Thomas Aquinas, on Gal 5:26

“Let us not be made desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying on another.”

“But lest the things said of the spirit be understood of the spirit of the world—concerning which it is said in 1 Corinthians (2:12): "We have received not the spirit of this world"—the Apostle forestalls this when he says, "Let us not be made desirous of vainglory, provoking one another, envying one another". Here he excludes things proper to the spirit of the world, namely, vainglory, anger and envy, all three of which are aptly described by the word "spirit." For "spirit" denotes a swelling. According to this, then, those are called vain spirits who are swollen with vainglory: "The blast of the mighty is like a whirlwind beating against a wall" (Is 25:4). Concerning this he says, "Let us not be made desirous of vainglory," i.e., of worldly glory. For since that is vain which is not solidly established nor supported by truth nor loved for any usefulness, then the glory of this world is vain, because it is frail and not solid: "All flesh is grass" (Is 40:6). Furthermore, it is false—"The glory of a sinful man is dung and worms" (1 Mac 2:62)—whereas true glory concerns goods appropriate to man, i.e., the goods of the spirit, such as holy men have: "Our glory is this, the testimony of our conscience" (2 Cor 1:12). Furthermore, this glory is useless and fruitless: for how great soever the glory one acquires from the testimony of men, he cannot on that account achieve his end, which is achieved by the testimony of God: "He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord" (1 Cor 1:31). He does not say, "Do not have vainglory," but "be not made desirous of vainglory", because glory sometimes follows those who seek to avoid it, and if they are obliged to receive it, they should not love it. Furthermore, spirit connotes vehemence: "Who can bear the violence of one provoked?" (Prov 27:4). It also connotes wrath. And as to this he says, "provoking one another", namely, to quarrels and fights or other unlawful things: "Not in contention and envy" (Rom 13:13). Furthermore, it is a spirit of sadness, of which it is said in Proverbs (17:22): "A sorrowful spirit drieth up the bones." And concerning this he says, "envying one another": "Envy is the rottenness of the bones," because it alone feeds on the good (Prov 14:30).”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.