Apostolic Constitutions : Let him therefore be sober, prudent, decent, firm, stable, not given to wine; no striker, but gentle; not a brawler, not covetous; "not a novice, test, being puffed up with pride, be fall into condemnation, and the snare of the devil: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abused.". It is not right to ordain him bishop presently who is just come in from the Gentiles, and baptized; or from a wicked mode of life: for it is unjust that he who has not yet afforded any trial of himself should be a teacher of others, unless it anywhere happens by divine grace. — CONSTITUTIONS OF THE HOLY APOSTLES Augustine of Hippo : What does Paul mean by saying "or he may be puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil"? It doesn't mean he is to be judged by the devil but that he is to be condemned with the devil. The devil, after all, won't be our judge. He himself fell through pride. Like him, one who has become godless on account of pride will be condemned to everlasting fire. We are to consider carefully, Paul is saying, to whom a position of eminence is given in the church, lest the person being lifted up should through pride fall into the very judgment into which the devil fell. — SERMONS 340A.2 Basil of Caesarea : His rank should not arouse feelings of pride in the superior, lest he himself lose the blessing promised to humility or "lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the judgment of the devil." — THE LONG RULES, Q.30.R Cosmas Indicopleustes : For, I saw, saith the Lord, Satan like lightning fall from heaven; for being puffed up because of the service entrusted to him by God for the good of men, and because it was his office to move the air for man and regulate its motion for his uses, and deeming that he had of himself advanced of his own will to this height, he usurped to himself the worship due to God, and was forthwith hurled down. For the Apostle again when instructing Timothy not to be hasty in conferring office on a neophyte—one, that is, who has but recently been converted to the faith, thus addressed him: Not a neophyte, lest being puffed up he fall into the condemnation of the devil; which, says the Apostle, the devil suffered through being puffed up, and has hereby clearly shown why he was hurled down, namely, by his being puffed up, deeming himself to be God, whence also he had the wish to communicate his own disease to man, saying: Ye shall be as Gods. — The Christian Topography, Book 3 Jerome : Realize how evil pride is from the very fact that there is no excuse for it. Other vices harm only those who commit them. Pride inflicts far more injury on everyone. I am saying all this lest you consider pride a trifling sin. What, in fact, does the apostle say? "Lest he incur the condemnation passed on the devil." The man who is puffed up with his own importance falls into the judgment of the devil. — HOMILIES 95 John Chrysostom : Because nothing so alienates men from the lovingkindness of God, and gives them over to the fire of the pit, as the tyranny of pride. For when this is present with us, our whole life becomes impure, even though we fulfill temperance, chastity, fasting, prayer, almsgiving, anything.… Let us then restrain this swelling of the soul, let us cut up by the roots this lump of pride, if at least we would wish to be clean, and to escape the punishment appointed for the devil. For that the proud must fall under the same punishment as that (wicked) one, hear Paul declare; "Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride, he fall into the judgment, and the snare of the devil." What is "the judgment"? He means, into the same "condemnation," the same punishment. — Homily on John 9 John Chrysostom : "Not a novice." He does not say, not a young man, but not a new convert. For he had said, "I have planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase." Wishing them to point out such an one, he used this word. For, otherwise, what hindered him from saying, "Not a young man"? For if youth only was an objection, why did he himself appoint Timothy, a young man? (and this he proves by saying to him, "Let no man despise thy youth.") Because he was aware of his great virtue, and his great strictness of life. Knowing which he writes, "From a child thou hast learned the holy Scriptures." And that he practiced intense fasting is proved by the words, "Use a little wine for thine often infirmities"; which he wrote to him amongst other things, as, if he had not known of such good works of his, he would not have written, nor given any such charge to his disciple. But as there were many then who came over from the Heathen, and were baptized, he says, "Do not immediately advance to a station of dignity a novice, that is, one of these new converts." For, if before he had well been a disciple, he should at once be made a Teacher, he would be lifted up into insolence. If before he had learnt to be under rule, he should be appointed one of the rulers, he would be puffed up: therefore he adds, "Lest being lifted up with pride, he fall into the condemnation of the devil," that is, into the same condemnation which Satan incurred by his pride. — Homily on 1 Timothy 10 Oecumenius : He must not be a recent convert, lest, being arrogant, he fall into the judgment of the Devil. He must not be a recent convert. It does not mean the younger person, but one recently instructed in the faith. For Timothy himself was also younger. "For no one should despise your youth," (1 Timothy 4:12) he says as he goes on. For he who is still a student ought, if anyone makes him a teacher, to be proud and confident. he fall into the judgment of the Devil. To the same, Paul says, to the Devil, a judgment, into which he fell out of madness. — COMMENTARY ON 1 TIMOTHY