Romans 12:20

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. THEREFORE - or, 'But' (according to a well-supported reading) IF THINE ENEMY HUNGER, FEED HIM; IF HE THIRST, GIVE HIM DRINK. This is taken from , which, without doubt, supplied the basis of those lofty precepts on that subject which form the culminating point of the Sermon on the Mount. FOR IN SO DOING THOU SHALT HEAP COALS OF FIRE ON HIS HEAD. The sense of this clause is much disputed. In Jerome's time, and by the Greek interpreters, it was generally understood in the unfavourable sense of aggravating our enemy's guilt-q.d., 'That will be the most effectual vengeance, as effectual as if you heaped coals of fire on his head.' And so, among modern interpreters, Beza, E...

20._If therefore, etc. _He now shows how we may really fulfill the precepts of not revenging and of not repaying evil, even when we not only abstain from doing injury but when we also do good to those who have done wrong to us; for it is a kind of an indirect retaliation when we turn aside our kindness from those by whom we have been injured. Understand as included under the words _meat _and _drink, _all acts of kindness. Whatsoever then may be thine ability, in whatever business thy enemy may want either thy wealth, or thy counsel, or thy efforts, thou oughtest to help him. But he calls him our enemy, not whom we regard with hatred, but him who entertains enmity towards us. And if they are to be helped according to the flesh, much less is their salvation to be opposed by imprecating vengeance on them. _Thou shalt heap coals of fire, etc. _As we are not willing to lose our toil and labor...

17-21 Since men became enemies to God, they have been very ready to be enemies one to another. And those that embrace religion, must expect to meet with enemies in a world whose smiles seldom agree with Christ's. Recompense to no man evil for evil. That is a brutish recompence, befitting only animals, which are not conscious of any being above them, or of any existence hereafter. And not only do, but study and take care to do, that which is amiable and creditable, and recommends religion to all with whom you converse. Study the things that make for peace; if it be possible, without offending God and wounding conscience. Avenge not yourselves. This is a hard lesson to corrupt nature, therefore a remedy against it is added. Give place unto wrath. When a man's passion is up, and the stream is strong, let it pass off; lest it be made to rage the more against us. The line of our duty is clea...

Verse Romans 12:20. _IF THINE ENEMY HUNGER, FEED HIM_] Do not withhold from any man the offices of mercy and kindness; _you_ have been God's enemy, and yet God fed, clothed, and preserved you alive: do to your enemy as God has done to you. If your enemy be hungry, feed him; if he be thirsty, give him drink: so has God dealt with you. And has not a sense of his goodness and long-suffering towards you been a means of melting down your heart into penitential compunction, gratitude, and love towards him? How know you that a similar conduct towards _your_ enemy may not have the same gracious influence on him towards you? Your kindness may be the means of begetting in him a sense of his guilt; and, from being your _fell enemy_, he may become your _real friend_! This I believe to be the sense of this passage, which many have encumbered with difficulties of their own cr...

THEREFORE, IF THINE ENEMY HUNGER ... - This verse is taken almost literally from Proverbs 25:21. Hunger and thirst here are put for want in general. If thine enemy is needy in any way, do him good, and supply his needs. This is, in spirit, the same as the command of the Lord Jesus Matthew 5:44, “Do good to them that hate you,” etc. IN SO DOING - It does not mean that we are to do this “for the sake” of heaping coals of fire on him, but that this will be the result. THOU SHALT HEAP ... - Coals of fire are doubtless emblematical of “pain.” But the idea here is not that in so doing we shall call down divine vengeance on the man; but the apostle is speaking of the natural effect or result

EXPOSITION VER. 1–CH. 14:23 III. HORTATORY. It is St. Paul's way to supplement his doctrinal treatises with detailed practical directions as to the conduct that should of necessity ensue on belief in the doctrines propounded. So also in Ephesians 4:1, etc., where, as here, he connects his exhortations with what has gone before by the initiatory παρακαλῶ οὖν_. _Beyond his exposition of the truth for its own sake, he has always a further practical aim. Saving faith is ever with him a living faith, to be shown by its fruits. Nor, according to him, will these fruits follow, unless the believer himself does his part in cultivating them: else were these earnest and particular exhortations needless. If, on the one hand, he is the great assertor of our salvation being through faith and all of grace, he is no less dist

THEREFORE IF THINE ENEMY HUNGER, FEED HIM,.... These words are taken from Proverbs 25:21, and to be understood, as a Jewish o writer observes, כמשמעו, according to "their literal sense"; though some of the Rabbins explain them in an allegorical way, of the corruption of nature. The Alexandrian copy and some others, and the Vulgate Latin version, reads "but if"; so far should the saints be from meditating revenge upon their enemies, that they should do good unto them, as Christ directs, Matthew 5:44, by feeding them when hungry, and giving drink unto them when thirsty: IF HE THIRST GIVE HIM DRINK; which includes all offices of humanity and beneficence to be performed unto them: the reason, or argument inducing hereunto is, for in so doing, thou shalt heap coals of fire

III. EXHORTATIONS AND THE CONCLUSION. Chapter s 12-16. CHAPTER 12 _ 1. The Body as a Willing Sacrifice. (Romans 12:1 .)_ 2. Service. (Romans 12:3 .) 3. The Daily Walk in Holiness. (Romans 12:9 .) Romans 12:1 . Grace calls for obedience. After God has made known the riches of His grace, the fulness of the Gospel, His Spirit shows how believers should walk in a world of sin and tribulation. The first thing is to present the body a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God. This connects with the truth of Romans 6:19

IN THE CHRISTIAN TEMPER, _modesty_ is the first desideratum. Romans 12:3. I tell everyone that is among you not _to_ be high-minded above a right mind, but to be of a mind to be sober-minded (Sp.). This is the mind as _temper, disposition_ (so in Romans 8:5), not as _intellect_ (Romans 12:2). A modest temper comes from appreciating other men's gifts. Measure of faith, as the sequel shows, means faith in the variety of its apportioned manifestations. Romans 12:4 f. For Christians form in Christ a single body with many members, of widely diverse functions (pp. 646, 812);...

THE TRUE WORSHIP AND THE ESSENTIAL CHANGE (Romans 12:1-2)...