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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
John Chrysostom
But they not in these only, but in other little things, suffered from this disease. For, "they love," He saith, "the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi." For these things, although one may think them small, yet are they a cause of great evils. These things have overthrown both cities and churches. …
Theophylact of Ohrid
Alas! What is He saying? They are condemned even for loving these things. If he who only loves the place of honor is rebuked, what punishment does that man deserve who does everything to satisfy this love? In the very place where they ought to have taught others to be humble, that is, in "the chief seats in the synagogues," there they themselves were corrupted. …
Western Saints
Jerome
For they enlarge their phylacteries and magnify their fringes. They love the places of honor at banquets, the chief seats in the synagogues, greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called Rabbi by men. Woe to us, miserable ones, to whom the vices of the Pharisees have been passed on. When the Lord gave the commandments of the Law through Moses, He added at the end: Bind them upon your hand, and they shall be before your eyes (Deut. VI, 8). …
Thomas Aquinas
And what do they seek? To be seen by men. Now this glory is shown in three things: in primacy, in the reverence shown, and in the praise of the name; for whoever seeks glory seeks one of these, or all of them. But these men sought primacy in a sacred place and in a public place; hence regarding the public place he says, and they love the first places at feasts. For they wished to sit at the head of tables, against that passage in Luke 14:8: when you are invited to a wedding, sit down in the lowest place. …
Rabanus Maurus
It should be noted, that He does not forbid those to whom this belongs by right of rank to be saluted in the forum, or to sit or recline in the highest room; but those who unduly desire these things, whether they obtain them or not, these He enjoins the believers to shun as wicked.
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