The Pulpit Commentary — Galatians — Section 332

one o.tiotbor'e loads, and so carrying our own nate the Christian dootrlne, u 'in Mnrk ii. pac,k. The verb .,..,..,x~iv, etymologically 2; iv. 14; Acts 'Viii, 4; xi. 19; Phil. i, H. "to fill with sound," thence signifies "to So the Christian religion is sty led " the din s thing into another person's mind Way" in Acte ix. 2; xix. 9. "Share; 1• the with inculcation or constant repetition,'' in verb Kowow,w and its derivatives are fre- which eense it occurs in Acts xxi. 21, 24, of quently used with reference to that kind of the persistent repetition of a slanderous "fellowship" or "p1ntnerehip" which is report. So early ss in Hippocrates (Liddell evinced by our liberally sharing with the and Scott) the verbal substantive 1<a1"'1X'1"'s object of it in our worldly means. If we is used for "instruction ; " and the verb, "count a minister our partner (,coivo,vov)," though not ocourring in Attic writers, seems e.s St. Paul writee to Philemon (ver. 17), to have continued in use in other dialects, we she.11 not begrudge him frank and to resppear at length.in the Common Dialect generous help in e.ny dfreetion. Thus Rom. of Greek. Accordingly, it is found in the xiL 13, "Communicating to the necessities sense of "instruct'' in Luke i. 4; Acts xvi ii. of saints," is properly "sharing with them in 25; Rrim. ii. 18; I Cor. riv. 19. It does not generoue sympathy." So Phil. iv. 14, "had denote instruction by question and answer fellowship with (trv-yKon/4uav-ru) my afflic- in particular, but simply the inculcating of tion " pointe to liberal temporal aeeistance. 1,.-nowledge. Recently as the Galatian Similarly, generous sympathy embodied in Churches had been founded, it appears from money gifts is styled ''communion,'' or this passage that there were already persons "partnership,'' in Rom. xv. 26; 2 Cor. ix. among them whose particular business it 13; Phil. i. 5; Heh. xiii. 16; e.s also 1<ow... was to give religious instrnl'tion to their 11,,cos, "ready to communicate,'' expreeses fellow-Christians; so much their business, one ready to -show such sympathy,,in 1 Tim. that they were on this ground entitled t.o vi. 18. The apostle regarde, and would have receive from those they taught liberal help others regard, such offices of kindnese with in temporal things. Such persons were a fine delicate feeling, not as giving as if donbtlees included among the "elders" from a higher level of condition, :but as whom Paul and Barnabas appointed in the sharing with brothere, with whom all things several Churchee which they planted (Acts are held in common. Chrysosto:m and others xiv. 23). It is noticeable, further. that the consider the word to point to an interchange, order of men alone singled ont as entitled or barter of goods, epiritual and temporal,. to such secular assistance is characterized referring to 1 Cor. ix. 11. "In e.11 good 118 a teaching order ; so characterized, per- things ; " in e.11 good things of this life haps, because teaching religious truth we.s which he himself.poseesees, ..,. Good·things ". the most prominent and characteristic of their e,s in Luke xii.. 18, 19 (" my goods,");. ·xvi functions. In hie First Epistle t.o Timothy 25; the prepoeition "in,'' e.s in Matt. xxiii. (v. 17), written, probably, some years later, 30, " partakers in the blood of the prophets." "the elders who labour in Word and teaching The exact impoi::t of this cle.nee, which.has (6,6110'KaAia)" are particularized as those been variously interpreted, is beet .e.ppre- among the "presiding elders" who are the ciated by our taking account of the warmth "most especin.lly" entitled to liberal pay- of indignant feeling-- with which the apostle ment; the form of expression, however, ie writing. This clearly transpires both from implying that elders whose function lay in the words, "be not deceived,'' e.nd from the other duties than that of teaching were assurance, "God is not mocked." The apostle likewise entitled t.o libera.I consideration. had evidently in his eye II certain course of The teaching elders would require, more conduct which he indignantly denounces ns than other Church officers, leisure from 11 " sneering at God." This feeling prompts worldly avocations for the study of God's him to accentuate his exhortation addressed Word and his truth, and for the actual to the cold-hearted, niggardly Chrietians discharge of their especial work in private whom he has in view, by adding thie clause, as well as in public (comp. Acts vi. 4; xx. which is in effect, " in every possible 20). 'fhe direction here given would apply, way;" namely, by giving them reepect and as to the case of resident teachers, so also good will as well as maintenance. To no lo that of persona who travelled about in other Church doee he address suoh direct the dissemination of the faith ; as we learn admonition reepecting the liberal tree.tment lrom 1 Uor. ix. 4-14; 2 Cor. xL 7-12. In of ite teachers, tbough, perhaps, indirect 1 'l'hess. v. 12, 13 the apoetle commends to admonition may be detected in 1 Cor. ix. the "high estimation " of the discipies 7~11. No doubt the news he had just heard "those who laboured among them, and were from Gale.tie. made him feel the necessity over them in the Lord, and admonished of dealing with them roundly on this point. them (1t"11',c";,.,,,..a.s 1 Tpoit1Ta.µ.E11our, 11ov8E"ToV11- Ver. 7.-Be not deceived (y.t, ,r~aviiu9,), .,.a.s )." The expression "the Word" is used So 1 Cor, vi. 9 ; xv. 33. Let nothing lee.cl without ey further qual.i.fu:a.tion to desig- you astray from the conviction, that in the OU, VI, 1...,..18.] THE EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS. 209