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Translation
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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
John Chrysostom
"Doing nothing through faction." He finally demands this of them, and tells them the way how this may be. "Doing nothing through faction or vainglory." This, as I always say, is the cause of all evil. Hence come fightings and contentions. Hence come envyings and strifes. Hence it is that love waxes cold, when we love the praise of men, when we are slaves to the honor which is paid by the many, for it is not possible for a man to be the slave of praise, and also a true servant of God. How then shall we flee vainglory? …
Theophylact of Ohrid
Nothing, he says, should be done out of envy or rivalry, which happens when we say: look, I will exert myself so that so-and-so does not surpass me; this is precisely what contentiousness consists of. Then the apostle presents vainglory as the mother of such rivalry, because the former is born from the latter. When we seek the glory of men, what will we not do for it? Now the apostle shows us the path by which we can avoid vainglory, and offers us saving instruction. …
Ignatius of Antioch
I therefore did what belonged to me, as a man devoted to unity; adding this also, that where there is diversity of judgment, and wrath, and hatred, God does not dwell. To all them that repent, God grants forgiveness, if they with one consent return to the unity of Christ, and communion with the bishop. I trust to the grace of Jesus Christ, that He will free you from every bond of wickedness. I therefore exhort you that ye do nothing out of strife, but according to the doctrine of Christ. …
Western Saints
Thomas Aquinas
Then he exhorts them to humility: first, he excludes whatever is contrary to humility; secondly, he exhorts them to it. The things contrary to humility are those which spring from pride—one is outward contention, because the humble yield to one another: "By insolence the heedless make strife" (Prov. 13:10); "For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice" (Jas. 3:16). Therefore, he says, do nothing from selfishness. …
Bonaventure
The very truth of the divine law dictates that each person ought to think more humbly of himself than of another, and on this account ought to regard himself as more vile than others—not because he is certain that he is such, but because he is more certain of his own vanity or vileness than of another's. …
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