Gal. 6:1-5, Burden-Bearing

Let’s consider the English “burden” in Gal. 6, used twice in the KJV, but translating two different Greek words. 

WORD STUDY: "burden" (synonym study)

Gal.6:2: "Bear ye one another's burdens, & so fulfill the law of Christ."

Gal.6:5: For every man shall bear his own burden."

Gal.6:2	Gal.6:5
Def: baros: "weight"; in the NT only figuratively of a load, abundance, authority.	Def: fortion: an invoice (as part of freight); i.e. figuratively of a task or service
CONCORDANCE
2Cor.4:17: present afflictions bring greater "weight or glory Mt.20:12: laborers consider working all day in heat, a burden Ac.15:58: council wanted to lay no greater burden on Gentiles Rev.2:24: an extra baros which writer will not put on those that did not follow Jezebel Gal.6:2: we are to bear one another's burdens 1Th.2:6: Paul didn't want to be burdensome to the Thessalonians	ƒ        Mt.11:30: burden is light; may be equivalent to "learn of me"; what we must do as Christians ƒ        Gal.6:5: every Christian must bear burden of proving his own works ƒ        Mt.23:4: Pharisees put too much fortian on men; same in Lk.11:46
Conc: the idea of an excessive burden is present in all but 2Cor.4:17. Refers to burden too heavy for one man.	Conc: this refers to a burden which all must bear; it is not too heavy for one. It is the basic requirement for the Christian. The Pharisees made the basic burden excessive.

Alford: first signifies a burden imposed by a grevance which we can lighten for one another.  Latter signifies the load which each accumulates for himself, imposed on each by  his own fault.

Vine: the difference betw. fortion and baros is, that fortion is simply something to be borne, w/o reference to its weight but baros always suggests what is heavy or burdensome. Thus Christ speaks of His burden (fortion) as "light"; here baros would be inappropriate; but the burden of a transgressor is baros, "heavy". I,157

ISBE: (1)Baros, "something heavy," burdens of the day, the burden of duty to be borne, a difficult requirement.  The burden of one's moral infirmities.  (2)fortion, "something to be borne." The obligation which Christ imposes; the legal ordinances of the Pharisees, a man's individual responsibility. Whether any clear & consistent distinction can be made between these 2 words is doubtful. Probably, however, fortion refers to the load of something to be borne, whether heavy or light, whilst baros may be an oppressive load. Acc. to Lightfoot baros may suggest a load of which a man may rightly rid himself should occasion serve, but fortion a burden which he is expected to bear, as every soldier carries his own pack. But most likely too much weight should not be given to these distinctions.

Conclusion: this is not a contradiction. We must bear those burdens which are too great for our brothers to bear, when they are overcome by a fault. Yet, we must bear the minimal burden of proving our own works. When we fail, when sin overtakes us, our brothers are there to share the burden through correction. Verse 1 gives a picture of both: "restore such an one" (baros, helping him bear his burden) and "considering thyself" (fortion, bear your own burden of being careful not to fall while helping someone else).