Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. Paul commands mutual burden-bearing. "Bear ye one another's burdens" (allēlōn ta barē bastazete, ἀλλήλων τὰ βάρη βαστάζετε)—keep on bearing each other's heavy loads. Baros (βάρος) means heavy weight, burden too great for one person. Bastazō (βαστάζω) means to carry, bear weight, endure. Present imperative: continuous action. This includes bearing with others' faults (verse 1), sharing material resources (verse 6), and providing emotional/spiritual support.
"And so fulfil the law of Christ" (kai houtōs anaplērōsete ton nomon tou Christou, καὶ οὕτως ἀναπληρώσετε τὸν νόμον τοῦ Χριστοῦ)—and thus you'll fulfill Christ's law. Anaplēroō (ἀναπληρόω) means to fill up, complete, fulfill. "The law of Christ" is love's law (5:14, John 13:34-35, 15:12)—the new commandment to love as Christ loved us. Mutual burden-bearing fulfills this. The irony: Paul fought the Judaizers' imposition of Mosaic law while commanding obedience to Christ's law. The difference: Mosaic law commands externally and condemns; Christ's law springs from love and is Spirit-enabled.
Historical Context
Christian community is burden-sharing community. Early church modeled this through economic sharing (Acts 2:44-45, 4:32-37), mutual care (Romans 12:15, 1 Corinthians 12:26), and spiritual encouragement (Hebrews 3:13, 10:24-25). Greco-Roman culture valued independence and self-sufficiency; Christianity valued interdependence. This countercultural ethic continues: Western individualism opposes burden-bearing. But Christian maturity involves both bearing others' burdens (verse 2) and carrying your own load (verse 5)—paradox requiring Spirit-wisdom to navigate. Christ is both model (bearing our sins) and lawgiver of love.
Questions for Reflection
Whose burdens—practical, emotional, spiritual—are you currently bearing, and whose burdens are you ignoring?
How does mutual burden-bearing fulfill Christ's law of love rather than imposing legalistic obligation?
What's the practical difference between the law of Moses (which Paul rejected) and the law of Christ (which he commands)?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. Paul commands mutual burden-bearing. "Bear ye one another's burdens" (allēlōn ta barē bastazete, ἀλλήλων τὰ βάρη βαστάζετε)—keep on bearing each other's heavy loads. Baros (βάρος) means heavy weight, burden too great for one person. Bastazō (βαστάζω) means to carry, bear weight, endure. Present imperative: continuous action. This includes bearing with others' faults (verse 1), sharing material resources (verse 6), and providing emotional/spiritual support.
"And so fulfil the law of Christ" (kai houtōs anaplērōsete ton nomon tou Christou, καὶ οὕτως ἀναπληρώσετε τὸν νόμον τοῦ Χριστοῦ)—and thus you'll fulfill Christ's law. Anaplēroō (ἀναπληρόω) means to fill up, complete, fulfill. "The law of Christ" is love's law (5:14, John 13:34-35, 15:12)—the new commandment to love as Christ loved us. Mutual burden-bearing fulfills this. The irony: Paul fought the Judaizers' imposition of Mosaic law while commanding obedience to Christ's law. The difference: Mosaic law commands externally and condemns; Christ's law springs from love and is Spirit-enabled.