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Selected Verse: Galatians 6:8 - King James
Verse |
Translation |
Text |
Ga 6:8 |
King James |
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. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
Translate, "He that soweth unto his own flesh," with a view to fulfilling its desires. He does not say, "His spirit," as he does say, "His flesh." For in ourselves we are not spiritual, but carnal. The flesh is devoted to selfishness.
corruption--that is, destruction (Phi 3:19). Compare as to the deliverance of believers from "corruption" (Rom 8:21). The use of the term "corruption" instead, implies that destruction is not an arbitrary punishment of fleshly-mindedness, but is its natural fruit; the corrupt flesh producing corruption, which is another word for destruction: corruption is the fault, and corruption the punishment (see on Co1 3:17; Pe2 2:12). Future life only expands the seed sown here. Men cannot mock God because they can deceive themselves. They who sow tares cannot reap wheat. They alone reap life eternal who sow to the Spirit (Psa 126:6; Pro 11:18; Pro 22:8; Hos 8:7; Hos 10:12; Luk 16:25; Rom 8:11; Jam 5:7). |
Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
For he that soweth to his flesh - That makes provision for the indulgence of fleshly appetites and passions; see the notes at Gal 5:19-21. He who makes use of his property to give indulgence to licentiousness, intemperance, and vanity.
Shall of the flesh - From the flesh, or as that which indulgence in fleshly appetites properly produces. Punishment, under the divine government, is commonly in the line of offences. The punishment of licentiousness and intemperance in this life is commonly loathsome and offensive disease; and when long indulged, the sensualist becomes haggard, and bloated, and corrupted, and sinks into the grave. Such, also, is often the punishment of luxurious living, of a pampered appetite, of gluttony, as well as of intemperate drinking. But if the punishment does not follow in this life, it will be sure to overtake the sensualist in the world to come. There he shall reap ruin, final and everlasting.
Corruption -
(1) By disease.
(2) in the grave - the home to which the sensualist rapidly travels.
(3) in the world of woe.
There all shall be corrupt. His virtue - even the semblance of virtue, shall all be gone. His understanding, will, fancy - his whole soul shall be debased and corrupt. No virtue will linger and live on the plains of ruin, but all shall be depravity and woe. Everything in hell is debased and corrupt; and the whole harvest of sensuality in this world and the world to come, is degradation and defilement.
But he that soweth to the Spirit - He who follows the leadings and cultivates the affections which the Holy Spirit would produce; see the notes at Gal 5:22-23.
Shall of the Spirit - As the result of following the leadings of the Spirit.
Reap life everlasting - See the note at Rom 2:7. |
Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
To his flesh (εἰς τὴν σάρκα ἑαυτοῦ)
Rather, his own flesh. Ἑις into: the flesh being conceived as the soil into which the seed is cast. Comp. Mat 13:22. His own, because the idea of personal, selfish desire is involved.
Corruption (φθοράν)
Primarily, destruction, ruin; but it also has the sense of deterioration, decay, as Co1 15:42. Comp. Aristotle, Rhet. iii. 3, 4: "And thou didst sow (ἔσπειρας) shamefully (αἰσχρῶς) and didst reap (ἐθερίσας) miserably (κακῶς)." See also Plato, Phaedrus, 260 D, and on defile, Rom 3:17.
The Spirit
The Holy Spirit: not the higher nature of man.
Eternal life (ζωὴν αἰώνιον)
See on Th2 1:9 (additional note). |
Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
For he that now soweth to the flesh - That follows the desires of corrupt nature. Shall hereafter of the flesh - Out of this very seed. Reap corruption - Death everlasting. But he that soweth to the Spirit - That follows his guidance in all his tempers and conversation. Shall of the Spirit - By the free grace and power of God, reap life everlasting. |
Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
He that soweth to his flesh - In like manner, he that sows to the flesh - who indulges his sensual and animal appetites, shall have corruption as the crop: you cannot expect to lead a bad life and go to heaven at last. According as your present life is, so will be your eternal life whether your sowing be to the flesh or to the Spirit, so will your eternal reaping be. To sow, here, means transacting the concerns of a man's natural life. To reap, signifies his enjoyment or punishment in another world. Probably by flesh and Spirit the apostle means Judaism and Christianity. Circumcision of the flesh was the principal rite of the former; circumcision in the heart, by the Spirit, the chief rite of the latter; hence the one may have been called flesh, the other, Spirit. He who rejects the Gospel, and trusts only in the rites and ceremonies of the law for salvation, will reap endless disappointment and misery. He who trusts in Christ, and receives the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit, shall reap life everlasting. |
7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
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.
12 Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.
7 For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.
8 He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.
18 The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.
6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;
17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, 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.
9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
17 And the way of peace have they not known:
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.