The Pulpit Commentary — Galatians — Section 361

~e soon, then, as a man like Paul gets into unison with the crucified Christ, RB soon as the cross.becomes an experience within, and a self-sacrificing spirit takes hold of a. man for the sake of doing gqod to others, that moment the world and he become a.nta.go- nistio. They cannot get on together. 'l'he world is crucified to the person and he to the world. Each wishes to put the other out of the way, and as contemptuously a.~ possible, As soon, therefore, as the world discovered what Christianity meant, that it meant e. brbtLe,hood of self-sacrificing philanthropy, it took alarm, for it saw that, if Christianity w,ere:Uot put down, it would put worldliness down, Hence the draw- h\ick of pereecuUon attaching to the Christian faith. • IV. IN THJS UNWORLDLY OROSB PAUL GLORIED. He appreciated its efficacy. He recognized its claims. He allowed it to make him unworldly. Hence he made it tho 1mm and substance of his teaching. He preached "Christ crucified" continually. Circumcision was nothing in which to glory. It was a. carnal ordinance which might be very carnally administered, and e. mere stepping-stone for pride. But the cross of Jesus was an object in which to glory. Its spirit was so unworldly, so self-sacrificing, so noble, that notl:ling in this world was so worthy of our interest and glorying.1 : v. HE HAD CHIUST'S HAND UPON HIS BODY. Now, if a. man goes in for self-sacrifice, as Paul did, under the spell of Christ's cross, his body will soon show it. There can be no,pampering of the flesh. A spiritual soul soon makes the tenement enshrining it to transmit some of its glory. Paul shows the marks of self-sacrifice upon his person. Christ had made him his slave, and put the brand upon him. As Christ's prisoner, he had the seals of office in his person. Consequently, no man need trouble him or try to ~ove him away from his standard, the cross. It is a noble ending to this fine Epistle. ~by it make all its students to glory in the cross also 1-R. M. E. Vers. 1-5.-Treatment of a fallen brother. I. CHRISTU.N WAY OF TREATING A !/'ALLEN BROTHER. 1. It is 0'1/,r duty to relltore him. "Brethren, even if a. man be over- taken. in any trespass, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of meekness; looking 'to thyself, lest thou also be tempted." This subject arises out of the warning again~t vain-glory at the close of the last chapter. When a vain-glorious spirit possesses a society, some provoke as superiors, and others are filled with envy as inferiors. Vain- glory is usually connected with such external things as rank and wealth. The apostle here supposes it c11,rried beyond these, carried even (that seems to be the force of the word) into the inner sphere of character. He supposes some one connected with the society (presumably the Christian society) falling into sin. He describes him as over- taken in some trespass. .The language defines without excusing. It indicates that the trespass was solitary or occasional, and not habitual. If it had been habitaul, then he was not entitled to a place in the society, and the proper course toward him would have been excommunication. But the trespass was not to be regarded as a fair representation of his character as a whole:, He was overtaken in it, before he rightly considered what hE;l was doing. That by no means relieved him from blame. It showed e. want of steadiness in his Christian course. It showed a want of reliance on the Divine supports. It showed carelessness in the use of appointed means. It could be said to him," Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, when he led t,hee by the way?,'.' In such a case, then, how was he to be dealt with by the spiri- tual, i.e. not those who remained true to Paul and his doctrine, nor those who were strong, but those who, according to the Christian idea, desired to be led by the Spirit, to express the mind of the Spirit, i.e. in tqe specified circumstances. It is the teaching of 'the apostle that we are to restore a fallen brother. It is to be our object that he ijhould be brought to a right state of mind. That he should trespass and not be sorry for it would be neither for his good nor for the good of the society. A fallen brother having evinced sorrow, we are to receive him back into the place which he formerly 9ccupied, even as we believe that Christ, from his treatment of sinners when on earth, r~ceives him back. We are to restore him in the spirit of rneekness, i.e. in the spirit 1 This-is a favourite text (ver. 14) with preachers. Among others we may meBtiou Maclaurin in 'Glorying in the Cross:•_ Saurin, 'Sur la Veritable Gloria du Chretien,' in 1iome xii. p. 43; D'Aubigne on "The Cross of Je_sus ~hrist,''. ~ 'Diac?ur_ses anu Ess!'ys;' Hu11,tin~don, "The. Cross o. Burden or a Glory," m his 'Christian Behe\·rng and Livrng ; ' and M•t,heyne in the' Remo.ins,' p. 374.  828 '1'nm ll:PIS'l'LE TO THE GALA1'IANS. [CH. vt. 1-18,