Precious Cargo

1Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. 2Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. 3For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another. 5For each one will bear his own load.  (Gal 6:1-5)

The verses from Gal 6:1-5 were brought to my attention this evening by a recent facebook post.  On the surface we read in the English what seems to be a contradiction of Paul to his own words when he admonishes us not to boast in our flesh but in the Lord.  What also struck me is the this bearing of one another's burdens.  This command is sandwiched between restoring one another when we stumble and the deception when we think we are something, being nothing.  It seems like Paul is praising the will of man and its ability to overcome and bear his load.  It seems very contradictory to itself . . . until I read it in the Greek:

 

1 Ἀδελφοί, ἐὰν καὶ προλημφθῇ ἄνθρωπος ἔν τινι παραπτώματι, ὑμεῖς οἱ πνευματικοὶ καταρτίζετε τὸν τοιοῦτον ἐν πνεύματι πραΰτητος, σκοπῶν σεαυτὸν μὴ καὶ σὺ πειρασθῇς. 2 Ἀλλήλων τὰ βάρη βαστάζετε καὶ οὕτως ἀναπληρώσατε τὸν νόμον τοῦ Χριστοῦ. 3 εἰ γὰρ δοκεῖ τις εἶναι τι μηδὲν ὤν φρεναπατᾷ ἑαυτόν. 4 τὸ δὲ ἔργον ἑαυτοῦ δοκιμαζέτω ἕκαστος καὶ τότε εἰς ἑαυτὸν μόνον τὸ καύχημα ἕξει καὶ οὐκ εἰς τὸν ἕτερον• 5 ἕκαστος γὰρ τὸ ἴδιον φορτίον βαστάσει.

There are three key Greek words that came to my attention- βάρη (bare- a weight that is carried upon us) in Gal 6:2; δοκιμαζέτω (dokimatzeto- let prove) in Gal 6:4; and φορτίον (phortion- cargo) in Gal 6:5.  The burden that we share reminds me of the cross Simon of Cyrene shared with Christ and Paul's reminder of what that burden accomplishes- “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." Gal 2:20.  The Greek word "dokimatzeto" translated in our Bibles as "examine" is actually let prove.  In the context it is written, "Let each one prove the work of himself."  Is this the "work" of man or is it like proofing yeast with warm water?  If it foams up the yeast is good . . . it's alive!  To clarify Paul chooses a distinct word, "phortion".  He uses a word different from the aforementioned "bare".  This word "phortion" means cargo, like the cargo that carried in a ship, a vehicle, a vessel.  Is the cargo we carry in ourselves what does the work that proves who we are, so that we may boast in the Lord, in our weakness and not in our flesh?  If so then this text does not state we are the ones who carry each other to salvation but it is the Father who works in us by the revelation of Christ in the work of His Spirit.