Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 2 · Chapter 12 · Section 3 · Subsection 34
30. Quest. What it is to heape coales of fire vponupon the head of the enemie.
1. Chrysostome vnderstandeth it of the punishment of our enemie, nihil adeo incundum est, atque de inimico sumptum videre supplicium, nothing is so pleasant, as to see punishment taken of our enemie: But this is against the rule of charitie, which S. Paul so much vrgeth here, for any to take delight in the punishment of his enemie.
2. Origen interpreteth it commissi poenitudinem, qua eum conscientia torquet, the repentance of the fact committed, whereby as with a fire the conscience tormenteth the enemie: so Augustine by coales of fire, vnderstandeth vrentes poenitentiae gemitus, the burning gripes of repentance, whereby the enemie abateth his pride and malice, seeing how the euill which he offered, is recompenced with good: lib. 3. de doctr. Christ. c. 16. so Hierome epist. ad Hedib. qu. 1. and Eucherius, vnderstand this place, that beneficijs cor inimici emollitur, the heart of the enemie is mollified by these benefits: this sense followeth Gualter: and Osiander, that the enemie shall be pricked in conscience, and descend into himselfe, and neuer be at rest till he be reconciled: so also Piscator vnderstandeth, confusionem conscientiae, the confusion of conscience, which causeth the enemie to leaue off from his malice.
3. Haymo giueth this sense, ardorem charitatis paries super caput, thou shall kindle vponupon him seruent and burning charitie: so also Lyranus, occasiones accendendi ignis dilectionis, &c. thou shalt giuegive him occasion to kindle the fire of louelove. This sense followeth Martyr, adijciet stimulum, &c. thou shalt so pricke his conscience, that he shall be stirred vp to louelove thee: so Gorrhan, Hugo, Emmanuel Sa, Vatablus, Pererius.
4. Some put both these last senses together; as M. Calvin, animus frangetur in vtram que partem, &c. aut beneficiis emollietur, &c. the mind of the enemie shall both waies be qualified, either it shall be mollified with the benefits; or if he continue still in his malice, vretur testimonio conscientiae, he shall be set on fire, with the testimonie of his conscience: so also Olevian, Pareus: and Tolet saith, these benefits bestowed vponupon the enemie are called burning coales, propter vehementiam doloris, &c. & propter ardorem charitatis, &c. for the vehemencie of griefe which he conceiueth, and the feruencie of charitie whereby he is inflamed: to the like purpose also Erasmus in his annotations.
5. But that other interpretation seemeth more agreeable, to vnderstand the heaping of these coales of fire, of the heaping vp of Gods iudgements, and the kindling of the diuine wrath against such: as Theophylact, arbiter ero inimici tui vindex, &c. wilt thou be reuenged of thine enemie, conferre some benefit vponupon him, and so I will take more seuere reuenge for thy wrong, &c. and Origen also toucheth this sense, poenas eorum in diē iudicit cumulamus, we doe heape vp their punishment against the day of iudgement: of this sense these reasons are giuen. Theophylact confirmeth it by the words before-going, giuegive place vntounto wrath, that is, divinae irae concedendum, we must giuegive way vntounto the diuine wrath: and so here the Apostle sheweth, how the diuine wrath shall take reuenge of such malitious and peruerse aduersaries: M. Beza referreth vsus to that place in the Prov. 25.22. from whence this testimonie is cited; where Salomon by burning coales, vnderstandeth iram Dei alicuius capiti impendentē, the wrath of God hanging ouer ones head: so also Iunius in his annotations here in the Syrian translation, and Rollocus following him: for thus the words stand there, Thou shalt lay coales vponupon his head, and the Lord shall recompence thee: that is, God shall punish thine enemie, and reward thee. Faius addeth a third reason; because it is vsuall in the Scripture, by coales of fire, to vnderstand some diuine plague, & iudgement: as Ps. 18.13.120.4.
But it is thus obiected against this exposition: Haymo saith, if one should doe well vntounto his enemie with that minde, to prepare for him greater punishment in hell, non hoc iam est charitatis, this should be no charitie in him: so also P. Martyr, we must seeke nothing els but their saluation: we must not doe good to an enemie with any such intent, to encrease their punishment: likewise Pererius hath the same obiection, est contra charitatem, &c. it is against charitie to doe well vntounto our enemies, with that intent, vt gravius in malum incidant, that they fall into a greater mischiefe.
Answ. In these words, thou shalt heape coales, &c. the euent of the thing onelyonly is shewed, not the intent and purpose of the doer: like as in the former verse he biddeth them not to auenge themselues, but to giuegive way vntounto the wrath and iustice of God: not that we must in forbearing our owne reuenge, pray vntounto God with a reuengefull mind, for that were also a breach of charitie: but that we should so leaue our cause vntounto God, as a iust iudge, who at due time will take reuenge, if there be no amendment in our enemie.
6. Wherefore the last exposition is most agreeable, by heaping of burning coales, to vnderstand the encreasing of their punishment; but yet a secret condition must be implied, that if they be not wonne by our charitie, then burning coales are heaped to their punishment. This conditionall sense followeth Gryneus; thine enemie by thy beneficence, is either become better, or so will he louelove thee againe, or he is made worse, and then he hurteth himselfe, iram Dei in se concitando, by stirring vp the anger of God against him: these burning coales then are the wrath of God, which is the more kindled against such vnthankfull persons, that are not wonne by the kindnes and beneficence of those, which hauehave recompenced them good for euill.