John Chrysostom

Having pointed out the manifold usefulness of condescension and that this is the highest perfectness, and that he himself having risen higher than all towards perfection, or rather having gone beyond it by declining to receive, descended lower than all again; and having made known to us the times for each of these, both for the perfectness and for the condescension; he touches them more sharply in what follows, covertly intimating that this which was done by them and which was counted a mark of perfectness, is a kind of superfluous …

Homily on 1 Corinthians 23 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

Having proved that one must be condescending toward the brethren, he now addresses them with a more stern discourse. His words have the following meaning. Do not think that for your salvation it is already enough that you believed and entered upon the arena of the Church. No, this is not enough; just as for those running in a racecourse it is not enough simply to run, but one must also run blamelessly, and moreover all the way to the finish. And only he who has run in this way will receive the prize. …

Commentary on 1 Corinthians ↗

Cyprian

A voice filled with the Holy Spirit broke forth from the martyr's mouth when the most blessed Mappalicus said to the proconsul in the midst of his torments, "You shall see a contest to-morrow." And that which he said with the testimony of virtue and faith, the Lord fulfilled. A heavenly contest was exhibited, and the servant of God was crowned ill the struggle of the promised fight. …

Epistle VIII ↗