John Chrysostom

Thus, whereas he had showed, that both faith and knowledge and prophecy and tongues and gifts and healing and a perfect life and martyrdom, if love be absent, are no great advantage; of necessity he next makes an outline of its matchless beauty, adorning its image with the parts of virtue as with a sort of colors, and putting together all its members with exactness. …

Homily on 1 Corinthians 33 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

From here he begins to enumerate the signs of love, and places first among them long-suffering — the root of all true wisdom. For long-suffering is he who has a long and great soul. But since some employ long-suffering not for the sake of wisdom, but often, laughing at those who insult them and restraining themselves in pretense, as though they were long-suffering people, drive them to even greater irritation and anger, he says that love "is kind," that is, it displays a gentle and guileless character, and not like the aforementioned …

Commentary on 1 Corinthians ↗

Clement of Alexandria

There is, too, another beauty of men-love. "And love," according to the apostle, "suffers long, and is kind; envieth not; vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up." For the decking of one's self out-carrying, as it does, the look of superfluity and uselessness-is vaunting one's self. …

The Instructor Book 3 ↗

Augustine of Hippo

The reason why love does not envy is because it is not puffed up. For where puffing up precedes, envy follows, because pride is the mother of envy.

LETTER 22, To Honoratus ↗

Thomas Aquinas

After showing that charity is so necessary that without it no spiritual gifts are sufficient for salvation, the Apostle now shows that it is so useful and of such efficacious strength that through it all virtuous works are completed. First, he makes two quasi-general statements; secondly, he mentions in particular the virtuous works which are completed by charity (v. 4b). In regard to the first he does two things. …

Commentary on 1 Corinthians ↗