Catholic Bible Study – Galatians: Chapter 6:1-18
Augustine Institute
Hosts: Dr. Michael Barber (A) & Dr. Jim Prothro (B)
Episode Date: November 6, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode marks the conclusion of the Augustine Institute’s in-depth study of Galatians, focusing on Chapter 6. Dr. Michael Barber and Dr. Jim Prothro unpack St. Paul’s final exhortations—themes of restoration, humility, charity, and the essential distinction between the Spirit and the flesh. The hosts move fluidly between careful biblical exegesis and practical application for Christian living, highlighting Pauline theology’s relevance for Catholic faith and practice.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Final Exhortations: Restoration and Humility

[00:00–04:30]

• Restoring Others in Sin

  • Paul calls for those “who are spiritual” to restore anyone caught in transgression “in a spirit of gentleness” ([00:58]), emphasizing humility and vigilance (“keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted”).
  • Quote: “Restore, not beat them over the head with a tag hammer…restore them in a spirit of gentleness.” – Dr. Prothro [03:15]
  • Sin is never private; the body of Christ is interconnected. One person’s sin becomes another’s burden.
    • Quote: “No one can say, I’m sinning, this doesn’t affect anybody else...we’re one body in Christ.” – Dr. Barber [05:28]

• Bearing Each Other’s Burdens and the “Law of Christ”

  • Doing so fulfills the “law of Christ”—not an abolishment of law, but its perfection in love and community.
  • The law of Moses is tied to the old creation; Christ inaugurates the new creation.
  • Paul is not antinomian; he understands commandments continue in their fulfillment by “love your neighbor as yourself.”
    • Quote: “The new creation takes what is there right in the old and brings it to its perfection.” – Dr. Prothro [06:51]
    • Quote: “The law of Christ doesn’t just tell us to do that, but Christ himself shows us how to love perfectly because he did.” – Dr. Prothro [07:43]

2. Testing One’s Own Work and True Spirituality

[07:56–10:29]

• Avoid self-righteousness when correcting others; restoration comes from the Spirit’s power, not personal merit.
• Quote: “If we’re able to help, it’s because...the Spirit is at work within us.” – Dr. Barber [07:56]
• Boasting is only appropriate in light of interior self-examination and God’s grace, not by comparison with others.

3. Mutual Support Within the Church

[10:10–12:10]

• On Sharing with Teachers
  • Paul exhorts the taught to share “all good things” with their teacher, a mark of communion and reciprocity in the Church.
  • Quote: “This is about sharing with the one who is bringing you into the faith...being in communion with him and them needing to be in communion with Paul.” – Dr. Prothro [11:00]
  • The unity of the Body and remaining faithful to Apostolic teaching is vital.

4. Sowing and Reaping: The Importance of Good Works

[12:10–18:54]

• Paul’s Harvest Imagery
  • Living in the Spirit versus the flesh is painted as sowing in two different fields, with only two possible outcomes: corruption or eternal life.
    • Quote: “He wants you to imagine...turning your back on the flesh to go to this other field where the sowing is good...because everything about it is the Holy Spirit.” – Dr. Prothro [14:00]
  • Doing good—especially “to those who are of the household of faith”—is concrete, not abstract, encompassing charity, prayer, and almsgiving.
    • Quote: “Reaping to the Spirit is not just about your intention...it’s what you give, it’s what you do.” – Dr. Barber [16:03]
  • Christian charity has a special focus among believers, reflecting early Jewish communal support.

5. Paul’s Personal Signature and Flesh vs. Spirit

[18:54–24:03]

• Paul’s Large Letters
  • Paul personally writes the closing lines (“See with what large letters I am writing…”)—a sign of authenticity and deep personal concern.
    • Quote: “This verse just cracks me up...my unsophisticated writing is rather large.” – Dr. Barber [18:54]
• Flesh vs. Spirit: Critique of Circumcision Advocates
  • Some want to “make a good showing in the flesh” by insisting on circumcision (identity marker of the old covenant)—Paul exposes their motives and contrasts boasting in flesh with boasting in the cross.
    • Quote: “It’s them, they’re the ones who are trying to boast in the flesh...” – Dr. Prothro [19:41]
    • Quote: “So the boasting about flesh...is revelatory. This is really of the field of the flesh, not the field of the spirit.” – Dr. Barber [21:43]

6. New Creation in Christ: The True Israel

[24:03–25:01]

• The only thing that counts now is “a new creation”; faith transforms, transcending old boundary markers like circumcision.
• The “Israel of God” is defined not by flesh, but by being recipients of the new creation—Jews and Gentiles in Christ.

7. The Marks of an Apostle, the Stigmata of Christ

[25:01–27:07]

• Paul’s body bears the marks (“stigmata”) of Christ—wounds from suffering for the gospel—serving as credentials for his apostleship.
  • Quote: “We are a spectacle...icons of Jesus...When you see Paul act to forgive somebody who sinned, you can see on display the love of Jesus.” – Dr. Prothro [25:01]
  • Quote: “I bear on my body the marks of Christ.” – St. Paul quoted by Dr. Barber [24:44]
  • Quote: “When you see Paul preaching the gospel, he is putting on display the love of Jesus.” – Dr. Prothro [26:01]
• Echo of “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” – Galatians 2:20 ([27:07])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Gentle Restoration:
  “Restore, not beat them over the head...restore them in a spirit of gentleness.” – Dr. Prothro [03:15]
• On Communion in the Church:
  “When you leave me and make me your enemy, you do the same thing with God.” – Dr. Prothro [11:00]
• On the Reality of Works in Salvation:
  “Whatever you sow, that’s what you will reap...for Paul, our good works actually do play a very important role in the grand scheme of salvation.” – Dr. Barber [12:38]
• On Boasting Only in Christ’s Cross:
  “They want to boast in your flesh, and I’ll boast too, but only in the cross of Jesus Christ.” – Dr. Prothro [22:21]
• On Apostolic Suffering:
  “Let nobody else cause me trouble. I bear on my body the marks of Christ.” – St. Paul, quoted by Dr. Prothro [26:50]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:00 – 04:30] – Intro & restoring others in a “spirit of gentleness”
• [05:28 – 07:56] – Bearing each other’s burdens and the “law of Christ”
• [10:10 – 12:10] – Sharing with teachers: ecclesial unity
• [12:10 – 17:56] – Sowing, reaping, and concrete expressions of charity
• [18:54 – 21:43] – Paul’s handwritten signature & critique of “flesh” boasting
• [24:03 – 25:01] – New creation and the “Israel of God”
• [25:01 – 27:07] – The marks (stigmata) of Christ and apostolic suffering

Conclusion & Resource

• Dr. Prothro mentions his forthcoming book “The Apostle Paul and His Letters: An Introduction” (Catholic University of America Press), covering Pauline context, theology, and the practical reading of his epistles ([28:22]).
• Final blessing and encouragement to continue Scripture study.

In Short

This episode closes Galatians with a focus on restoration, humility, Spirit-led living, and unity in the new creation of Christ. The hosts deftly thread theological nuance with practical Catholic life, making the Pauline message timely for today’s audience.