Cyprian : That an elder must not be rashly accused. In the first to Timothy: "Against an eider receive not all accusation." — Treatise XII Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews Jerome : When a man is advanced in years, you must not be too ready to believe evil of him. His past life is itself a defense, and so also is his rank as an elder. Still, since we are human and sometimes in spite of the ripeness of our years fall into the sins of youth, if I do wrong and you wish to correct me, accuse me openly of my fault. Do not backbite me secretly. — LETTERS 125.19 John Chrysostom : May we then receive an accusation against a younger man, or against any one at all without witnesses? Ought we not in all cases to come to our judgments with the greatest exactness? What then does he mean? Do not so, he means, with any, but especially in the case of an elder. For he speaks of an elder not with respect to office, but to age, since the young more easily fall into sin than their elders. And it is manifest from hence that the Church, and even the whole people of Asia, had been now intrusted to Timothy, which is the reason why he discourses with him concerning elders. And because many judgments are formed upon suspicion, there ought, he says, to be witnesses, and men to convict the offender according to the ancient law. "At the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every matter be established. Against an elder receive not an accusation." He does not say, "do not condemn," but "receive not an accusation," bring him not to judgment at all. But what if the two witnesses are false? This rarely happens, and it may be discovered upon examination on the trial. For since offenses are committed in secret, we ought to be satisfied with two witnesses, and this is sufficient proof of investigation. But what if the offenses be notorious, and yet there are no witnesses, only a strong suspicion? It has been said above that he ought "to have a good report of them which are without." — Homily on 1 Timothy 15 Oecumenius : Do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. Rebuke those who sin in the presence of all, so that the rest also may be fearful. Do not receive an accusation against an elder. What then? Should such an accusation be admitted against the younger? By no means! But as if he were saying: Against no one, and especially not against the elder; for they have, even from their very age, a certain restraint; therefore he calls him an elder [πρεσβύτερον] who is old in age. Rebuke those who sin in the presence of all. For he seeks carefully, Paul says, and when he finds, he reproaches with severity. For this is the rebuke. Before all, so that the rest may also be admonished. This, God did, both upon Pharaoh (Ex. 19) and upon Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 4). — COMMENTARY ON 1 TIMOTHY Theodore of Mopsuestia : It is the duty of the presbyter to function as the common father of both the men and women of the congregation; because the care of both sexes involves seeing and speaking discreetly with the women, pastoral work must be done with great reverence. Furthermore, the duty of presbyters involves the administration of penitential discipline on admitted sinners and the exercise of oversight where such discipline is substandard. For both reasons the presbyters are vulnerable to charges. — COMMENTARY ON 1 TIMOTHY