Galatians 6:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He did this now out of necessity, not only from love for them, but also to turn away an evil suspicion. Accusations were brought against him in matters in which he had taken no part. They said that he preached circumcision and only pretended not to preach it. For this reason he was compelled to write this epistle with his own hand, so that he might provide written testimony about himself. By the word "large," in my judgment, he does not indicate the length of the epistle, but the lack of beauty in his handwriting. It is as though he said: "Although I do not know how to write elegantly, I have nevertheless been compelled to write this epistle with my own hand, so that I may stop the mouths of slanderers."

His good actions are suspected and explained differently, on the bad side. His living word, which has developed his listeners, is twisted this way and that by ill-intentioned people. Yet the teacher of truth has neither time nor strength to write down every word and every instruction. Still, the malice of slanderers calls him to set forth his convictions in writing, in order to repel false teaching and ignorant accusers.

In such circumstances the holy Apostle Paul was compelled to set forth in writing before the Galatians, whom he himself had converted to Christ, his view of the relation of Old Testament rites, worship, and circumcision to New Testament life. What is especially remarkable is that the holy Apostle Paul wrote the whole Epistle to the Galatians himself, with his own hand. His other epistles were dictated by him, and he only signed under them his name and greeting to the Christians (Rom 16:22; 1 Cor 16:21).

It is clear that for the holy Apostle Paul, who labored more than all the Apostles (1 Cor 15:10), this was burdensome rather than joyful. He had a broad circle of varied occupations. He was obliged to preach Christ by living speech and by his own life. To set forth his teaching himself in writing, especially with a lack of good and swift handwriting, and while defending himself against slander, was grievous.

Therefore, when he had to write the Epistle to the Galatians with his own hand, he did so not because of some special love for them above other Christians, but from extreme necessity. At the conclusion of the Epistle he entreats the Galatian Christians not to trouble him further (Gal 6:17). Even apart from the unpleasant things caused by the Galatians, he has long borne on his body the marks of the Lord Jesus (Gal 6:17). These are witnesses to the Apostle's faith and love for Christ.

Chapter 6, verse 11. "See, brethren, how much I have written to you with my own hand," as I have never written to any Christians. He did this, on the one hand, from a feeling of love for them. He exhorts them to pity him, to value his love, and to value his labor in writing down the teaching of Christ that had been handed down to them.

Writing an instruction is much harder than speaking without writing. To write a sermon, especially one intended for posterity, requires concentration and caution, and much more time is used. The pastor-preacher spends time working for the flock past midnight, in order to give edification not only to those listening, but also to those reading from afar.

He keeps watch, composing and writing the instruction at a time when the flock is already resting from the day's labors. Then, when the pastor's word has been written down and becomes the possession of contemporaries and posterity, both it and the preacher's diligence are not always judged leniently. They are often subjected to condemnation.

On the other hand, the holy Apostle wrote the whole Epistle with his own hand also to repel an evil suspicion. Who expressed this suspicion and spread bad rumor about the holy Apostle Paul? It was those Jews converted to the faith of Christ who, even in Christianity, did not want to leave the old rites behind forever. They were ready to impose them also on Gentiles converted to Christ, such as the Galatians.

What kind of people were these? Did they act from a desire for the Galatians' more certain salvation, or from a self-interested purpose? Was it perhaps with the aim of betraying Christ and rejoicing together in others' falling away from the pure faith of Christ? The holy Apostle describes them to us as follows, grieving over the labor he undertook in writing the Epistle because of such people:

When they saw the outlines of the letters, they were to think that they saw the one who wrote. Thus Paul wrote epistles in large letters because the meaning in his writings was great. It was inscribed by the Spirit of the living God, and not by ink and reed. The Greek πηλίκος means "of what size" or "of what dimensions."

This stood in place of a signature and meant that Paul wrote these words with his own hand, while someone else wrote the rest. Therefore he also said: "This is the sign in every epistle; so I write" (2 Thess 3:17). He did this because some forged letters in his name and deceived the pious. Therefore he wrote to the Thessalonians: "Do not be quickly shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as though from us" (2 Thess 2:2). There is no doubt that he wrote the Epistle to the Galatians with his own hand. Some say that he wrote the whole epistle with his own hand. Others say that he wrote only from the words "with what large letters" to the end (Chrysostom, Theodoret, Theophylact, Oecumenius, and Jerome). Likewise he wrote the Epistle to Philemon with his own hand, for there we read: "I, Paul, have written it with my own hand" (Phlm 1:19). This happened either because he had no scribe ready at hand, or because he wished to strengthen what he wrote. Therefore he said: see that I wrote this to you with my own hand, although I write in an unattractive hand.

Bishop Nicephorus of Astrakhan says: "This happened either because he had no scribe ready at hand, or because he wished to strengthen what he wrote." According to Chrysostom's explanation, "he did this not only from love for the Galatians, but also to turn away an evil suspicion. By the word 'large,' it seems to me, he indicates not the length of the epistle but the lack of elegance in his handwriting. It is as though he said: although I do not know how to write beautifully, I am nevertheless compelled to write this epistle with my own hand. So that I may stop the mouths of slanderers." This gave occasion for one modern interpreter to understand the verse in this way: "See with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand." According to Bishop Theophan's thought. The Apostle here speaks as though saying: "See from how many sides and by how many arguments I have examined and proved the truth of my teaching."

This is clear from the Epistle to the Romans, at the end of which it says: I, Tertius, who wrote this epistle, greet you in the Lord (cf. Rom 16:22). But the Apostle wrote the whole Epistle to the Galatians himself. He did this not only out of love for them, but also to avert an evil suspicion. Matters were brought against him in which he had no part. People said that he preached circumcision while pretending not to preach it. Therefore he was compelled to write this Epistle with his own hand, in order to present a written testimony concerning himself" (Saint Chrysostom).

So say all our ancient interpreters. Blessed Jerome differs from them only in thinking that the holy Apostle wrote with his own hand only the final lines of the Epistle, beginning from this verse to the end. But this difference is not important for the subject. Many of the newer interpreters hold the same opinion. Against them all stands the word "I have written," which indicates what has already been written, not what the Apostle only intended to write.

More important is the determination of the meaning of the words "with what large letters." In Greek, "letters" is γραμμασι. Γραμμα means both a letter and a writing. Therefore one may translate both, "with what letters I have written," and, "how many sheets I have filled." All our ancient interpreters accept the first. Clearly the word πηλικοις gives a low impression of the things to which it is applied. Therefore they understood these words as indicating the ugliness of the handwriting.

Saint Chrysostom says: "By the word 'what large,' it seems to me that the Apostle indicates not the length of the Epistle, but the lack of elegance in the handwriting. It is as though he said: although I do not know how to write beautifully, nevertheless I was compelled to write this Epistle with my own hand, in order to stop the mouths of slanderers." Theodoret, Oecumenius, and Theophylact understand it likewise.

Blessed Jerome sees in the word πηλικοις an indication not of the beauty or ugliness of the handwriting, but of the handwriting generally. According to him, the Apostle says, as it were: look, this is my handwriting, so that he might guard them, like the Thessalonians, from forged writings. Perhaps the Latin translation, qualibus litteris, led blessed Jerome to this thought. But it cannot be justified.

Since Saint Chrysostom, in offering his opinion, said, "it seems to me," and all the others probably repeated his opinion in the same sense, by this manner of expression they left us freedom to offer what seems to us. It seems that Saint Paul wished by this to indicate the importance of the subject about which he wrote, and the thoroughness with which he examined it. He speaks as though saying: I have told you everything and proved my subject to you by the promises, by the Law itself, and above all by the power and spirit of the New Testament. See from how many sides, and by how many arguments, I have examined and proved the truth of my teaching.

The word of Saint Damascene inclines one to settle on this opinion. He writes: "By the words of this text he persuades them to accept his whole word, indicating also the greatness and height of the doctrines by the expression πηλικοις, 'what large.'" To this one may also add the words of blessed Jerome. After rejecting the thought of some unnamed person that Saint Paul here speaks of the large letters with which he wrote, Jerome adds: "Saint Paul writes great writings not only then to the Galatians, but even now to all. Although the letters in which his Epistles are copied are small, his writings are great, because great meaning is contained in them."

At the same time it is possible that the Epistle was not written beautifully. Nor is it necessary to acknowledge it as great in length. That is, the opinion of Saint Chrysostom remains untouched.