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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
John Chrysostom
"Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I. Are they ministers of Christ. (I speak as one beside himself,) I more." He is not content with his former deprecation, but uses it again here also. "I speak as one beside himself, I more." I am their superior and their better. And indeed he possessed clear proofs of his superiority, but nevertheless even so he terms the thing a folly. …
Theophylact of Ohrid
He enumerates the distinguishing marks of the apostles, and, setting aside signs, he begins with trials. I undertake, he says, many labors, going from one place to another, teaching day and night, working with my own hands meanwhile, and, what is more important, enduring beatings and excessive ones at that, and, what is still higher, being subjected along with the beatings to imprisonment. The words "far more" stand in the comparative degree and express a comparison with the false apostles. …
Clement of Alexandria
And one aim and one end, as far as regards perfection, being demonstrated to belong to the man and the woman, Peter in his Epistle says, "Though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations; that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than that of gold which perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise, and honour, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ; whom, having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy …
Western Saints
Thomas Aquinas
Thus, it is clear that I am not inferior to them as to the glory, which is according to the flesh; nor even as to the glory which is according to Christ, because they are servants of Christ, i.e., they say so to deceive you; I am a better one: "This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ" (1 Cor. 4:1); "Who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant" (2 Cor. 3:6). Then when he says, I am talking like a madman, he prefers himself to all the apostles and to the false. …
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