Romans Chapter 12 Vs. 20

 

Marks of the True Christian

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. Rom 12:20

Therefore if thine... In view of the fact that God was good to you when you were His enemy (Rom. 5:7-8), you should likewise treat your enemies with goodness. You will thus make them feel a burning sense of shame. Quoted from Pro. 25:21-22.

shall heap coals... Speaks of fire on his head refers to an ancient Egyptian custom in which a person who wanted to show public contrition carried a pan of burning coals on his head. The coals represented the burning pain of his shame and guilt. When believers lovingly help their enemies, it should bring shame to such people for their hate and animosity.

This may refer to a sense of shame or remorse engendered when we treat an evildoer kindly. Paul is discussing personal, not national enemies. He is not teaching pacifism.

Pro. 25:21-22 “If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:” “For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee.”

This is the very same Scripture we read in Proverbs.

Mat. 5:44-45 “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” “That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.”

These Scriptures here in Matthew are the Lord Jesus speaking because these are printed in red in a red letter Bible. If we are to be like Jesus, then we must love people who do not deserve our love. He loved us while we were yet in sin. He gave His body on the cross for you and me, not because we deserved it, but because He loved us. We must love in spite of, rather than because, to be like Him.

In light of God’s promise to execute vengeance, a Christian should therefore feed his enemy and quench his thirst — in short, respond to his evil with Christian love. Heaping burning coals on his head, along with the first part of Rom. 12:20, is a quotation from Pro. 25:21-22. The coals on the head may refer to a ritual in Egypt in which a person showed his repentance by carrying a pan of burning charcoal on his head. Helping rather than cursing an enemy may cause him to be ashamed and penitent.