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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
John Chrysostom
"For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth." For that he may not seem [merely] to be gratifying them, (for this is what one who was void of vain-glory might do,) but to be doing what the nature of the thing demanded, he added this, "for we can do nothing against the truth." "For if we find you," he says, "in good repute, having driven away your sins by repentance and having boldness towards God; we shall not be able thereafter, were we never so willing, to punish you, but should we attempt it even, God will not work …
Theophylact of Ohrid
In order not to appear to be flattering, he says: I am not at all doing this out of vainglory, that is, I affirm that we will not have the power to punish you when we find you not fallen. Even if we attempt to do this, God will not grant us His help; for He gave us power so that we might pronounce judgment in accordance with the truth, and not against it: for a true judgment is pronounced by the one who punishes the one deserving of punishment; but the one who attempts to punish the one who has not sinned acts against the truth.
Western Saints
Thomas Aquinas
That he would lack this power of judging, if they are good, is shown when he says: For we cannot do anything against the truth. As if to say: we do not labor for anything but the truth, and for it we stand. But it is obvious that if we were to punish the innocent, we would be standing against the truth and against justice. Hence, since the Apostle could not do anything against the truth, but for the truth and for justice, it is clear that he will not punish the innocent. …
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