Thomas Aquinas, on Eph 4:7

“But to every one of us is given grace, according to the measure of the giving of Christ.”

“Previously the Apostle dealt with ecclesial unity in the perspective of what is common within the Church (4:5), now he manifests this same unity from the viewpoint of what is personal and specific to each of the faithful members of the Church. He states: We have in the Church one God, one faith, one baptism. Nonetheless, each of us has the diverse graces especially granted to him—to every one of us is given grace. As though he said: None of us lack a share in divine grace and communion, "of his fullness we all have received; and grace for grace" (Jn. 1:16). This grace, however, is certainly not bestowed on everyone uniformly and equally but according to the measure of the giving of Christ. Christ is the donor who metes out the grace to each, who have "different gifts according to the grace that is given us" (Rom. 12:6). The variation does not spring from fate or chance, nor from a difference of merit, but from the giving of Christ; that is, according as Christ allots it to us. Only he has received the Spirit without measure (cf. Jn. 3:34); the rest of the saints obtain it in a limited degree, "according as God hath divided to every one the measure of faith" (Rom. 12:3). "And every man shall receive his own reward, according to his own labor" (1 Cor. 3:8). Again, "to one he gave five talents, and to another two, and to another one, to every one according to his proper ability" (Mt. 25:15). Just as it is in Christ's power to give or not, so he can grant more or less.”

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