Blessed Theodoret understands by "exhortation" persuasion toward virtue. Blessed Theophylact understands the calming of a sorrowing heart, saying: "Exhortation is a particular kind of teaching. Teaching is generally discourse about any subject, while exhortation is properly when someone calms by a word souls disturbed by sorrow or anger. Therefore he says that the one who exhorts should remain in exhortation, doing his work and not exalting himself over another."
In apostolic times there were in the Church particular ranks of prophets and teachers, besides the Apostles, and particular ranks of those who served in the Church. But was there a particular rank of those who consoled and guided onto the right path? Certainly there was, since the Apostle speaks separately of the gift for this.
Their work may have been oversight of morality and persuading the disorderly to amend, before ecclesiastical authority took up the matter. Is not a trace of this rank found in ό ευταξίας, the one who watches over good order in the Church?
"He who gives, with simplicity." If you are one who gives, and have received the gift of stewardship and been appointed to distribute what is needed to the needy on behalf of the Church, then give with simplicity. This means without suspecting the one who presents his needs of deceit, but believing his word with simplicity of heart, that he is truly in need as he says. Or it means giving to him with simplicity of heart, without stinginess or regret, with a broad heart.
In the primitive Church, Christian communities supported their poor. For this purpose each person, according to his strength, donated to the common church economy from his possessions, whatever he could and whatever his zeal moved him to give. Particular persons capable of this were chosen to distribute aid.
In the Church of Jerusalem the Apostles chose seven deacons for this. We must suppose it was done the same way in all the Churches. Later, when the deacons turned to serving at the celebration of the Mysteries, special stewards were chosen to distribute what was needed to the needy. In their care were all the poor, widows, orphans, sick, and all who were in any kind of need.
Everyone knows from constant experience that the ability to conduct such affairs is a particular gift. The Apostle speaks here about this gift, not as a natural ability, but as a gracious gift. He indicates that at that time this kind of gift appeared in persons who naturally had not shown a special predisposition for it.
Yet even if one supposes such a predisposition in someone, one must still hold that the grace of God, when it came, called it forth, raised it, and directed it.
The fact that the Apostle means here a particular gift, the administration of church property, is shown by this: "he who gives" stands between "he who teaches" and "he who exhorts" on one side, and "he who presides" on the other. That is, it stands among the ranks that maintain fitting order in the Church.
Our interpreters here speak more about the dispositions with which one must give to the needy. Yet everything they say may refer not only to the general virtue of giving alms, but also to particular church stewards.
These are their words. Saint Chrysostom says: "It is not enough to give. One must give without meanness, for this is everywhere meant by the word 'simplicity.'" Blessed Theodoret says: "'He who gives, with simplicity,' not catching glory for himself from others, but satisfying the need of the needy person. He does not calculate whether there will be enough or not enough for himself, but relies on God and gives generously."
Blessed Theophylact says: "Having spoken of teaching and exhortation, that is, of what concerns care for souls, he now speaks of bodily matters, as occupying the second place. By simplicity he means generosity. Therefore he teaches us to distribute with generosity. For no virtue is a virtue if it is done improperly. So the virgins, though they had oil, did not have enough of it, and for this reason were rejected cf. Mt 25:1-12."
All these instructions may apply both to distributors of their own property and to distributors of church property.
"He who presides, with diligence." If you are a presider, carry out the work of presiding with diligence. Wherever the Apostles planted the faith, they everywhere appointed presbyters, or also bishops, with ordination, so that they might govern the formed Christian community, or Church, in everything concerning faith and salvation.
Presiders were also appointed for each gathering of believers. There were not yet temples, and they gathered in houses. If the community of believers was large, they did not gather in one house. For each such gathering there was a particular presider with the full authority of presidency.
This was the beginning of many parishes in one place of residence, whether a city, a town, or a large village. The Apostle commands every such presider, great and small, to preside with diligence. Where to lead and direct, and how to act, was known. Only do not be lazy, and all will go well.
This is the same thing Saint Paul also taught Saint Timothy: "Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery" 1 Tim 4:14.
"It is not enough to be a leader. One must lead with care and zeal" (Saint Chrysostom). "The one who has received a presiding care for the brethren must, together with authority, receive diligent concern for them, so that those under him may progress and so that he may have fruit in them for himself" (Ambrosiaster).
"He who shows mercy, with cheerfulness." "With cheerfulness," εν ίλαρότητι, should be expressed fully as: with a joyful heart and a cheerful face, cordially. But who is this one who shows mercy?
Since he stands in the series of persons who build and maintain order in the Christian community, it is also fitting to understand some rank under him. Perhaps this is the one who cares for the sick. Together with the one who gives and the one who exhorts, he healed all the wounds of the believing community: one by aid, another by word, and another by care for health.
They too must be cordial, but above all the one who attends the sick. Yet perhaps the Apostle completed his enumeration of church ranks and special gifts for them with the preceding phrase, "he who presides, with diligence." From this word he begins to prescribe virtues common to all Christians, placing cordial mercy toward the needy first.
Our interpreters understand here the common virtue of mercy. Saint Chrysostom speaks at length about this virtue: "It is little to show mercy. One must do this without meanness and without sorrow. Or rather, not only without sorrow, but with a cheerful and joyful spirit. For it is not the same thing not to be sad and to rejoice.
"Paul also proved the same thing with great diligence in the Epistle to the Corinthians. Urging them to generosity, he said: 'He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows with blessing will also reap with blessing' cf. 2 Cor 9:6. Teaching with what disposition one must show generosity, he added: 'not grudgingly or of necessity' cf. 2 Cor 9:7.
"In the one who shows mercy there must be both things, generosity and a cheerful disposition. Why do you weep while giving alms? Why do you grieve while showing mercy, and thereby deprive yourself of the fruit of your merits? If you grieve, there is no mercy in you. On the contrary, you are harsh and inhuman.
"If you yourself grieve, how can you encourage the one who is in grief? It is not easy to prevent a bad suspicion from arising in him even when you give to him with joy, because to a man nothing seems more humiliating than to receive something from another.
"If by the special cheerfulness of your disposition you do not turn away suspicion, and do not show that you are more indebted than you are making him indebted, then you will more likely cast down the recipient than restore him. Therefore the Apostle says: 'He who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.'
"Who receives royal authority with a sorrowful face? Who remains with downcast eyes after receiving forgiveness of sins? Do not look at the expenditure of money, but at the fruits of this expenditure. If the sower rejoices, though he sows uncertainly, then much more should the worker of heaven rejoice.
"If you give even a little with joy, you have given much. Likewise, if you gave much with sorrow, you have made much into little. Thus the widow's two mites cf. Mk 12:41-44 surpassed many talents, because her disposition was not meager.
"You will say: how can one give cordially who himself lives in extreme poverty and has exhausted everything? Ask the widow. From her you will learn how this is possible. You will learn that disturbance of soul does not come from poverty, but that one's own will produces both this and everything contrary to it.
"It is possible to be magnanimous in poverty and fainthearted in wealth. Therefore the Apostle requires simplicity in giving, cheerfulness in mercy, and zeal in leadership. He wants us to help the needy not only with money, but also with words, deeds, bodily labor, and everything else.
"First he mentioned the chief kind of assistance, by teaching and counsel, which is more necessary because it serves as food for the soul. Then he passes to assistance by money and everything else."
THEOSIS