John Chrysostom : "But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before unbelievers." Do you observe with what effect he disparaged the judges at first by calling them unrighteous; whereas here, to move shame, he calls them Unbelievers? For surely it is extremely disgraceful if the priest could not be the author of reconciliation even among brethren, but recourse must be had to those without. So that when he said, "those who are of no account," his chief meaning was not that the Church's outcasts should be appointed as judges, but to find fault with them. For that it was proper to make reference to those who were able to decide, he has shewn by saying, "Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one?" And with great impressiveness he stops their mouths, and says, "Even though there were not a single wise man, the hearing ought to have been left to you who are unwise rather than that those without should judge." For what else can it be than absurd, that whereas on a quarrel arising in a house we call in no one from without and feel ashamed if news get abroad among strangers of what is going on within doors; where the Church is, the treasure of the unutterable Mysteries, there all things should be published without? "But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before unbelievers." The charge is twofold; both that he "goeth to law," and "before the unbelievers." For if even the thing by itself, To go to law with a brother, be a fault, to do it also before aliens, what pardon does it admit of? — Homily on 1 Corinthians 16 Origen of Alexandria : We have rulers of the church to whom we should take our disputes, so that we will not be summoned before the law courts of unbelievers. — COMMENTARY ON 1 CORINTHIANS 2.27.27-28 Pelagius : There is a double sin here. First, they were taking each other to court, and secondly, they were going to court before unbelievers. — COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 6 Theodoret of Cyrus : This in no way contradicts Romans [13], where Paul tells people to respect the magistrates. He is not telling us to resist secular authorities, but rather we should not appeal to them. — COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 195