Ephesians 4:7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"According to the measure of Christ's gift." What is most important, he says, is common to all, such as baptism, salvation through faith, the right to have God as Father, and participation in the same Spirit. If someone has something greater in his gift, do not be distressed by this, because he also has greater labors. Remember too that from the one who received five talents, five were required. The one who received two brought two, and did not receive a reward less than the first. Therefore here also he draws consolation for the hearer from the same proof. "For the perfecting," he says, "of the saints, for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the Body of Christ" (Eph 4:12). For this reason he himself said, "Woe to me," as to everyone who has received the gift of apostleship, "if I do not preach the Gospel!" (1 Cor 9:16). Yet woe is his precisely because he received it. You are free from such danger. "According to the measure." What does "according to the measure" mean? It means, not according to our merits, for no one would have received what he received by merit. Rather, all that we have received, we have received as a gift. Why, then, has one received more and another less? This, he says, is of no importance, but is indifferent. Each contributes to the edification. Therefore he shows that one received more and another less not because of his own worth, but for the sake of others, as Christ Himself distributed to each. So he says elsewhere: "But God arranged the members, each one of them in the body, as He willed" (1 Cor 12:18). He does not state the cause of this distribution, lest he trouble the minds of his hearers.

He did not say, "according to the measure of each one's faith," lest those who have little faith be cast down. Rather, he places the measure in the will of the Giver, so that they would not even dare to dispute.

Therefore, if someone wished to distribute it to many people according to their ability to carry it, he would necessarily give to each by measure. Thus parts of what is immeasurable as a whole, solidum, receive a certain measure. So also the Holy Spirit is truly immeasurable and enclosed by no bounds. Yet He is given to each as far as possible. It must be noted that this same grace now given has been given to us according to the measure of Christ's gift.

"To one," said the Lord, "he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability" (Mt 25:15). But you will say, Is this the resolution of that doubt? Yes, for according to this teaching, such inequality does not happen by chance, nor does it come from nature, but according to the measure of Christ's gift. Why then do you say that this inequality destroys the bonds of unity? Do you not see the difference of powers in the members of our body? The eye sees, the ears hear, the mouth speaks, the hands work, the feet walk. Yet the difference of powers in our members does not destroy the bond of the body's unity, but strengthens it. In the same way, the difference of gifts in the members of the Church's body does not destroy but strengthens the spiritual bonds of the unity of the Church's body, which is the fullness of the faithful. "A brother helped by a brother is like a strong and high city, and is strengthened like a founded kingdom" (Prov 18:20).

The Lord distributes His gifts not in equal measure, giving more to one and less to another, according to His good and wise will. He does this for the good of the Church, and not only for the benefit of those who receive them (v. 12). The very difference itself is to serve the more perfect unity and good order of the whole (v. 13), that is, of His Church.

Brethren, attending to the apostolic teaching, let us also walk worthily of the calling into which we have all been called by the grace of our Lord and Savior. There is no service on earth higher than service to the Lord Jesus, the fulfillment of His commandments. There is no higher honor on earth, and no higher praise, than the inward testimony received by the conscience from the Holy Spirit. As the Apostle says, He bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. "And if children, then heirs: heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ" (Rom 8:16-17).

"God gives grace to the humble" (1 Pet 5:5). Therefore, according to the apostolic instruction, let us be humble before God and before men. Let us remember that we are all the work of God's hands, that we have nothing of our own, and that for everything we have and use we must thank God, the giver of all good things.

Nourishing in ourselves the spirit of humility of mind, let us be meek in our dealings with our neighbors. Let us be meek not only toward those older or equal to us, but also toward the younger and lower. This is according to the instruction of the Lord and Savior: "Learn from Me, for I am meek and humble in heart" (Mt 11:29).

Let us be patient and magnanimous. When we meet unpleasantness, sorrow, and offenses from others, let us forbear one another in the love commanded by the Lord, imitating His example, our Savior's. "Christ suffered for us," says the Apostle Peter, "leaving us an example, that we should follow His steps. He committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth" (Is 53:9). "When He was reviled, He did not revile in return. When He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed it to Him Who judges righteously" (1 Pet 2:21-23).

Let us always strive to preserve one-mindedness and concord with one another. For this we must always remember that we are all members of one body, the Church. One and the same Holy Spirit overshadows and unites us all by a mystical bond in Christ Jesus, the Head of the Church. He enlightens us, perfects us, and always calls us to higher perfection on the path of salvation.

Heavenly blessings have been promised to all who believe in Christ the Savior. By the grace of the Spirit of Christ we are all called to the inheritance of eternal blessedness. Therefore let it always be in our memory that we all have one Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He redeemed us by His blood and opened for us the entrance into the mansions of eternal blessedness.

We all have one Orthodox faith. It teaches us the truths of salvation, nourishes our hope in the promised heavenly blessings, and confirms and exalts our love for our Lord Jesus Christ, the Only-begotten Son of God, and for His Father and the Holy Spirit. There is one God and Father of all, Who rules over all, provides for all, and acts in all by His Spirit. All this moves and obliges us, with humble meekness and long-suffering, to care for the preservation of one-mindedness and peace with one another.

Let no one think that it is impossible for him to be of one mind and in concord with others. Let him not think he cannot yield to another, or bear unpleasantness, sorrow, and offenses from another, thinking within himself: how shall I yield to him? How shall I bear this from him? I am not lower than he is. I am not like him. What will they think of me if I conduct myself in this way? What use are my advantages, if I yield to this one and that one?

No, brethren, Jesus Christ does not teach us such self-loving and proud reasonings. He says: "He who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who leads as one who serves" (Lk 22:26). Who on earth was higher and more perfect than all men? The God-man Jesus Christ. Yet He was among men as "one who serves" (Lk 22:27). He was "meek and humble in heart." When reviled, He did not revile in return, and when suffering, He did not threaten.

And what do we have of our own? With what gift, with what advantage, can we boast before one another as if it were our own possession? I shall ask with the words of the Apostle: "What do you have that you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?" (1 Cor 4:7).

"To each of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift." One receives more gifts, another fewer. Yet all must remember that we have nothing of our own, but make use of God's gifts. "To whom much is given, of him much will be required" (Lk 12:48), according to the word of the Lord and Savior. Therefore each must take care to use the gifts of God according to the will of the Giver. The one who has received more than others must have more care and diligence than others, so that he may use all the gifts according to God's will. Otherwise he may fall under strict condemnation for the improper use of the gifts.

He must not think about his advantages over others. Rather, he must humble himself before God, and reverently pray and ask that, by His grace, He instruct and help him to "do the will of God" (1 Jn 2:17), in the hope of eternal life. Amen.

Since the Lord, as Head, builds for Himself the body of the Church, He Himself also determines the measure of the gift, giving one talent to one and five to another. This action of God for our salvation is self-evident from the structure of the faith. But St. Paul sets it beside Old Testament indications and thereby gives it the force of eternal predestination" (Bishop Theophan). St. Chrysostom asks: "Of what captivity does the Apostle speak?" He answers: "Of the captivity of the devil. For the Lord took captive that tyrant, and death, and the curse, and sin." Blessed Jerome writes: "He descended even to Hades and ascended into the heavens. That He might fill those who were in those regions." "Sitting on the throne of glory, He fills all things with His authority, with the abundance of grace-filled gifts, signs, and wonders" (Bishop Theophan).

Each has received grace and the gift of the Holy Spirit from the Lord, in the measure that was pleasing to the Lord. Serve others with that gift, and you will remain in living and active communion with all. This, it seems, is the purpose with which Saint Paul says these words here. Earlier he spoke entirely of the body, and immediately after this he will again speak of the body. He will speak precisely of how it is built up by the ordered cooperation of all the members (Eph 4:15-16).

What must be common to all, and what conditions the Christian life itself, all possess in the same way. This includes belonging to the body of the Church, faith, hope, baptism, having God as Father, and the Lord as one's Head. Yet this sameness does not produce complete equality in all and does not abolish differences. Each has everything that another has, but in a different degree. In addition, each receives a special grace and gift. Under the condition of such difference, and amid such difference of cooperation and communion, the one body with many parts is formed, harmoniously joined together.

Perfect equality would not allow a body to be formed. For if all were one member, where would the body be? "But now there are many members, yet one body" (1 Cor 12:19-20). Yet different grace and different gifts are given to each not for himself, but for the body of the Church. Therefore it is utterly senseless to use this as an occasion to separate oneself from others, to exalt oneself over them when the gift is greater, or to envy them when it is smaller.

Chrysostom says: "That one received more and another less is of no importance. It is an indifferent matter, for each of those who have received contributes to the building up. One received more and another less not for the sake of his own worth, but for the sake of others, according to the measure Christ Himself distributed to each. So he also says elsewhere: 'God has set the members, each one of them, in the body as He willed' (1 Cor 12:18). If another has something greater in his gift, do not be grieved by this, because his labors are also greater. Remember also that from the one who received five talents, five more were required. The one who received two brought two more, and yet he did not receive a lesser reward than the first. The Apostle says of himself: 'Woe is me,' as also to everyone who has received the gift of apostleship, 'if I do not preach the Gospel' (1 Cor 9:16). Yet woe is upon him precisely because he received it, while you are free from such danger."

Oecumenius reasons similarly: "Grace, that is, the gift of the Holy Spirit, has been given to each according to the measure of Christ's gift. The Apostle speaks as if saying: if He, Christ, measured it out, then of course He measured it well, as was needful and useful for you. If everything is a gift, give thanks for what you have received, and do not envy what you have not received, for that too is a gift. The Distributor and Giver knows what is better and more useful, and so He has acted."

When is this special gift given to each? In the mystery of chrismation. In this mystery, even natural abilities receive the seal of grace. Some of them rise to such a height as they could not have reached in the natural order. Yet its special feature is that in it a gift is given for the need of the Church. The Lord is the accomplisher of all the mysteries. From Him also comes the gift communicated to each in chrismation. Christian communities that have deprived themselves of this mystery are without gifts.