Dec.

9 2011 Bible Study (12) Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; (33) O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and (13) Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his hospitality. judgments, and his ways past finding out! (34) For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who (14) Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse hath been his counsellor? not. (35) Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be (15) Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with recompensed unto him again? them that weep. (36) For of him, and through him, and to him, are all (16) Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen. Col 1:15-17 not high things, but condescend2 to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Rom 12:1-21 (17) Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide (1) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of things honest in the sight of all men. God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, (18) If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. peaceably with all men. (2) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may (19) Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; of God. I will repay, saith the Lord. Rom 11:33-36 (3) For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. (4) For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: (5) So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. (6) Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; (7) Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; (8) Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. (9) Let love be without dissimulation1. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. (10) Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; (11) Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
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(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.3 (21) Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

2Co_6:6, 1Pe_1:22, Jam_3:17

To go along; to be led "So artists melt the sullen ore of lead, By heaping coals of fire upon its head; In the kind warmth the metal learns to glow, And pure from dross the silver runs below." Pro_25:21, &c. ( John Wesley's Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible) As the heaping of coals of fire is in the Old Testament the figurative expression of divine vengeance (Psa_140:10; Psa_11:6, etc.), the true sense of these words seems to be, That will be the most effectual vengeance - a vengeance under which he will be fain to bend (So Alford, Hodge, etc.). Rom_12:21 confirms this. (A Commentary on the Old and New Testaments by Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown) Christianity goes beyond non-resistance to active benevolence. It does not destroy its enemies by violence but converts them by love. It feeds the enemy when he is hungry and satisfies his thirst, thus heaping live coals of fire on his head. If the live coal treatment seems cruel, it is because this idiomatic expression is not properly understood. To heap live coals on a persons head means to make him ashamed of his hostility by surprising him with unconventional kindness. (Believers Bible Commentary by William MacDonald)
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