Romans 12:20-21

“ Therefore, if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink; for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. ”

The connection: But if, in the Alex., would signify: “But, far from avenging thyself, if the opportunity of doing good to thine enemy present itself, seize it.” The connection: Therefore if, in the Byzs., is somewhat more difficult to apprehend; but it is precisely this fact which speaks in its favor: “Thou oughtest not to avenge thyself; consequently, if the occasion present itself of doing good to thine enemy, seize it; for to neglect it would in itself be an act of revenge.” The Greco-Latin reading: if (simply), merely adds doing good to forbearance; it is the least probable.

The precept is taken, like so many others in this chapter, from the Book of Proverbs; comp. Proverbs 25:21-22. It is impossible to suppose that in this book the precept is an encouragement to heap benefits on the head of the evil-doer in order to aggravate the punishment with which God shall visit him (Chrys., Grot., Hengst., etc.). For we read in the same book, Proverbs 24:17: “Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth; and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth.” Not to be guilty of a self-contradiction, the author would therefore have required to add in our passage: “if thine enemy repent not.” In any case, Paul could not quote this saying in such a sense. For how would acting thus be “to overcome evil with good” (Pro 24:21)? There is here, therefore, rather a fine irony at the expense of him who would cherish in his heart a desire of vengeance: “Thou wouldst avenge thyself? Be it; and here is the way in which God permits thee to do so: Heap benefits on thine enemy; for thereby thou shalt cause him the salutary pain of shame and regret for all the evil he has done thee; and thou shalt light up in his heart the fire of gratitude instead of that of hatred.” The figure coals of fire is common among the Arabs and Hebrews to denote a vehement pain; but, as Meyer observes, it contains no allusion whatever to the idea of melting or softening the object.