Proportional Distribution of Spiritual Gifts

The power to eat from it, to take a part of it, and to be glad in its labor—this is a gift of God. Wealth was given to a man so that he might eat and be glad from it, and therefore this gift was from God.

Often one uses the gift and enjoys what is in it, but sometimes one fails to do so, either because he himself, through excessive stinginess, takes nothing to be glad, or because he is hindered by sickness or some other circumstance. This stated thing is this: if anyone receives money so that he may be useful, and this is to be a gift of God. And He gives according to the needs of those asking.

Furthermore, what is 'in labor'? We have said 'from labor.' Furthermore, if it was a gift of God? I was saying what even the apostle says: 'that I often intended to come to you' (1 Cor 4:15). For what reason then? 'That I might impart to you a spiritual gift' (1 Cor 12:9). And I was saying that not all things given by God are spiritual gifts. Whenever anyone receives a 'word of wisdom,' a 'word of knowledge,' and some other virtue, he has received a spiritual grace; but not if someone receives wealth or health or something of that kind; he has received a gift of God and a grace, but not a spiritual one.

The Lord 'causes death and makes alive' (1 Sam 2:6). If He 'makes alive,' meaning grain, wine, this very life, He has provided, but not a spiritual gift. The Lord 'appoints kings and removes them' (Dan 2:21). The authorities given to the rulers are certainly not 'spiritual gifts.' And the grace here, which is the gift, is not spiritual, being sensible and human.

Furthermore, 'and indeed every man to whom God gave' (Acts 20:35). I still have the end of the statement. If he has much money, if he has myriads of grain and much wine, he is not able to eat or drink everything, but he has a gift; which he is able to receive, the sufficient food, even until being satisfied, and that similarly, 'this is a gift of God.' If, therefore, anyone eats or drinks beyond what is necessary, he does not have these things as a gift of God, but as gifts of pleasure.

And toward the ascent, thus: God gives wisdom and the 'wealth' in wisdom. And the 'existing things,' the contemplations of wisdom, so that the man might eat and drink from which he received, the bread of wisdom.

so that its 'water' might be the 'wine' which he turned into a basin. And 'this' indeed is the 'house of God'. If one receives the spiritual thing as it ought, this gift is moreover a 'part of it'. You know that the parts are primarily given according to a proportion. Not everyone who possesses this, which I have said, a possession, and the 'existing things' interpreted allegorically and the 'wealth', holds it in the same way, but to each according to his ability it is distributed.

If, for example, a trainer provides food to athletes and to those around the contest—for he also has others like bodyguards—he gives to each according to a proportion: to one athlete seven pounds of meat—and this is his portion—to another four; and to the one not competing, he gives two. Thus, a portion is given to each according to his power and his capacity. In this way also the parable of the talents in the Gospel occurred. He gave to each of his slaves his own silver, 'to each according to his own ability, to the one five, to the other two, and to the other one' (Matthew 25:15).

Since a more human expression is sometimes used, you know that there are things called sensible comforts for prayers, not only for eating, but also for removing sorrows; and these, therefore, are the spiritual nourishments. And someone receives in order to be glad, and receives a 'portion' so that it may remain with him. He is not only gladdened and fed and drinks from a brief encounter, but also continuously. For he continues drinking from the spring and the water which Jesus gives, and it remains with him. For he has within himself a spring having become a source for eternal life.

And again: 'Open your eyes and be filled with bread' (Isaiah 55:1). The one who opens the eyes of the 'inner man' 'shall be filled with bread'. And the loaves, therefore, thus remain like 'the spring which changes into eternal life'. And this has become useful by way of history, when the widow in Sarepta of Sidon, having only a few drachmae, fed Elijah and she herself had nothing, until prosperity came from the rain (1 Kings 17:14). For he will not remember many of the days of his life, because God distracts him with the joy of his heart. It was necessary in the day of his life to remember many things after these, those who are diligent in these things.