (exhibit in your life) the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), you will gain everlasting (eternal) life. Paul is emphasising that whatever you choose to do will bring its consequences. Nothing we do can avoid consequences.

2 Corinthians 5:10 – For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things [done] in [his] body, according to that he hath done, whether [it be] good or bad.

It’s a bit like what we would call the golden rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. (see Matthew 7:12) It is clear that this is not just good advice on how to live a nice ethical social life, but more of a promise that the way you treat others is how others will treat you, especially when looked at in light of what Paul is saying in Galatians: you will reap what you sow! Looking at Vs 9 below, Paul is emphasising this aspect of reaping the well-doing that you do to others.

Extra note – Matthew 6:19-21 – ¹⁹Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: ²⁰But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: ²¹For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Galatians 6:9 – And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

be weary – be utterly without spirit; exhausted; weary; faint; lose heart. Thus to not lose heart or stop doing good works for others even when you get no thanks for it or are even criticised for your benevolence. Even when you feel like giving up!

well doing – or “doing good” (“well” here is the same Greek word kalos that is used twice for “good” in Galatians 4:18a – But [it is] good to be zealously affected always in [a] good [thing], where Paul touches on this same “well doing”.)

In this context it would refer to the unselfish fruit of the Spirit rather than the selfish works of the flesh.

Jesus had a lot to say on this in the sermon on the mount. Instead of repaying bad with bad, He taught that we should go as far as doing good for those who treat us badly, even to those who repaid good with bad. We should even love our enemies and do good for them. This goes against all our natural feelings. But Jesus taught that, while it might be easy to love those who loved you, the real test of your spiritual fruit was to love those who didn’t love you in return, instead hating you.

Matthew 5:38-48 – ³⁸Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: ³⁹But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. ⁴⁰And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have [thy] cloke also. ⁴¹And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. ⁴²Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. ⁴³Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. ⁴⁴But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; ⁴⁵That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. ⁴⁶For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? ⁴⁷And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more [than others]? do not even the publicans so? ⁴⁸Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

See also Romans 12:20-21 – ²⁰Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. ²¹Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Note carefully that God not only desires that we love our enemies, but He has already set the perfect example of this by loving us while we were yet sinners, in fact, loving all mankind when most of them would never return that love to God, ever. Romans 5:7-8 – ⁷For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. ⁸But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. and “when we were enemies” (Romans 5:10)

For in due season we shall reap – For when we face God in judgment, we will receive good or bad according to all that we have done in our lives (2 Corinthians 5:10). Not one person shall escape the judgment. But those who have called upon the name of the Lord to be saved and have their names written in the Lamb’s book of life will be forgiven their just condemnation (Revelation 20:15) because their lives are hid with God in Christ (Colossians 3:1-4).

if we faint not – If we do not weaken; give up; grow weary; become despondent; become faint-hearted.

Hebrews 3:14 – For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;

Galatians 6:10 – As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all [men], especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

opportunity – kairos (due measure; opportune or seasonable time; the right time; a fixed and definite time, the time when things are brought to crisis) Translated “time” 64 times out of 87 NT occurrences. It has the idea of grasping the opportunity at the time when it presents itself, the right time to do something, such as the right time for salvation, which must be grasped when the opportunity presents itself as per 2 Corinthians 6:2 – (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time (kairos) accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now [is] the accepted time (kairos); behold, now [is] the day of salvation.)

let us do good unto all (men) – Do good not only to those whom we consider worthy of our help, or those who will appreciate our kindnesses, or even those whom we know will probably return the favour, but to the unlovable, the ones who hurt us, the ones who would rather repay kindness with spite. It is doing good for/to the hard-to-be kind-to people that will bring us blessing.

While Paul emphasised in Galatians 6:10 the necessity of doing good particularly to fellow Christians, Jesus went what seems to be even one step further by teaching that it was even better again to dop good to those who could never return your favour toward them.

Luke 14:12-14 – ¹²Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor [thy] rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee. ¹³But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: ¹⁴And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.

In this He appears to be talking figuratively of His death and resurrection which was given to mankind who could never be able to pay back in kind what had been given to them.

Also see notes on loving our enemies in above Vs 9.

the household of faith – We as Christians are of the house of Christ; the household of those of like faith, those of “like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:” (2 Peter 1:1).

Hebrews 3:6 – But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

We are to make an especial effort to uphold each other in this household, for who else will if we don’t? The world hates this household of faith (John 15:17-21). Also note Romans 12:3-18 which sets out guidelines on how to live as Christians, especially toward our fellow-Christians.

In today’s passage Paul is focusing on the practical application of spiritual teachings. We might preach a better life but do we practise it? Paul is saying that we might claim to be spiritual, to have the fruit of the Spirit, to be free through the promise of faith through the Spirit, but do we actually live the life we claim to believe in? Do we act like we believe it? If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, looks like a duck, then it probably is a duck!

James 2:17 – Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

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