Fathers

1 Corinthians 13

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Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

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What the Fathers say

1 Corinthians 13:5

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

"Doth not behave itself unseemly." Nay, why, saith he, do I say, she "is not puffed up," when she is so far from that feeling, that in suffering the most shameful things for him whom she loves, she doth not even count the thing an unseemliness? Again, he did not say, "she suffereth unseemliness but beareth the shame nobly," but, "she doth not even entertain any sense at all of the shame." For if the lovers of money endure all manner of reproaches for the sake of that sordid traffic of theirs, and far from hiding their faces, do even …

Homily on 1 Corinthians 33 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

Love not only does not boast, but if it should endure even the most extreme misfortunes for the sake of the beloved, it will not consider this shameful or inglorious for itself, just as Christ, out of love for us, not only endured the dishonorable crucifixion, but even counted it as glory for Himself. You can also understand it this way: it does not behave unseemly, that is, it does not offend; for nothing is more shameful than one who gives offense. This is directed against those who are not condescending to others. …

Commentary on 1 Corinthians ↗

Clement of Alexandria

But learn thou the more excellent way, which Paul shows for salvation. "Love seeketh not her own," but is diffused on the brother. About him she is fluttered, about him she is soberly insane. "Love covers a multitude of sins." "Perfect love casteth out fear." "Vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Love never faileth. Prophecies are done away, tongues cease, gifts of healing fail on the earth. …

Who is the Rich Man that Shall Be Saved? ↗

Western Saints

Thomas Aquinas

Then when he says, is not arrogant, he shows that charity makes one avoid evils by which one is disarranged in himself. First, as to passions; secondly, as to choice (v. 5b). First, indeed, as to pride, which is a disarranged desire for one's own excellence. One seeks his own excellence in a disarranged manner, when it does not satisfy him to be contained in that station which has been established for him by God. …

Commentary on 1 Corinthians ↗