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Proverbs 25 teaches to give food and drink to enemies to heap burning coals on their heads, a means of shaming them. In Romans, Paul quotes Proverbs to command non-retaliation and a non-violent approach towards one’s enemies.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
LXX Proverbs 25:21
Septuagint
20 As vinegar is bad for a sore, so trouble befalling the body afflicts the heart. 20a As a moth in a garment, and a worm in wood, so the grief of a man hurts the heart. 21 If your enemy hungers, feed him; if he thirsts, give him drink; 22 for so doing you shall heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward you with good.
Date: 1st century BCE (based on scholarly estimates)
Romans 12:20
New Testament
19 Do not avenge yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God’s wrath, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 Rather, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing this you will be heaping burning coals on his head. 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Date: 55–58 CE (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
... The only actual "antithesis" of this section of the Sermon on the Mount is Matthew 5:43–44: "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." No law commands hatred of enemies. On the contrary, Proverbs 25:21 advises, "If your enemies are hungry, give them bread to eat, and if they are thirsty, give them water to drink." Granted, there is a compensatory aspect to this bit of wisdom, for the proverb does indicate that those who do behave in such a beneficent manner toward enemies "will heap coals of fire on their heads, and the Lord will reward you" (25:22). Jesus therefore goes a step beyond the biblical tradition. ...
Amy-Jill Levine, The Misunderstood Jew: The Church and the Scandal of the Jewish Jesus (San Francisco: Harper San Francisco, 2006), 47.
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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