Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
It is true that some take the phrase “from your midst” to mean that each one is to expel the wickedness out of oneself in order to be good. But, no matter how it is interpreted, whether that the wicked in the church are checked by the severity of excommunication or whether each one by selfblame and selfdiscipline drives wickedness out of himself, there can be no misunderstanding of the teaching of the apostle in the passage of Scripture just quoted: we are to refrain from association with brothers who are accused of any of the vices mentioned above, that is, with those who are notoriously scandalous. With what intention and with what charity this merciful severity is to be administered is evidenced not only by his statement, “that his spirit may be saved in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ,” but appears elsewhere even more clearly where he says, “if anyone does not obey our word by this letter, note that man and do not associate with him, that he may be put to shame. Yet do not regard ...
Here it is as though doves are quarreling together. The apostle said, “If anyone fails to obey our word by this letter, mark that person and do not mix with him.” There’s the quarrel. But notice how it’s a quarrel of doves, not of wolves. He immediately added, “And do not regard him as an enemy, but rebuke him as a brother.” A dove is loving even when it is beating; a wolf hates even when it is being charming.
Do not regard him as an enemy: A necessary introduction for those whom Providence has placed over others, to admonish and correct them, but with charity and peace; so that we neither be, nor give them occasion to think we are their enemies. (Witham)
He is your brother; compassionate his weakness; he is a sick member of the same body of which you are one of the members; the greater his infirmity, the greater should be your charity and anxiety for his cure; the greater excommunication separated the delinquent from the communion of the Church, making him in our regard as a heathen or a publican. But he is not here speaking of this kind, for he allows the faithful to speak to him for his spiritual advantage. (Calmet)
As if to say, Break outward peace with him, but guard in your heart’s core internal peace concerning him; that your discord with him may so smite the mind of the sinner that peace depart not from your hearts even though denied to him.
What then does Paul mean when he says, “If any one refuses to obey what we say in this letter, note that man, and have nothing to do with him”? In the first place, he says this of brothers, but with a significant limitation which is stated with gentleness. Do not disconnect what is said here from what follows, where, having said, “have nothing to do with him,” he added, “do not look on him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.” Do you see how he urges us to hate the deed but love the person? For indeed it is the work of the devil to tear us apart, and he has always taken great care to destroy love, so that the means of correction will be gone, the sinner maintained in error and the way of his salvation blocked. For when the physician hates the sick man and runs from him, and the sick man turns away from the physician, when will the distempered person be restored, seeing that neither the one will call in the other’s aid, nor will the other go to him? Homilies on First Corinthians
By this he shows that he has assigned a heavy punishment against him, in depriving him of freedom of conversation.
For if to be a receiver even with many others is worthy of disgrace, when they even reprove while they offer it, and withdraw themselves, how great is the reproach, quite sufficient to sting the soul. For if only giving rather tardily, and with murmuring, they inflame the receivers— for tell me not of impudent beggars, but of the faithful— if they were to reprove while they give, what would they not do? To what punishment would it not be equal? We do not do so, but as if we had been greatly injured, we so insult and turn away from those who beg of us. Thou dost not give, but why do you also grieve him? Admonish them, he says, as brethren, do not insult them as enemies. He who admonishes his brother, does it not publicly. He does not make an open show of the insult, but he does it privately and with much address, and grieving, as hurt, and weeping and lamenting. Let us b...
I have been exceedingly grieved on account of Valens, who was at one time a presbyter among you, because he forgot the office that was given him. I warn you, therefore, to refrain from the love of money and be pure and truthful…. I am, therefore, very grieved indeed for that man and his wife. “May the Lord grant them true repentance.” But you, too, must be moderate in this matter; and “do not consider such persons as enemies” but reclaim them as suffering and straying members, in order that you may save the whole body of you. For in doing this you will edify yourselves. ,
I am deeply grieved, therefore, brethren, for him (Valens) and his wife; to whom may the Lord grant true repentance! And be ye then moderate in regard to this matter, and "do not count such as enemies"
