Restoration of a fallen brother.
The apostle changes his attitude of rebuke into one of affectionate admonition as he addresses the "brethren" of the Galatian Churches. His language exhibits a marked softening of tone that recalls the warmth of his earlier relationship to them. There are "brethren" still in Galatia. Notice—
I. A GRAVE CASE OF OFFENCE. "Even if a man be surprised in a transgression.
1. It is not a case of mere inadvertence or ignorance, but a case of falling away from a Divine command—more probably misconduct than heresy. The doctrinal reaction at Galatia may have had a morally unsettling tendency. It was a case in which the offender yielded to the force of temptation, as is implied in the words, "lest thou also be tempted;" yet a case in which he endeavoured to hide his transgression from the world. 2. It is the case of a member of the Church who had fallen out of relations to brethren. A Christian shares in the infirmities of our nature, and may be surprised by sudden temptation, like Peter and David. The honour of Christ, the credit of religion, the offender's benefit, demand the prompt but tender interference of Christian brethren.
II. THE DUTY OF BRETHREN. "Ye who are spiritual, restore such a one." It was not a mere admonition to replace the backslider in his old Church relationship, but rather to recover him from his sin and place him in a right relation to duty. There is no hint given as to the method of restoration, but it would naturally be by kindly admonition, by faithful instruction, by prayer. There must be no blind love to intercept the friendly remonstrance; there must be no careless disparagement of the fault; there must be no suffering a sin upon our brother. It was the praise of the Ephesian Church that "she could not bear transgressors" (Revelation 2:2). Those urged to this duty must be "the spiritual"—those whose lives illustrated the graces of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), for they only would have the capacity and the inclination, while their action would be backed by the full confidence of the Church.
III. THE SPIRIT IN WHICH THIS DUTY IS TO DE DONE, "In the spirit of meekness." Not with harshness or want of sympathy, dwelling bitterly on the sin and expatiating with self-complacent severity on the weakness that led to it; but rather in a spirit of love, patience, and humility, as if they had a sincere compassion for the backslider and a supreme interest in his welfare.
IV. THE REASON OR GROUND FOR THIS SPIRIT. "Considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." The apostle marks this emphatic consideration by an individualizing transition to the singular number. The case may be thine. You who are spiritual may err. The saints of God have often failed in the very grace for which they were most distinguished. Therefore "let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." We are, therefore, admonished to bring offenders with all love and tenderness to a due sense of their sin, and to comfort them lest they should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.