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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
John Chrysostom
"And we exhort you, brethren, admonish the disorderly, encourage the faint-hearted, support the weak, be long suffering toward all." Here he addresses those who have rule. Admonish, he says, "the disorderly," not of imperiousness, he says, nor of self-will rebuke them, but with admonition. "Encourage the fainthearted, support the weak, be longsuffering toward all." For he who is rebuked with harshness, despairing of himself, becomes more bold in contempt. On this account it is necessary by admonition to render the medicine sweet. …
Theophylact of Ohrid
Here the apostle addresses the teachers. Not with severity, he says, or with haughtiness make reproofs, but with meekness "admonish." For, having fallen into despair, a person becomes more insolent when given a harsh reproof. "The unruly" are those who act contrary to what God has ordained. God has appointed to each his own rank; the one who transgresses it is unruly. The drunkard, the reviler, the covetous person, and all who sin live in a disorderly manner. Fainthearted is he who does not endure temptation. …
Western Saints
Augustine of Hippo
Of course, even good men can be sick, suffering from that disobedience which is the penalty of a primal disobedience which, therefore, is a wound or weakness in a nature that is good in itself. It is because of this wound that the good who are growing in grace and living by faith during their pilgrimage on earth are given the counsels, "Bear one another's burdens, and so you will fulfill the law of Christ," and elsewhere, "We exhort you, brothers, reprove the irregular, comfort the fainthearted, support the weak, be patient toward …
Thomas Aquinas
Earlier he showed them how they ought to remain subject to their bishops. Here he makes the same point from another point of view. And concerning this he does two things. He first teaches how bishops should act toward their priests, and secondly he teaches them in general how they ought to behave towards everyone (5:15). It should be understood that the concern of bishops should be directed toward two things, that is, to prevent others from sinning and to safeguard themselves in this respect. …
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