Galatians 6:18Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Finally, having sufficiently defended himself in every respect and assured them that he said nothing out of anger or ill will, but bears unchanged love toward them, he confirms the same again. He concludes his word with a prayer filled with countless good things, saying: "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen." By these final words he set a seal on everything said before. Indeed, he did not simply say, "with you," as he says in other epistles, but "with your spirit." He turns them away from the fleshly, everywhere points to God's benefits, and reminds them of the grace they received, which was sufficient to deliver them from every Judaic error.

By this wish he shows them that he did not say all this from anger or hatred. In it there is not only a wish, but also an instruction that seals all that has been said. He reminds them of the grace they received not through the law, but by faith in Christ. He did not say, "with you," but "with your spirit," removing them from the bodily. He shows that they received the Spirit not from the law, but from grace. He shows also that neither the law nor circumcision, but grace, can preserve the Spirit in them, just as it bestowed Him. By calling them brothers, he reminded them of the font, by which we become brothers and children of the one Father, God, and not by the law.

Upon those who walk according to this rule, the Apostle Paul sends down peace and mercy. For although they come from different tribes and rites, through unity of faith and love they make up the true children of God, a holy people, the people of renewal, the true Israel of God. Verse 18: "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen."

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Therefore do not seek justification from the Law.

Let not divisions, slavery to the law, quarrels, or strife be with you, but the grace of the Lord Jesus. Let it be with your spirit, not with your flesh or soul. This is because, having become spiritual, you have ceased to be flesh and soul. Or it is because the lesser is contained in the principal, for flesh and soul are subject to the spirit. Ecclesiastes also says of this: "The spirit returned to God who gave it" (Eccl 12:7). The Apostle Paul says elsewhere: "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit" (Rom 8:16). But this grace of the Lord Jesus does not remain with everyone. It remains with those who were counted worthy by the Apostle of the names faithful brothers and true brothers, which is what the Hebrew word amen signifies.

As a kind of seal, he attached to the writing the customary blessing. He added mention of the spirit, recalling the gift given to them, which they received not through the Law but through faith. Let us also preserve this grace and not grieve the Holy Spirit, by whom we were sealed for the day of redemption (Eph 4:30). Let us bring good works to this spiritual Light, as oil is brought to a lamp. Thus, illumined by Him, we may walk the straight path and reach the desired end of the way in Christ Jesus our Lord. To Him be glory and dominion, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Having said this, he seals the epistle to them with prayer, according to his custom. He prays that the grace of God, entering their soul, may establish them in the truth of what they learned from him. He says: "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen."

The Apostle concludes his epistle by imparting the grace of Jesus Christ to the spirit of his Galatian disciples.

Finally, with a view to the fact that the false teachers spoke indecently about him, the Apostle skillfully touches on himself. He says that he hopes the Galatians will be corrected and will not cause him needless labors and troubles. He already has many such burdens. Meanwhile his health is broken by wounds and illnesses of various kinds from the great labors of the apostolate, joined with martyrdom. According to St. John Chrysostom, the Apostle speaks as though saying: "These wounds justify me better than any word. They sound a voice louder than any trumpet against my enemies, who say that I teach hypocritically. Whoever wishes to hear my defense and know my thoughts, let him look at my wounds.

"Having sufficiently defended himself on every side and assured them that he said nothing out of anger or ill will, but had the same love for them unchanged, he finally confirms the same once more. He concludes his word with a sincere wish in his soul for countless good things, saying: grace. By this final word he set a seal on everything said before. But he did not simply say, 'with you,' as he says in other epistles, but 'with your spirit.' He turns them away from the fleshly, everywhere points to the benefits of God, and reminds them of the grace they received, which is sufficient to heal them from every Judaic error. For as receiving the Spirit depended not on the weak law but on justification by faith, so also retaining Him depends not on circumcision but on grace.