Romans 12:20Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

When the wronged man grows weak in spirit, he is sustained not so much by his own blessings as by the punishment of the one who insulted him.

For nothing is so pleasant as seeing one's enemy punished. What a man desires, the Apostle gives him first. But when the poison has been drawn out, he offers him higher exhortations, saying: "Do not be overcome by evil."

The Apostle knew that an enemy, even if he were a beast, would not remain an enemy after being fed. He knew that the wronged man, even if very fainthearted, would not himself desire the enemy's punishment after feeding and giving him drink.

Therefore, being confident of the significance of the deed, he not only did not forbid it, but became generous with punishment. He does not say, "You will avenge yourself," but, "You will heap coals of fire on his head."

Then he commanded him, saying: "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." By this he hinted lightly that one must not act with such an intention, since remembering an offense already means being overcome by evil.

At first the Apostle did not say this, because it was not yet timely. But when he had exhausted the listener's anger, he then added: "Overcome evil with good."

This is victory. A fighter wins more successfully not when he exposes himself to the opponent's blows, but when he places himself so that the opponent is forced to spend his strength beating the air.

In this way he not only saves himself from blows, but also exhausts all the opponent's strength.

Yet even here it commands him to go, be reconciled, and do good to his enemy, not in order to gather burning coals upon him, but so that, knowing this, he may be corrected.

Let him tremble and fear these benefits more than hostility, and these signs of love more than insults.

For one who is at enmity, an enemy who harms him is not so dangerous as a benefactor who does him good.

The man who remembers wrong harms both himself and the other, though only somewhat. But the one who does good heaps coals of fire upon his head.

Therefore, you will say, one must not do him good, lest one heap coals upon him. But do you wish to heap them upon your own head? This is what happens from remembrance of wrongs.

What if I intensify the enmity still more? No. You will not be at fault, but he will, if he is like a beast.

If, even when you benefit him, honor him, and desire reconciliation, he stubbornly continues in enmity, then he heaps fire upon himself. He burns his own head, and you are in no way at fault.

Do not present yourself as more loving toward mankind than God. Otherwise you will experience many evils. Or rather, even if you wished to, you could not attain this in the least.

How so? "As the heaven is higher than the earth," the Lord says, "so are My thoughts higher than your thoughts" (Is 55:9).

And again: "If you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask Him" (Mt 7:11).

No, this is an excuse and a pretext. Let us not reinterpret the commandments of God.

How, you ask, do we reinterpret them? He said, "By doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." But you say, "I fear for the enemy who has cruelly insulted me."

Is this not what you say? But why have you gained an enemy for yourself? Why do you fear for the insulter, and not fear for yourself? If only you cared for yourself.

Do not do good to the enemy with this aim. Or rather, do it even with this aim. But you do not do it.

I will tell you not only that you will heap burning coals upon him, but something else still greater. Only do it.

Paul says all this only to move you to end enmity, at least by hope for the enemy's punishment.

We are so harsh that we would not wish to be reconciled with an enemy except in the hope of bringing some punishment upon him. Therefore he gives us this bait, as though to a beast.

But the Lord did not say this to the apostles. What did He say? "That you may be sons of your Father in heaven" (Mt 5:45).

On the other hand, it is impossible for the one who does good and the one who receives the benefits to remain enemies. Therefore the Apostle gave such a commandment.

Why do you philosophize in words, but fail to observe what is due in deed? Very well, let us suppose you do not feed the enemy so as not to heap burning coals upon him.

Therefore you spare him? You love him? You do good with this aim? God knows whether this is truly your aim, as you say. Perhaps you are being crafty before us and playing with words.

You care for the enemy? You fear lest he be subjected to punishment? Therefore you have extinguished your anger. He who has such love that he despises his own profit for another's good has no enmity.

This is what you could say. But how long shall we jest about matters that are neither jesting matters nor pardonable?

Therefore I exhort our brotherhood, beloved by the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ. I ask and implore you: leaving these pretexts, let us not be inattentive to the laws of God and disobedient to His commandments.

Then we shall be able to pass the present life in a manner pleasing to the Lord, and to receive the promised good things, by the grace and love for mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ.

To Him, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be glory, dominion, and honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

These burning coals serve for kindling, that is, for tormenting his spirit. The spirit is like the head of the soul, in which all evil is burned away when a man turns to what is better through repentance. These coals are like those mentioned in the Psalms: “What shall be given to you, and what more shall be done to you, deceitful tongue? The sharp arrows of the mighty, with burning coals of broom” (Ps 119:3-4).

“For in doing this you will heap burning coals upon his head” (Prov 25:22). Thus, if the deed itself turns into punishment, and it is done in order to add a new torment, I, for my part, do not admire those who act in this way. Nor do those deserve attention who explain the words of the writer of Proverbs thus: “You will warm the ruling mind within him and make him rise up.” For then the writer of Proverbs would not have spoken of the extremity of hunger, but would have commanded this to be used at every time. I admire those who, seeing their enemies prospering, do not become indignant at them, but praise them and pray for them, as the new philosophy prescribes, saying, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who abuse and persecute you” (Mt 5:44). There, need humbles a man. Here, the disposition of the heart alone is tested. If the Apostle also used the ancient counsel, it is clear to everyone that his word was addressed to the imperfect.

These coals of fire, heaped upon his head by beneficence, extinguish or evaporate the fire of hostility burning in his heart, and they establish peace.

The one who does good to the man who hates him must have this pacification in mind. He must not have in mind the painful condition into which the hater will be placed.

Otherwise a feeling of vengeance will still slip in, and it would not be surprising if it hindered the beneficial effect of beneficence.

Perhaps, however, the Apostle's words also contain a threat against the hater. If he is not corrected, the good done to him in place of his evil will increase the punishment that God will send him, avenging the wronged man.

Thus these words, on the one hand, encourage the wronged man, and on the other, restrain the offender by fear. This thought is evident in all our interpreters.

Saint Chrysostom sees here a certain indulgence or concession to the feeling of vengeance. This feeling, mingling with the right of self-defense, becomes so tenacious that it seems impossible to abandon the desire to see the offender suffer something unpleasant.

The Apostle almost does not oppose this, giving hope that the offender will receive still more from God if you do good to him.

But he does not speak this way to justify that feeling. He does so in order to soothe it somewhat, and to prepare the way for willing acceptance of the next rule: "Do not be overcome by evil."

This is exactly what Saint Chrysostom says: "What am I saying, the Apostle continues, that one must live in peace with an enemy? I command that one even benefit him.

Feed him and give him drink, it says. Since this commandment is very difficult and great, he adds: 'For in doing this, you will heap coals of fire on his head.'

The Apostle said this in order to restrain the offender by fear and to encourage the wronged man by the hope of recompense, that is, God's retribution against the enemy.

When the wronged man grows weak in spirit, his own blessings do not sustain him so much as the punishment of the one who has insulted him.

For nothing is more pleasant to man than seeing his enemy punished. What man desires, the Apostle first gives him. But when the poison has been drawn out, he offers him higher exhortations, saying: 'Do not be overcome by evil.'

The Apostle knew that an enemy, even if he were a beast, would not remain an enemy after being fed. He also knew that the wronged man, however vengeful he might be, would no longer desire vengeance after feeding and giving drink to his enemy.

Therefore, being confident of the outcome, he not only threatens, but becomes generous with punishments themselves. He does not say that you will bring vengeance upon him, that is, God's vengeance, but: 'You will heap coals of fire on his head.'

The Apostle gives his commandment, saying: 'Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.' By this he secretly teaches that one must not benefit an enemy with such an intention, that is, to heap coals on his head.

To remember an offense already means to be overcome by evil. At first the Apostle did not say this, because it was not yet timely. But as soon as he soothed the listener's anger, he immediately added: 'Overcome evil with good.'"

Here are the words of blessed Theodoret: "Having pointed to the Judge and declared His righteous decree, for this is what the words 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay' mean, the Apostle commands us to bear wrongs courageously.

He commands us not to repay offenders with offenses, and to provide what is needed for those who are hostile. This weaves crowns for those who love wisdom, and increases punishments for offenders.

Yet one must know that we must not serve the hostile in order that they may bear greater punishments. The divine Apostle brought in these words intending to extinguish irritation in the wronged man, not attempting to increase evil by good."

Here are the words of Ambrosiaster: "The Apostle commands not only that vengeance be left to God, but also that benefits be shown to enemies.

This is so that we may show that we have not made enemies for ourselves by our deeds, since we strive to conquer their hostility by services to them.

If they become hardened in their hostility, because of the impiety of their mind, our services to them will serve for their greater punishment.

But perhaps, touched by the zeal of our services, they will come alive with goodwill toward us, as cold coals sometimes flare up again.

Therefore, wishing to make us perfect and to teach us to acquire eternal life not only for ourselves but also for others, the Lord, through Solomon, not only forbids us to avenge ourselves on our enemies.

He also urges us to restore them to friendship by goodwill toward them and by deeds corresponding to it."

Here are the words of blessed Photius in Oecumenius: "Do not do good to the one who wronged you with the purpose of bringing greater punishment upon him.

This was said as a certain consolation to you, that by feeding him and giving him drink you heap coals of fire on his head. It was not said so that you should do him good with precisely this feeling.

Let God, because you do good to your enemy, become more angered against him in vengeance for you. Let Him turn upon his head the fire of temptations and afflictions that he prepared for his neighbor.

But do not do good to him with the aim of seeing him subjected to such calamity. Otherwise you will prove to have been overcome by evil.

Then it will happen that he suffers nothing more than he was due to suffer, while you lose your reward, having been overcome by evil.

More than this, if God sees such an intention in you, He will not avenge you. He avenges the good and meek man when he is wronged.

He does not avenge the one who avenges himself by anger and malicious disposition, plotting evil against the one who insulted him through the good deed of beneficence, and wishing to see him ruined.

Therefore do good in order to overcome evil with good and to be a son of the heavenly Father, as the Lord said."

Will it not be cruel to do good to enemies, knowing that by this we heap burning coals upon their heads?

Answer. We do good not in order to heap coals upon their heads, but according to the commandment. Such is the unavoidable consequence of this.

One cannot violate the commandment of God in order to avoid such an unpleasant result for evildoers, and by that violation heap coals upon one's own head.