If anyone thinks he is somethingThis phrase addresses the issue of pride and self-deception. In the context of the early church, there was a tendency among some believers to consider themselves superior due to their adherence to the law or their spiritual gifts. This echoes the warning in
Proverbs 16:18, "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." The apostle Paul often confronted the issue of pride, as seen in
1 Corinthians 8:1-2, where he reminds believers that knowledge can lead to arrogance if not tempered by love.
when he is nothing
Paul emphasizes human frailty and the need for humility. This reflects the biblical teaching that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). The cultural context of the Greco-Roman world often valued status and honor, but Paul subverts this by highlighting the Christian call to humility. Jesus Christ exemplified this humility, as described inPhilippians 2:5-8, where He emptied Himself and took on the form of a servant.
he deceives himself
Self-deception is a recurring theme in Scripture, warning believers against the dangers of being misled by their own hearts.Jeremiah 17:9 states, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" This phrase serves as a caution against the false security that can come from self-reliance or self-righteousness.James 1:22-24 also warns against merely hearing the word and not doing it, as this leads to self-deception. The call is to live in truth and humility, recognizing one's dependence on God.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
Paul the ApostleThe author of the letter to the Galatians, addressing the churches in the region of Galatia. Paul is concerned with correcting false teachings and encouraging the believers to live by the Spirit.
2.
GalatiaA region in modern-day Turkey where Paul established several churches. The Galatians were struggling with issues related to legalism and the influence of Judaizers.
3.
JudaizersA group of Jewish Christians who insisted that Gentile converts must adhere to Jewish law, including circumcision, to be true Christians. They are indirectly addressed in Paul's letter as he emphasizes faith in Christ over the law.
Teaching Points
Humility in Self-AssessmentRecognize that self-deception is a danger when we overestimate our own importance or abilities. True wisdom comes from understanding our position before God.
The Danger of PridePride can lead to self-deception and a false sense of security. We must guard against thinking we are more than we are, which can lead to spiritual downfall.
Dependence on GodAcknowledge that our worth and identity are found in Christ, not in our own achievements or status. This perspective fosters a reliance on God's grace rather than our own efforts.
Community and AccountabilityEngage with fellow believers in a spirit of humility, recognizing that we are all part of the body of Christ and need each other for growth and accountability.
Reflecting Christ's CharacterStrive to emulate Christ's humility and servant-heartedness in our interactions with others, putting their needs above our own.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Galatians 6:3?
2.How does Galatians 6:3 warn against self-deception in assessing our worth?
3.What practical steps can prevent thinking "he is something" when "he is nothing"?
4.How does Galatians 6:3 relate to Philippians 2:3 on humility?
5.In what ways can pride hinder our Christian walk, according to Galatians 6:3?
6.How can we cultivate humility in our daily interactions, based on Galatians 6:3?
7.How does Galatians 6:3 challenge our understanding of self-importance and humility?
8.What historical context influenced Paul's message in Galatians 6:3?
9.How does Galatians 6:3 relate to the broader theme of pride in the Bible?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Galatians 6?
11.What does 'not under the law' mean for Christians?
12.What is the slippery slope of sin?
13.Why boast about your own achievements?
14.What is the meaning of Galatians 6:2?What Does Galatians 6:3 Mean
If anyone thinks he is something• Paul speaks to believers who feel superior, perhaps because they just “restored” a fallen brother (Galatians 6:1-2).
• Self-importance creeps in when we compare ourselves to others rather than to Christ;Romans 12:3 reminds, “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought.”
• Jesus warned against taking the place of honor (Luke 14:7-11); the greatest in His kingdom is the servant (Matthew 20:26-28).
•1 Corinthians 8:2 adds, “The one who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know”.
when he is nothing• On our own, we have no righteousness;Isaiah 64:6 calls our best deeds “filthy rags.”
•John 15:5: “Apart from Me you can do nothing.”
•Psalm 103:14 reminds that God “knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.”
• Paul adds elsewhere, “What do you have that you did not receive?” (1 Corinthians 4:7). Every gift, ability, or accomplishment is borrowed from God.
he deceives himself• Pride blinds; the heart is “deceitful above all things” (Jeremiah 17:9).
•James 1:22 warns against hearing the word without doing it, lest we “deceive ourselves.”
•1 John 1:8: “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
• Self-deception short-circuits grace: God “opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5).
• Practical guardrails:
– Regular self-examination before God’s word (Hebrews 4:12).
– Honest accountability with mature believers (Galatians 6:2).
– Consistent gratitude, acknowledging every good thing is from above (James 1:17).
summaryGalatians 6:3 exposes the hollow pride that lurks when believers think themselves important. Measuring ourselves against others leads to arrogance; measuring ourselves against Christ reveals our utter need. Recognizing that we are “nothing” in ourselves frees us from self-deception, keeps us humble, and positions us to receive grace and serve others with genuine love.
(3
)Hedeceiveth himself.--A peculiar word, perhaps coined by St. Paul:
puts himself under an hallucination; persuades himself of the existence of that which has no reality.
Verse 3. -
For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself (
εἰ γὰρ δοκεῖ τις εϊναί τι μηδὲνὤν φρεεναπατᾷ ἑαυτόν [Receptus,
ἑαυτὸνφρεναπατᾷ;
for if a man is nothing and thinketh himself to be something,
he is deceiving his own soul. The conjunction "for" points back to the practical direction just given to the "spiritual;" meaning that for those who wished to be, and also perhaps to be thought to be, fulfilling Christ's law, this was the behaviour which they were to carry out, and without which their claim was mere self-delusion. The phrase,
δοκεῖ εϊναί τι μηδὲν ὤν, is well illustrated by the passage cited by critics from Plato's 'Apologia,' p. 41, E:
Ἐὰν δοκῶσί τι εϊναι μηδὲν ὄντες ὀνειδίζετε αὐτοῖς...ὅτι,...
οἴονταί τι εϊναι ὄντες οὐδενὸς ἄξιοι "Something" is, by a common meiosis, put for "something considerable" (cf.
Galatians 2:6). The especial form of eminence, the claim to which is here referred to, is eminence in spirituality and consistency as a servant of Christ. Possibly the apostle has in his eye certain individuals among the Galatians that he had heard of, who, professing much, were, however, self-complacently bitter and contemptuous towards brethren who had gone wrong in moral conduct or who differed from themselves in the disputes then rife in those Churches. The phrase,
μηδὲνὤν, "being nothing," is a part of the hypothesis relative to the individual case spoken of, not a statement putting forth the aphorism that no one is really anything. The passage quoted above from Plato shows, that in the latter case we should have had
οὐδὲν and not
μηδέν. Some men, by the grace of God,
are "something;" but these persons only fancy themselves to be so. Whether any man is really "something" or not is determined by his practical conduct - his "work" as the apostle expresses it in the next verse. The verb
φρεναπατᾷν occurs in the New Testament only here, though we have the substantive
φρεναπάτης, deceivers, in
Titus 1:10. St. James (
James 1:26) speaks of a man "deceiving his heart ' in seemingly just the same sense. In both passages it appears to be meant that a man palms off upon his own mind fancies as if they were just apprehensions of real facts; in both also these fancies are but illusive notions of one's own religious character - here, as being "spiritual;" in James, as being "religious" or "devout" (
θρῆσκος)
- the activity of practical benevolence being in both cases wanting; for "
the bridling not his tongue" in ver. 26 is proved by the contrasted behaviour spoken of in the next verse to refer to those
sins of the tongue which are implicitly condemned in vers. 19-21.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Greek
Ifεἰ(ei)Conjunction
Strong's 1487:If. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc.anyoneτις(tis)Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5100:Any one, some one, a certain one or thing. An enclitic indefinite pronoun; some or any person or object.thinksδοκεῖ(dokei)Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1380:A prolonged form of a primary verb, doko dok'-o of the same meaning; to think; by implication, to seem.he isεἶναί(einai)Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Strong's 1510:I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.somethingτι(ti)Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 5100:Any one, some one, a certain one or thing. An enclitic indefinite pronoun; some or any person or object.when he isὤν(ōn)Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1510:I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.nothing,μηδὲν(mēden)Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3367:No one, none, nothing.he deceivesφρεναπατᾷ(phrenapata)Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 5422:To deceive the mind, impose upon. From phrenapates; to be a mind-misleader, i.e. Delude.himself.ἑαυτόν(heauton)Reflexive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1438:Himself, herself, itself.
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NT Letters: Galatians 6:3 For if a man thinks himself (Gal. Ga) 
