Bede : Therefore Jesse brought seven of his sons before Samuel, etc. The number seven is fitting to the law because of the sabbath, just as the number eight is fitting to the Gospel because of the mystery of the resurrection. Therefore, none of those who are perfect according to the law, hoping for the sabbath either of the body in the present or even of the Spirit in the future age, preach, perceive, even though being high in merits and strong in virtues, can suffice to save the world. — Commentary on Samuel Gregory the Dialogist : 14. Because perfection is usually signified by the number seven, the prophet Isaiah testifies, who, declaring the gifts of the Holy Spirit abiding in our Redeemer, says: "The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and fortitude, the spirit of knowledge and piety, and the spirit of the fear of the Lord shall fill him" (Isaiah 11:2). What then does it mean that those who are rejected from the office of preaching are signified by the number seven, when that same number signifies perfection, which no one possesses except from the infusion of the Holy Spirit? But this is fittingly asserted: because to many the grace of the Holy Spirit is given for living well, but is not given for teaching. Since they are many and perfect in good works, they are fittingly contained in the number seven. Likewise, because they do robust things but do not understand subtle things, they are rejected from the governance of the kingdom. And so there are seven sons, and yet none of them is chosen for the governance of souls: because even though by living well they know how to govern themselves strongly, they are by no means able to protect others strongly through doctrine. Let the ordainer of the Church never rush so hastily in ordaining, because, even if he has many who are not suitable for undertaking the care of souls, those who can preside cannot be lacking to him. Therefore let the teacher seek earnestly, let him not cease to seek, until he can find those who are hidden. The great virtues of the elect, like treasures of almighty God, are almost always hidden in secret. For almighty God acts in the manner of fearful rich men: because lest he lose the treasures of virtues, he both places them in elect minds and conceals those very minds in secrecy. Therefore let him who desires to ordain, or rather to adorn, the head of the Church seek the hidden treasures. He desires to adorn the bride of Christ; but he cannot unless he brings forth the hidden treasures of the bridegroom for her adornment, and let him not cease until he finds those that are hidden. But why do I urge pastors to seek, when unless God brings forth the hidden [it seems one should read "the hidden ones"], they cannot be found? For what else does this mean: "You shall anoint whomever I shall show you"? Nevertheless they must be sought, because unless they are sought for a long time, they are by no means shown. For the Lord also promises that he will show, and yet the prophet strives to seek, that he may deserve to find. Whence the Lord also commands persistence in seeking, saying: "Seek and you shall find, ask and you shall receive, knock and it shall be opened to you" (Matthew 7:7). Therefore the prophet, seeking and persevering in seeking even after so many have been rejected—what does he suggest to us, except that by no dispensation should the unworthy be permitted to come to the summit of religion? For although in most affairs of the holy Church dispensation is salutary, it is certainly deadly and fatal where either the blind through ignorance, or the irreligious though learned, or those devoted to secular affairs are permitted to come to the leadership of others. For the first destroy the souls of their subjects through ignorance, the second through knowing and not doing, and the last likewise through neglecting spiritual things and following carnal and earthly things. The first indeed labor with all their strength so that what they say may be praised; the second do not know what to say; the last strive with every effort to be more abundantly honored among the great ones of the world—who indeed are so much worse than the first, inasmuch as the first wish to appear exalted in spiritual matters, while these wish to appear exalted in carnal and worldly matters. The desire of these last is to be supported by riches, to be exalted by honors, to be elevated by the friendships of the powerful of this age. From all these affections of a reprobate mind can arise neglect of the souls of subjects, contempt of Christ, and the squandering of the Church's resources. Therefore let the teacher seek, so that by no dispensation may he set the unworthy over others: because what is deadly should never be permitted. Whence it is added: "And Samuel said to Jesse: Are all your sons here?" What does it mean that he seeks another, except that the seeker ought not to rest before he deserves to find? And because often what is cast aside and despised on the outside is exalted within, it follows: (Verse 11) "Who answered: There remains yet the youngest, and he tends the sheep." — Commentary on 1 Kings, Book 6, Chapter 3 Gregory the Dialogist : 28. But among the seven sons of Jesse, the king is not found. For what are the seven sons of Jesse, if not all the perfect ones of the Synagogue? They come to the prophet, but none of them is chosen, because the chosen preacher both looks upon the perfect sons of the Synagogue and believes none of them to be the Redeemer of the human race. He therefore brings forward all the older sons, so that when we look upon all the perfect ones, we may consider the excellence of the Redeemer. Among whom indeed, unless the little one is brought forward, the king is not revealed by the Lord, because surely when we compare great men to our Redeemer, how greatly His dignity surpasses theirs is seen. He is therefore not found among the others, because they are mere men. — Commentary on 1 Kings, Book 6, Chapter 3