Galatians 6:11
See with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand!
Truth to Learn
Personal example is the best proof of any belief.
Behind the Words
The words translated “what large” are from the Greek word pēlikos, meaning “how great” or “how large.” It is expressed here as a neuter adjective in the plural, which agrees in gender and number with “letters.”
“Letters” is translated from gramma, which can refer to the individual letters used in writing or to an entire book or other piece of written communication. As used here, this is a neuter noun in the plural, indicating that the adjective translated “what large,” as explained above, applies to this word.
The words “I have written” are translated from a form of the verb graphō, which means “to write.” It is used here in the aorist tense, which expresses action which was performed at a point in time in the past. Some Greek scholars view this, however, as an “epistolary aorist,” meaning that it expresses an event having occurred in the past from the viewpoint of the reader, not the writer.
Meaning Explained
There is much disagreement as to what Paul meant by this verse. Some believe that he is referring to the size of the letter which is written and the fact that he wrote it himself instead of having a scribe or “amanuensis” writing what he was dictating. This is the manner in which Romans was written:
I, Tertius, who wrote this epistle, greet you in the Lord. (Romans 16:22)
The problem with this interpretation is that Paul said “what large letters (plural).” Also, it would also be unusual for Paul to refer to a letter of his as a gramma, since his custom is to use the word epistolē (letter or epistle) to refer to his writings:
For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it. For I perceive that the same letter made you sorry, though only for a while. (2Corinthians 7:8)
The other interpretation of this verse is that Paul was referring to the closing part of this letter beginning with the current verse. According to this belief, Paul wrote the remainder of the letter himself and used larger letters because of his difficulty in writing due to a physical malady (perhaps bad eyesight). The problem with this interpretation is that Paul says “I have written,” which we noted is a past-tense verb. As was explained earlier, however, this may have been intended as a past tense from the readers’ point of view, not Paul’s.
Whatever the interpretation, it is clear that Paul had a strong love for the people of Galatia. He clearly wanted them to know that not only did he care deeply for them personally, but he was willing to put extra effort into teaching them good doctrine. He was doing it for their sake, not his own as the false teachers had been doing.
Challenge
Do you practice what you preach? Does your everyday behavior demonstrate your love for God and for others? Do others see Christ in you? When you stand before Him at the Bema Seat Judgment, will you have a bountiful harvest or will all your crops go up in flames?
In God’s service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2008 Will Krause. All rights reserved.
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