Or ministry, in ministering; or he that teacheth, in doctrine;
ειτε διακονιαν εν τη διακονια ειτε ο διδασκων εν τη διδασκαλια
9 Church Fathers comment on this verse
"Or ministry, in ministry." Here ministry is taken in a general sense. Apostleship is also called ministry, and every good spiritual work is ministry. Certainly, this name is also used to signify a particular activity, but here it is spoken generally. "He who teaches, in teaching." Notice how the Apostle does not observe a strict order, but puts the small thing first, and the great [...]
“If you have ministry, remain in ministry.” There is also ministry as a special gift in the ecclesiastical order, such as the ministry of the seven deacons. But here, under the name of ministry, understand every spiritual work in general. Whatever ministry you have received, he says, remain in performing it. This word must be supplied here. Do not seek anything greater, and do not exalt yourself over another. Be content with what you have received. “If one teaches, in teaching.” If ministry is taken in a general sense, then its kinds are next enumerated. But if ministry is understood as a special diaconal ministry, then notice how he first mentioned the lower and afterward placed the higher, that is, teaching. He does not observe order, and by this very thing teaches us not to be proud or exalt ourselves over what seems higher to us.
And so, to each, according to what is profitable for him, various gracious gifts are given from the one Spirit, according to what is profitable for him.
For carrying out ministry to the brethren, the minister is strengthened to the extent that his faith measures the scope of the ministry. Otherwise he will labor beyond faith and be exhausted by ministry to his own ruin. In the same way Paul says that the teacher in teaching receives such help that he is inspired to transmit heavenly teaching to the extent that there is faith in him to teach.
Rom 12:7-8. “If ministry, in ministry; if one teaches, in teaching; if one exhorts, in exhortation.” The word “ministry” also signifies the proclamation of the faith, according to this expression: “We will continue in prayer and the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4). Yet because the Apostle immediately places after it the word “teaching,” whose first subject is the proclamation of the faith, it is clear that here he calls “ministry” every service that helps the common benefit of the brethren. Such was, for example, the ministry of the seven deacons who served at the daily table. Such also was the ministry of the Apostle Paul, who collected alms for the poor and brought them to Jerusalem.
Such was also the ministry of the elders of Jerusalem serving the needs of the poor, to whom the Antiochians sent the collected alms by the hand of Barnabas and Saul (Acts 11:30). By “exhortation” he here means encouragement toward works of virtue, and also the consolation of those who grieve. For all the Apostles, by word, and some also by writings, stirred believers to virtue and consoled them in the sorrows they then endured from unbelievers. “If you have the gift of ministry,” he says, “do not be proud in the works of your ministry. If someone has the gift of teaching, let him not exalt himself over the excellence and power of his teaching words. If someone has the gift of rousing others to virtue and consoling the afflicted, let him not be high-minded when he sees the success of his teaching.” Interpreted in this way. These apostolic words agree with the words of the prophetess Hannah, who said in prayer: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, nor let the strong man boast in his strength, nor let the rich man boast in his riches” (1 Kgdms 2:10).
Here that undifferentiated equality is clearly rejected which the Stundists and similar heretics wished to establish among members of Christian society. It is true that in relation to Christ, in Christ, we are all in a sense the same. Having nothing of our own, we all receive everything from Him. Without Him we are all dead; from Him we are alive. But in our mutual relations with one another, we are like different members of the body. One member performs one work for the benefit of the others, and another performs another. Among such unequal ministries the holy Apostle later mentions teaching (verse 7) and ruling (verse 8).
Having in view the mixed ethnic composition of the Roman Church, and wishing to establish orderly church life in it, the Apostle exhorts all Christians to serve without pride. Each is to serve according to the measure of faith and the other spiritual gifts, for the benefit of the whole Church, which he presents as having the same wholeness as a body.
As there are many members in the body, yet all together form one whole in the body and serve it harmoniously, so the members of the Church are united with one another through Jesus Christ. They form one body, and all the members must serve it according to the power of the gifts proper to them.
Among the gifts, the Apostle places the prophetic gift first. Then he places church ministry, that of bishops, presbyters, and deacons. After that come teaching and other particular gifts. There were probably many such gifts in the first Roman Church, as in the other churches of that glorious time.
According to St. John Chrysostom, “When the Apostle intends to describe the virtues separately, he begins with humility, as though from the head. He counsels a man not to think more highly than he ought to think. He prescribes humility, the mother of every good thing, in this imitating his Teacher.
“As Christ, when He went up the mountain to offer moral teaching, began with a word on humility and laid this foundation, ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit’ (Mt 5:3), so Paul also passes from dogmatic truths to moral teaching. Although he has given a lesson on virtue in general, he begins with humility.
“By calling humility temperance, that is, sound-mindedness, the Apostle showed that the immodest, that is, the one without humility, is not sound in mind. He is headstrong, disorderly, and acts more senselessly than any madman.
“Since many of the Romans and Corinthians fell into high-mindedness because of spiritual gifts, notice how the Apostle brings to light the cause of this sickness and gradually turns it aside. After saying that one must think with sober-mindedness, he added: ‘according as God has dealt to each the measure of faith,’ here calling the spiritual gift faith.
“By the word ‘dealt’ he both consoled the man who had received the lesser gift and humbled the one who used the greater gift. Thus every good thing has its beginning in God.
“Why do you think highly of yourself? Do not all of us, great and small, make up one body? And if, in relation to the Head, we are one body and members one of another, why do you tear yourself away by high-mindedness? Why are you ashamed of your brother?
“As he is your member, so you are his member, and in this respect you are equal in honor. Therefore do not think much of yourself. Everything you have received was given to you by God. You did not acquire it by yourself.
“For this reason, when the Apostle touched on spiritual gifts, he did not say that one received more and another less. How did he name the gifts? Different. To humble the proud, he affirms that this is given by God. But to encourage the careless, he adds that men themselves lay the first foundation” (cf. 1 Cor 12:31 and 12:11).
Concerning the ministry mentioned in verse 7, blessed Theophylact observes: “There is a ministry and a special gift, such as the ministry of the seven deacons. But here, under the name of ministry, understand every spiritual work in general. Whatever ministry you have received, he says, remain in fulfilling it. Do not seek something greater, and do not exalt yourself over another, but be content with what you have received.”
“By teaching,” according to blessed Theodoret, “is meant the interpretation of the divine doctrines. By exhortation is meant persuasion toward virtue. By prophecy the Apostle means not only foreknowledge of the future, but also knowledge of hidden things.”
Concerning almsgiving, St. John Chrysostom observes: “It is not enough to show mercy. One must do this not sparingly and not with grief. Or rather, not only without grief, but with a cheerful and joyful spirit. One can be magnanimous even in poverty, and mean-spirited amid riches.
“Therefore the Apostle requires simplicity in giving, cheerfulness in mercy, and diligence in ruling. He wants us to help those in need not only with money, but also with words, deeds, bodily labor, and everything else.”
If you have received the gift of ministry, remain in ministry. Ministry, diakonia, properly means the performance of something in the Church: watching over those entering the temple, maintaining order in it, assisting at the celebration of the Mysteries, and everything else. This embraces not only the diaconal order, but the whole priestly and ecclesiastical serving rank. Chrysostom says: “Ministry is taken here in a general sense. Apostleship is also called ministry, and every good spiritual work is ministry. Although this same name is used to signify a particular office, here it is spoken of generally.” Blessed Theophylact writes the same: “There is also ministry as a special gift in the ecclesiastical order, such as the ministry of the seven deacons.
But here, under the name of ministry, understand every spiritual work in general. Whatever ministry you have received, he says, remain in performing it. Do not seek anything greater, and do not exalt yourself over another. Be content with what you have received.” “If one teaches, in teaching.” If you are one who teaches, a teacher who has received the gift of teaching, then remain in teaching. Think about it, be occupied with it, and strive in every way to perform it as you should. “Teaching means the interpretation of the divine dogmas” (blessed Theodoret): concerning the Most Holy Trinity, creation and providence, the blessed state in paradise and the fall, the Incarnation of God and our salvation in Him, the grace of the Holy Spirit, and Christian hopes. That this is a special gift we still see today. One person expounds dogmas very clearly, yet does not know how to comfort or untangle moral confusion and lead someone onto the path. This gift differs from prophecy because the prophetic spirit came suddenly and compelled speech, without regard to persons and without restriction by time or place. The gift of teaching acted constantly and gave the teacher freedom to choose subjects and the order of instruction, observe the time, and prepare teachings. Chrysostom says here: “Notice that the Apostle does not observe a strict order. He places the lesser, ministry, first, and the greater, teaching, afterward. By this he teaches the same thing he taught before: not to be puffed up or exalt oneself.”
Let the teacher remain after the prophet on the rank of teaching, for "second, prophets; third, teachers" (1 Cor 12:28). For teachers are interpreters of the prophetic sayings, like ears that hear and understand what the seeing eyes behold and reveal. The prophets see, and someone is appointed to the teaching ministry for the exhortation of those already instructed.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 11 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS