Galatians 6 Bible study: Except in the cross

The chapter opens with brothers: "Brothers, even if a man is caught in some fault, you who are spiritual must restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, looking to yourself so that you also aren’t tempted." (6:1) (tap fault, spiritual, restore, gentleness). Then: "Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." (6:2). These notes say no more of the law of Christ than the verse does. "For if a man thinks himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself." (6:3) (tap thinks, deceives). "But let each man examine his own work, and then he will have reason to boast in himself, and not in someone else." (6:4) (tap examine, boast). "For each man will bear his own burden." (6:5). The chapter has bear in 6:2 and in 6:5, and these notes say nothing of how the two sayings go together beyond their words (see the honest question).

καυχάομαιkauchaomaisay kow-KHAH-om-ahee

Strong's: "to vaunt (in a good or a bad sense)". Thayer: "to glory (whether with reason or without)". "but they desire to have you circumcised, so that they may boast in your flesh" (6:13), and "But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" (6:14): behind boast both times is this one verb. Here is what almost everyone misses: Galatians has the verb only in these two verses, one after the other (counted in RP2018, and in all eight editions TAGNT compares), and the boast of 6:4 is a noun Strong's gives as formed from it (tap boast there). Romans has it where the WEB gives it as rejoice: "we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:11). Favor's Romans 2, 1 Corinthians 1 and 2 Corinthians 10 study it.