Origen of Alexandria : It is indeed reported in what follows that the land of the priests of the Egyptians was not reduced into servitude to Pharaoh, nor did they sell themselves along with the other Egyptians, but that they received from outside either grain or gifts not from Joseph, but from Pharaoh himself, and "for this reason," as being more intimate than the rest, "they did not sell their land" to Pharaoh. But by this they are shown to be worse than the rest, who, on account of the excessive intimacy which they have with Pharaoh, receive no change, but remain in an evil possession; and just as to those who had advanced in faith and holiness the Lord says: "now I no longer call you servants, but friends," so Pharaoh too says to these, as to those who have ascended to the highest degree of wickedness and to the priesthood of perdition: "now I no longer call you servants, but friends." Finally, do you wish to know what is the difference between the priests of God and the priests of Pharaoh? Pharaoh grants lands to his priests; but the Lord grants his priests no portion in the land, but says to them: "I am your portion." Observe therefore, you who read these things, all you priests of the Lord, and see what the difference of priests is, lest perchance those who have a portion in the land and are occupied with earthly cultivations and pursuits should seem to be priests not so much of the Lord as of Pharaoh. For it is he who wishes his priests to have possessions of lands and to exercise the cultivation of the field, not of the soul, to give their labor to the country and not to the law; but let us hear what Christ our Lord enjoins upon his priests. "He who does not," he says, "renounce all that he possesses cannot be my disciple." I tremble as I say these things. For first of all my own — mine, I say — I stand forth as my own accuser, I speak my own condemnations. Christ denies that he is his disciple whom he shall have seen possessing anything, and him who does not "renounce all that he possesses." And what are we doing? How do we either read these things ourselves or expound them to the peoples, we who not only do not renounce those things which we possess, but even wish to acquire those things which we never had before we came to Christ? Can it be that, because our conscience convicts us, we are able to conceal and not bring forth the things that are written? I do not wish to become guilty of a doubled crime. I confess, and I confess openly with the people listening, that these things are written, even though I know I have not yet fulfilled them. But at least, admonished by this, let us hasten to fulfill them, let us hasten to pass over from the priests of Pharaoh, who have earthly possession, to the priests of the Lord, who have no portion in the land, whose "portion is the Lord." For such was that man too who said: "as needy, yet enriching many, as having nothing and possessing all things." This is Paul, who glories in such things. Do you wish to hear what Peter too declares about himself? Hear him together with John professing alike and saying: "gold and silver I do not have, but what I have, this I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ rise and walk." You see the riches of the priests of Christ, you see, having nothing, how great and what kind of things they bestow. Such wealth an earthly possession cannot bestow. — HOMILIES ON Genesis 16.5