The Great Commentary of Cornelius a Lapide: the First Epistle to the Corinthians
Envieth not. For, as S. Gregory says (Hom. v. in Evang.), “the good will which charity begets is one that fears others' misfortunes as its own, which rejoices in the prosperity of its neighbour as in its own , believes other’s losses as its own, and reckons other’s gains as its own.” The reason is, because charity does not regard my things and thine, but those which are God’s. For, as S. Gregory says (ibid.), “whatever we desire in this world, we envy our neighbour, for we seem to lose what another gains. For this cause charity is cold where lust is bold. On the contrary, when brotherly love reigns, then lust lives an exile ; for, as S. Augustine says (de Doctr. Christ. lib. iii. c. 10), “the more the kingdom of lust is destroyed, the more charity is increased.”
Does nothing wrongly. Perversely, wantonly, maliciously. Some interpret the Greek, “does not chatter idly;” Vatablus, “does not flatter;” Clement (Paedag. c. ii.), “ does not paint her face or adorn her head overmuch.” “ For worship" says Clement, “is said to act unseemly which openly shows superfluity and uselessness ; for excessive striving after adornment is opposed to God, to reason, and to charity.” Cajetan interprets the word : “ is not inconstant ; ” Theophylact, “ is not headstrong , fickle, rash, stubborn ; " Ephrem, “is not riotous .” Theophylact again, “doth not exalt itself.” So also S. Basil seems to interpret it “ What," he asks, “ does this word (περπερεύεται) mean?" which the Latin translator of Basil renders : “ What do we mean by being boastful and arrogant without cause?” He replies: “ That which is assumed, not from necessity but for the sake of superfluous adornment , incurs the charge of unseemliness.” But from these words it is evident that the translator has not followed the mind of S. Basil, and that Basil did not mean boasting and foolish arrogance, but painting and excessive adornment, as did Clement of Alexandria in the place just cited. Best of all, Chrysostom understands it : " Charity is not forward or wanton , as is the carnal love of lascivious men, wanton women , and harlots .” Whence Tertullian (de Patientia , c. xii.) says, “ Charity makes not wanton.”
Ver. 5. — Is not ambitious. Ephrem translates it : “Does not commit what is shameful.” Clement ( Paedag. lib. iii. c. 1): “ Doth not behave itself unseemly.” Our translator, with Chrysostom, Theodoret, Theophylact , Œcumenius, takes it thus : Charity thinks that nothing is dishonouring or unbecoming to it, though it suffer or do what is vile, ignominious, or degrading. Or more shortly : Charity is not ashamed, because it is ambitious of nothing, and of no honour. Our translator therefore has, from the effect, understood and rendered the cause — the cause why any one is not ashamed is, because he seeks for no honour or glory. Whence Chrysostom and Theophylact think that this is said by Paul against the arrogant. “ Charity ,” says Chrysostom, " knows not what dishonour and disgrace are ; she covers with her wings of gold the vices of all whom she embraces.” So the love of Christ did not spurn or reject harlots, scourgings, or washing of men’s feet. S. Basil understands it (in Regul. Brev. Reg . 246): " Charity doth not depart from her habit and form.” But Œcumenius: “Charity doth not treat bitterly as a prisoner the man who is her enemy.”
Thinketh no evil. I.e., charity, if she is provoked by any one, does not reckon up the injury nor seek revenge, but conceals it, excuses it, forgives it. For the Greek word, as Vatablus and the Greeks understand it, is, imputes not his evil to any one.
Ver. 6. — Rejoiceth in the truth. In the truth, not so much of speech and mind as of life, i.e., of righteousness. In other words, charity, when it sees its neighbours living justly and rightly and making advance, does not envy them, but rejoices and is glad, as though it were its own advance, as Anselm says from S. Gregory ; for truth here is opposed to iniquity. Therefore truth here is equity, uprightness , righteousness. The Greeks understand it otherwise : Charity does not rejoice, but grieves when it sees an enemy suffering anything wrongly or unjustly ; and it rejoices in the truth if it sees his own given to him.
Ver. 7. — Beareth all things. Like a beam which sustains an imposed weight, or rather, like a palm-tree, which does not yield under its own weight, but, like an arch, is the more strong. Rightly says Augustine (in Sententiis , sec. 295) : “ The fortitude of the Gentiles comes from worldly lust , but the fortitude of the Christians from the love of God which was shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who was given to us, not by any determination of our own will.”
Believeth all things, i.e., charity is not suspicious, but readily gives credence to others where it can prudently believe without danger of error. Therefore Paul says, “ beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things .” That is to say, charity bears all evils and all injuries, believes and is persuaded of the best about its neighbour, hopes for all good things for its neighbour, and endures from him evil words and blows. So Chrysostom and the Greeks. Anselm, S. Thomas, and Lyra explain the words differently. Charity makes us believe what ought to be believed, hope for what we ought, and await it with patience; for otherwise in some cases that saying of Seneca is true, “ It is a vice to believe everything and a vice to believe nothing.” So also S. Augustine explains it ; and from these words of the Apostle he makes a chariot for charity, namely, of the four virtues of charity, faith, hope, patience, perseverance. In his sermon on the four virtues of charity he thus speaks: “ Every one who devoutly bears rightly believes, and every one who rightly believes hopes for somewhat, and he who hopes perseveres , lest he should lose hope;” for the Apostle in this whole passage is treating of the offices of charity, not towards God, but towards our neighbour , and is showing how charity manifests itself in all cases to him.
Chrysostom remarks (Horn, xxxiv.) that there are here sixteen benefits and fruits of charity, which he sets up as remedies for the diseases of the Corinthians: " Charity , he says, "is patient, condemning the quarrelsome ; kind, condemning the factious and stealthy ; envies not , against those who are bitter against their superiors ; is not wanton — he lays hold of the dissolute; is not puffed up — the proud ; is not haughty , against those who will not abase themselves and serve their neighbour ; seeketh not her own , against those who despise others ; is not provoked — thinketh no evil against those who inflict insults ; rejoiceth not in iniquity , but rejoiceth in the truth, against the envious . Again, ‘beareth all things,’ is for a solace to those who are hemmed in and down-trodden ; ‘hopeth all things’ is for a solace to those who are rejected and despaired of; ‘endureth all things and never faileth’ is against those who , for a slight cause , foster divisions.” S. Gregory thus describes these offices of charity (Morals, book x. c. 8) : " Charity is patient ; because it bears calmly all evils that may be inflicted ; is kind, because it bountifully repays good for evil ; envieth not, because, from the fact that it seeks for nothing in this present world, it knows not how to be envious at earthly successes ; is not puffed up, because, since it eagerly longs for the promised inward reward , it does not exalt itself on the score of outward advantages ; does nothing amiss, because it confines itself to the love of God and of its neighbour, and is ignorant of whatever departs from rectitude ; is not ambitious, because it ardently seeks within for its own perfection, and covets without no man's goods ; seeketh not its own, because it disregards, as though they were another's, all things which here for a brief time it possesses, since it recognises that nothing is its own save what abides permanently ; is not provoked, because, though stirred , it is roused to no motions of revenge, since for great sufferings it expects hereafter greater rewards ; thinketh no evil, because purity stablishes a mind in love, while it plucks up all hatred by the roots, and cannot dwell in a soul which is defiled ; rejoiceth not in iniquity, for it yearns with love alone for all, and does not rejoice in the fall of its enemies ; but rejoiceth in the truth, because, loving others as itself, it rejoices in that which it sees good in others, as though it were an increase of its own perfection."