Commentaries on Rom. If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. Do not be overcome by evil, but conquer evil with good.

St. John Chrysostom

If your enemy is hungry, give him something to eat; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. Doing this

Paul, they say, by turning away from anger and urging them to be meek and kind to their neighbors, irritates them even more and disposes them to anger. In fact, in the words: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he's thirsty, give him a drink“contains a beautiful commandment, full of wisdom and useful both for the one doing it and for the one receiving it; but the words that follow lead to great bewilderment and, apparently, do not agree with the thought expressed in the first. What is this? In what he says: “By doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” With these words, they say, he harms both the doer and the recipient of the benefit, burning the latter’s head and placing hot coals on it. In fact, can there be as much good from feeding and drinking as there is evil from laying down a heap of coals? Thus, they say that he does evil to the one who receives the benefit, subjecting him to greater punishment, and on the other hand, he causes harm to the one who provides the benefit, because the latter can also benefit from the benefit to his enemies if he does it in the hope of inflicting punishment on them. ? He who feeds and gives drink to an enemy in order to heap hot coals on his head cannot be humane and kind, but is inhuman and cruel, causing unspeakable torment through a small good deed. What, in fact, could be more cruel than the feeder in order to collect hot coals on the head of the feeder? This is the objection. Now it is necessary to offer permission, so that you can clearly see all the wisdom of the legislator from the very thing that apparently degrades the words of the commandment. What kind of permission is this?

This great and valiant man knew well that it is a difficult and difficult task to quickly make peace with the enemy, difficult and difficult not because of our nature, but because of our negligence. Moreover, he commanded not only to reconcile, but also to feed, which is much harder than the first: if some, just seeing their offenders, become embittered, then how would they decide to feed their hungry? But what am I saying: seeing? If anyone reminds us of them and utters their name alone, he will irritate the wound in our soul and increase irritation. That is why Paul, knowing all this and wanting to make what is inconvenient and difficult convenient and easy, and to win over someone who does not even want to see his enemy, to become his benefactor, added "burning coals" so that he, prompted by the hope of punishment, decides to do good to the one who insulted him. Just as a fisherman, having covered his fishing rod on all sides with bait, throws it to the fish so that, resorting to ordinary food, they can be more easily caught and held, so Paul, wanting to incline the offended person to do good to the offender, does not offer the empty fishing rod of wisdom, but, having closed it with hot coals, as if some kind of bait, the hope of punishment persuades the offended person to do good to the offender; and when he has already bowed down, he holds him back and does not allow him to leave, since the very nature of the matter binds him to the enemy, and, as it were, says to him: if you do not want to feed the offender out of piety, then feed him at least in the hope of punishment. He knows that if he begins such a good deed, the path to reconciliation will begin and continue. No one, after all, no one can have as an enemy the one whom he feeds and waters, even if at first he did this in the hope of punishment. Time, in its passage, weakens the power of anger. And just as a fisherman, if he threw an empty fishing rod, would not catch a fish, but, having closed it, imperceptibly inserts the fishing rod into the mouth of an approaching animal, so Paul, if he had not offered the hope of punishment, would not have convinced the offended to begin doing good to those who had offended. Therefore, wanting to persuade those very people who shy away, are indignant and irritated at the mere sight of their enemies to do the greatest good deeds for them, he proposed "burning coals"- not in order to subject them to inevitable punishment, but so that, having convinced those offended by the hope of punishment to show benefits to their enemies, convince them over time to abandon all their anger.

So he consoled the offended; Look how he reconciles the offender with the offended. And firstly - in the very way of doing good, because no one can be so low and insensitive that, receiving drink and food, he would not want to be the slave and friend of the one who does this for him; and secondly, fear of punishment. Apparently, he addresses the feeder with the words: “By doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head”; but they are primarily directed against the offender, so that out of fear of punishment he would not remain an enemy forever, but, knowing that food and drink can greatly harm him if he remains constantly in his enmity, he would cease his anger. Thus, he will be able to extinguish hot coals. So punishment and the upcoming torment disposes the offended to do good to the offended, and frightens the offender, corrects and forces him to reconcile with the one who feeds and waters him. Consequently, he connects both of them with double bonds - the bonds of beneficence and punishment.

It is difficult to begin and make an attempt at reconciliation; and when it is done in any way, then everything that follows will be easy and convenient. Even though the offended person first nourished his enemy in the hope of punishing him, but, through the very feeding of having become his friend, he can reject the desire for punishment, because having become a friend, he will no longer nourish the one who has reconciled with him in such an expectation. Likewise, the offender, seeing that the offended one intended to feed and water him, therefore himself and out of fear of the punishment ahead of him, will leave all enmity, even if he were a thousand times cruel, like iron and adamant, ashamed of the goodwill of the feeder and fearing the punishment ahead of him, if after eating he will remain an enemy.

Conversation against those who did not come to the meeting.

St. Feofan the Recluse

These words are taken from the parables of the Wise One (see: Proverbs 25, 22 - 23) and indicate the only blessed way of revenge - doing good to those who have done and are doing something unpleasant and evil to us. The Savior commanded the same thing, saying: Do good to those who hate you (Matthew 5:44). This one revenge brings to life, and a very strong one at that, the one who dislikes us. Similar expression: you gather coals of fire on his head- does not mean something evil, but expresses the contrition into which the evil-doer comes on the occasion of the evil done to the one who does good to him in place of evil. This fire coals, collected on his head goodness, extinguishes or evaporates the fire of hostility burning in his heart, and establishes peace. For someone who does good to someone who hates him, this peace must be in his thoughts, and not the sorrowful state into which he who hates him will be put: for here a feeling of vengeance will still creep in, which is not surprising, and will interfere with beneficial action charity. Perhaps, however, the words of the Apostle also contain a threat to the hater - that if he does not correct himself, then the good done to him, instead of his evil, will increase the punishment that God will send to him, avenging the offended: so these words, on the one hand , they encourage the offended, on the other hand, they curb the offender with fear. This idea is visible in all our interpreters. Saint Chrysostom sees here some indulgence or concession to the feeling of revenge. This feeling, merging with the right of self-defense, can be so persistent that it is as if it is no longer possible to stop the desire to see the offender suffer something unpleasant. The Apostle does not seem to contradict this, encouraging that the offender will receive even more from God if you do him good. But it is not with this purpose that he speaks in such a way as to justify this feeling, but so that, having quenched it somewhat, he can pave the way for the willing acceptance of the following rule: be not defeated from evil(Rom. 12:21) This is exactly what Saint Chrysostom says: “What am I saying,” the Apostle continues, “one must live in peace with the enemy? I command you to do good to him. Feed him and give him something to drink, it says. Since this commandment is very difficult and great, it is added: For in doing this, you heap coals of fire on his head. The Apostle said this in order to curb the offender with fear, and to encourage the offended person with the hope of retribution (retribution to the enemy from God). For when an offended person weakens in spirit, it is not so much his own benefits that support him as the execution of the one who offended him. The most pleasant thing for a person is to see his enemy punished. And what a person desires, the Apostle gives him first. When the poison is extracted, he offers him more sublime admonitions, saying: be not defeated from evil(Rom. 12:21) The apostle knew that an enemy, even if he were a beast, having been fed, would not remain an enemy, and that the offended one, no matter how vindictive he was, having fed and given water to the enemy, would no longer desire revenge. Therefore, being confident that the matter will be completed, he not only threatens, but becomes generous with the punishment itself. He doesn’t say that you will incur vengeance (that is, God’s), but: you gather coals of fire on his head. The Apostle gives his commandment, saying: do not be defeated by evil, but conquer evil with good(Rom. 12:21) Through this, he secretly suggests that it is not with such an intention that one should do good to the enemy (that is, to heap coals on his head). For to remember an offense means to already be overcome by evil. And although at first the Apostle did not say this, because it was still untimely; however, as soon as the listener’s anger was quenched, he immediately added: conquer evil with good"(Rom. 12:21) .

Here are the words of Blessed Theodoret: “having indicated the Judge and announcing His righteous determination (for this is what the words mean: Vengeance is mine, I will repay), the Apostle commands to courageously endure the insults inflicted, to repay the offenders without insults, and to deliver to the hostile what they need. For this weaves the crowns of the wise, and increases the punishments of the offenders. However, you need to know that you should not serve your enemies so that they will suffer greater punishments. For the divine Apostle cited these words with the intention of quenching irritation in the offended, and not attempting to do so in order to increase evil with good.” Here are the words of Ambrosiastes: “The Apostle commands not to grant vengeance only to God, but also to show benefits to enemies; to show that we did not make enemies for ourselves by our deeds, when, in order to tame their hostility, we try to defeat them with services to them. If they become hardened in their hostility, due to the wickedness of their minds, then our services to them will serve to further punish them; or maybe, being touched by the zeal of our services, they will revive with goodwill towards us, just as dormant coals sometimes flare up. So, wanting to make us perfect and teach us not only for ourselves, but also for others to acquire eternal life, the Lord, through Solomon, not only forbids us to take revenge on our enemies, but convinces us with favor towards them and deeds corresponding to this, to return them to friendship.” Here are the words of Blessed Photius in Ecumenius: “Do not do good to the offender in order to bring greater punishment on him. This is some kind of consolation for you that, having fed and drunken him, fire coals collecting on his head, and not in order to do good to him with this feeling. Let God, on the occasion that you do good to the enemy, become more angry with him, in revenge for you, and turn the fire of temptations and bitterness that he arranged for his neighbor on his head: but you do good to him for the wrong purpose, so as to see him susceptible such trouble, otherwise you will find yourself overcome by evil. And it will be that he will not suffer anything more, which he should have suffered, and you will lose the reward, having been defeated from evil. And even moreover, if God sees such an intention in you, then he will not avenge you. For the good and meek, when he is offended, He takes revenge, and not for the one who avenges himself with anger and malicious disposition, through a good deed of charity, plotting against the one who offended him and wanting to see him ruined. So, do good in order to overcome evil with good and be a son of the Heavenly Father, as the Lord said.”

Interpretation of the Apostle Paul's letter to the Romans.

St. Ephraim Sirin

St. Isidore Pelusiot

So, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink: for by doing this you will heap burning coals on his head

Don’t you know, it seems that the new wisdom is more sublime than the ancient advice given to infants. Because the rule is surprising to you: If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he's thirsty, give him something to drink, - prescribes not something extremely great and courageous, but even something desirable. For a person to go to such an extreme as to need the compassion of an enemy, I believe, is worse than any calamity and any punishment. This is how many admitted it, saying: “I will not accept alms from my enemies.” So, if for those who do this it is in accordance with their desire, and for those who endure it it serves as punishment, then why are you surprised? And especially when it is not a simple benefit, but turns into great torment. For when you create this, you gather coals of fire onto his head(Prov. 25:23)

So, if the matter in itself turns into punishment, and it is done in order to apply new torment (those who explain the words of the tributary as follows are not worthy of attention: “you will warm the sovereign mind in him and make him perk up”; for then the tributary will not would speak about the extremeness of hunger, but would command that this be used at all times), then I, for my part, am surprised not at those who do this, but at those who, seeing their enemies in prosperity, are not indignant at them, but praise them and pray for them, as the new wisdom prescribes, saying: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who attack you and drive you out(Matt. 5:44) . For there the need humbles, but here only the heartfelt disposition is tested. If the Apostle also used ancient advice, then it is obvious to everyone that his word was to the imperfect.

Creations. Volume II.

St. Maxim the Confessor

So, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink: for by doing this you will heap burning coals on his head

What does the mysterious saying from Proverbs mean: If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. After all, by doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head (Prov. 25, 21 -22: LXX)?

The enemy of our soul is our body, which always fights with us, raising a rebellion of passions. If the wisdom of the flesh, tormented by conscience, starving, that is, extends to salvation, or thirsts Divine knowledge then must feed him through abstinence and labors and give him something to drink studying Divine sayings. Thus on his head, that is, to the mind, burning coals gather- Divine and spiritual thoughts.

Questions and difficulties.

Blazh. Augustine

So, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink: for by doing this you will heap burning coals on his head

The Apostle says: So, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink: for by doing this you will heap burning coals on his head(Matt. 5:44) . And it may seem to many that it contradicts what the Lord teaches: to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us; or even what the apostle himself says above: Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse and do not repay anyone evil for evil. What kind of love is this when [the enemy] is fed and watered in order to heap burning coals on his head, if “burning coals” in this place mean heavy punishment? Therefore, what has been said should be understood in such a way that we will push the one who harms us to repentance by doing good to him. These burning coals serve to kindle, that is, to torment, his spirit, which is like the head of the soul, in which all evil is burned out when a person turns to the better through repentance. These coals are similar to those mentioned in the Psalms: What will the evil tongue give you and what will it add to you? Sophisticated arrows of the strong, with burning coals of wood(Ps. 119:3-4) .

Some themes from the book of Romans.

Blazh. Hieronymus of Stridonsky

So, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink: for by doing this you will heap burning coals on his head

He who takes revenge for himself does not deserve the Lord’s vengeance for him.

Book three against the works of Rufinus.

By doing this, you will heap burning coals on the enemy’s head, but not into curse and condemnation, as many people think, but into correction and repentance, in order to burn out coldness in him and so that, overcome by good deeds, he would cease to be the enemy of love.

Conversations against the Pelagians.

If your enemy does you harm, and you do him good, you will collect burning coals on his head; in other words, you will cleanse him of vices and burn out the evil in him in order to turn him to repentance.

Treatise on the Psalms.

Blazh. Theophylact of Bulgaria

So, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink: for by doing this you will heap burning coals on his head

This requires the highest degree of wisdom from you. What am I saying, reasoning, should live in the world? I even command you to do good. Said: you will heap burning coals on his head, condescending to the cowardice of the insulted; for it is most pleasant for a person to see an enemy punished. As if he were saying this: do you want to take revenge on him? Do good to him; in this case, you will take revenge on him much stronger. That's why he said: you will heap burning coals on his head, indicating a strong punishment. In this sense, he said above: give room to God's wrath(Rom. 12:19)

Commentaries on the Epistle to the Romans.

Origen

So, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink: for by doing this you will heap burning coals on his head

This is exactly what the Lord commands in the Gospels (see Matt. 5:42). At first glance, the meaning of these words, in accordance with what was said above, is not only not to repay your enemies and offenders with evil for evil, but to show them good. Thus, we collect on them the punishment of God's judgment: it will truly be fair to punish them if it is declared before God that they caused evil to those from whom they received good. But let's see if this commandment contains any more deep meaning. So, Jeremiah also says to the sinner, the daughter of Babylon: “You have burning coals; sit next to them, they will help you” (Origen mistakenly attributed the words of Isaiah to Jeremiah; ed.). Perhaps here, too, these burning coals that we heap on the head of the enemy are gathering to help him. For it may happen that the ferocious and barbaric spirit of the enemy, seeing our kindness, humanity, love and mercy, will feel remorse and repent of what he has done; and from this a certain fire will be kindled in him, which will torment and burn his conscience for what he has done.

and to the words of the apostle: If your enemy is hungry, feed him (Rom. 12:20), and about rancor.

1. It seems that we were not at all successful in recently offering you a lengthy speech on zeal for (church) assemblies; Our church is again left without children. Therefore, again I am forced to be strict and heavy - to reproach those present, condemn those absent; the latter because they do not give up their laziness, and you because you do not care about the salvation of your brothers. I am forced to be heavy and strict not for myself and my own gain, but for you and your salvation, which is dearer to me than anything else. Whoever wants, let him be upset and call me heavy and shameless; but I will not stop constantly repeating the same thing, because for me there is nothing better than such shamelessness. Perhaps, truly, it may be that you, being ashamed if not of something else, then at least of this, so as not to hear constant reminders of the same thing, will someday have care for your brothers. What good is praise to me if I do not see you succeeding in virtue? And what harm will it do to me from the silence of the listeners if I see your piety increasing? The praise of the preacher is not applause, but the zeal of the hearers for piety, not noise while listening, but diligence at all times. Noisy approval, as soon as it comes out of the mouth, dissipates in the air and disappears, and the correction of the listeners delivers an unfading and immortal reward to both the speaker and the listeners. The cry of your approval makes the speaker here famous, and the piety of your soul gives the teacher boldness before the throne of Christ. Therefore, if any of the speakers desires anything, then let him not desire applause, but the benefit of the listeners. An important evil is negligence about the brethren, but worthy of extreme torment and inevitable punishment. This was shown by the example of someone who buried talent in the ground. He did not suffer any condemnation for his own life and did not do anything bad in hiding his talent, because he returned it whole; and, however, turned out to be guilty of the way he used the money. He did not double the amount entrusted to him, and for this he was punished. From this it is clear that, even if we were diligent and attentive, even if we had a great desire to listen to the divine

Scriptures, this is not enough for our salvation. Should

Double the deposit entrusted; It becomes doubled when, along with our own salvation, we take care of others. He said: here's yours whole; but this was not enough to justify him. You should have says the Lord, give away entrusted trading(Matthew 25: 25-27). And notice how easy the Lord’s commandments are. People force those who lend the master's money to be responsible for their return; you gave it, they say, you demand it back; I don't care who took it. But God doesn't do that; He commands only to give, and no longer makes us responsible for returning. It is in the power of the speaker to advise, not to produce persuasion. Therefore, He says, I make you responsible for giving and not for returning. What's easier than that? Meanwhile, the slave called the Lord cruel, so meek and humane. These are the habits of ungrateful and careless slaves: they always blame their sins on their masters. For this he was punished and taken bound into the pitch darkness. So that we do not suffer the same, we will pass on the teaching to the brethren, even if they obeyed, even if they did not obey. By obeying, they will benefit both themselves and us, and by not obeying, they will incur inevitable punishment on themselves, but they cannot cause us the slightest harm. We did our part by providing advice; if they do not obey, then no harm can come from this to us. What is reprehensible is not when we did not persuade, but when we did not give advice; after advice and admonition, frequent and incessant, God will demand an account not from us, but from them. I would like to know exactly what you are trying to convince them, and whether they constantly remain in negligence: then I would not bother you; but now I’m afraid that they remain incorrigible because of your negligence and carelessness. It is, in fact, impossible for a person who constantly listens to admonitions and instructions not to become better and more diligent. The proverb that I intend to say is a common one, but it also confirms the same thing. A drop of water, they say, hollows a stone with its incessant fall. What's softer than water? And what is harder than stone? However, consistency overcomes nature. If constancy overcomes nature, then it can much more overcome the will. Christianity is no joke, beloved, and no small matter. We constantly say this, and have no success at all.

2. How do you think I am upset when I remember that on holidays the multitude of those gathered is like the vast waters of the sea, and now not even a small part of that multitude has gathered?

Where are now those who crowded us during the holidays? I look for them, I grieve for them, imagining what a multitude of those called to salvation are perishing, what a loss of brethren I am suffering, how small the number of those being saved is, and most of the body of the church is likened to a dead and motionless body. But, they will say, what do we care about that? This especially applies to you, to you who do not care about them, do not convince or advise, to you who do not force them, do not force them and do not deviate them from great negligence. It should not only be useful for oneself, but also for many, as Christ showed by calling us salt, leaven and light (Matthew 5:13,14). These items are useful and beneficial to others. So the lamp does not shine for itself, but for those who are in darkness; and you are a lamp, not so that you alone may use the light, but so that you can guide the lost. What good is a lamp if it does not give light to him who is in darkness? What good is a Christian if he does not benefit anyone, if he does not lead anyone to virtue? Also, salt not only supports itself, but also strengthens rotting bodies, preventing them from deteriorating and dying. The same is true for you: if God has made you spiritual salt, then support and strengthen your rotting members, i.e. the careless and careless of the brethren, and having delivered them from carelessness, as if from some rottenness, unite them with the rest of the body of the Church. That is why He called you leaven (Matthew 13:33): leaven does not leaven itself, but the rest of the mixture, great and immeasurable, although it itself is small and insignificant. So it is with you: although you are small in number, be great and strong in faith and zeal for God. Just as leaven, despite its smallness, is not powerless, but acts due to the warmth contained in it and the strength inherent in it, so you can arouse much larger ones to the same jealousy as you, if you want. But they can refer to the heat, because I hear them say: now there is strong stuffiness, unbearable heat, we cannot endure the difficulties and crowded conditions in the crowd, sweating and exhausted from the heat and crowding. I am ashamed of such people, believe me; These are excuses for women, or - better - excuses that are insufficient to justify them, whose bodies are more tender and their nature is weaker. Although it is a shame to refute such an excuse, it is necessary. If they are not ashamed to present such excuses, then we should not be ashamed in refuting them. What will I say to those who present such excuses? I want to remind them of the three youths who were in the furnace and flame, who, seeing the fire, were surrounded on all sides by

He who declared their body, and their eyes, and their very breath, did not cease to sing with the creatures the sacred and mysterious song of God, but then standing in the middle of the flame, more diligently than those in the meadow, they sent praise to the common Lord of all; and together with these three youths, about the lions of Babylon, about Daniel and his den (Dan.6:24). And I ask them not only to remember this, but also about another ditch and a prophet, about Jeremiah, who was mired in mud up to his neck (Jer. 38:6). Coming out of the ditches, I want to bring those who plead the heat into prison and show there Paul and Silas, bound with stocks, burdened with wounds and sores, struck all over their bodies with many blows, and at midnight praising God and performing this sacred all-night vigil (Acts 16: 25). Isn’t it reckless, while these saints, being in the oven, in the fire, in the ditch, among animals, in the mud, in prison, in the stocks, in wounds, under guard and among unbearable disasters, never referred to anything like that, but with great readiness and fiery zeal, we constantly remained in prayers and sacred chants, we, having suffered neither small nor great of the calculable disasters, due to heat, little warmth and sweat, neglect our own salvation and, leaving these local meetings, wander outside, corrupted in meetings that have nothing sound? Such is the dew of divine sayings, and you refer to heat? Water, says Christ, which I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into eternal life(John 4:14), and more : Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture says, out of his belly will flow rivers of living water(John 7:38). You, having spiritual springs and rivers, tell me, are you afraid of sensual heat? And in the market place, where there is such noise, crowding and great heat, tell me, why don’t you complain about the stuffiness and heat? You cannot say that there you can enjoy the coolest air, but here we have all the suffocating heat; quite the contrary, here, both from the slabs lying on the floor and from other amenities in the structure of the temple - because it rises to a great height - the air is lighter and cooler, and there everywhere there are strong rays of the sun, great crowding, smoke and dust, and other much big trouble. From this it is clear that these reckless excuses come from carelessness, from a careless soul and devoid of the flame of the Spirit.

3. I am now talking about this not so much for them as for you, who do not attract them, do not turn them away from carelessness and do not lead them to this saving meal. And the servants, intending to perform the common service, call upon their

Their colleagues, and you, intending to perform this spiritual service, do not care about your colleagues who are deprived of benefits. What do you say if they themselves don’t want to? Make them want it with constant persistence; if they see our persistence, they will certainly want to. But this is an excuse and an excuse. How many fathers are there with whom their sons do not stand? Was it really difficult for you to bring your children with you? From this it is clear that others remain outside (the church) not only due to their own carelessness, but also due to your neglect. If not before, then at least now correct yourself, and let each one come to church with his own member, and let the father of the son, the son of the father, the husbands of wives, the wives of husbands, the master of the slave, the brother of the brother, each other, let them encourage and attract to this place meeting; or - better - we will call not only friends, but also enemies into this common treasury of goods. When the enemy sees your concern for him, he will certainly stop the hostility.

Tell him: are you not ashamed of the Jews, who observe the Sabbath with such precision and stop all work from the very evening? As soon as they see on Friday that the sun is leaning towards the west, they terminate contracts and end trade; and if someone, having bought something from them before the evening, comes in the evening and brings payment, then they do not allow themselves to accept it and receive the silver. But what am I saying about payment for what is sold and about contracts? If there was a treasure to be obtained, they would sooner decide to lose the profit than to break the law. This is how the Jews keep the law, and, moreover, untimely, and with such precision they adhere to an institution that does not bring them any benefit, but even harms them; and you, who are above the shadow, have been honored to see the Sun of truth, strive for heavenly life, accepted the truth, do not even show the same zeal as those who untimely apply themselves to an evil deed, but, being called here for a small part of the day, you do not want to use even this time to listen to divine sayings? What kind of forgiveness, tell me, can you receive? What solid and fair justification can you give? It is impossible, impossible for someone so careless and careless to ever receive forgiveness, even if he refers a thousand times to the needs of everyday affairs. Don’t you know that if you come and pray to God and take part in the meeting here, then the things ahead of you will be much more successful? Do you have everyday worries? It is for them that you come here in order to gain God’s favor.

Neem is here, you have come out in safety, so that you may have God as an assistant, so that you may become invincible to demons with the help of the High Hand. If you use the prayers of the fathers, you will take part in common prayer If you listen to divine sayings, gain God’s help, and thus leave here protected by these weapons, then the devil himself will not dare to look at you, not just evil people who try to slander and slander. If you leave home and go to the marketplace without this weapon, you will easily be caught by all your enemies. That is why many things in public and private affairs do not go according to our wishes, because we do not care about the spiritual in advance, and then about everyday things, but have perverted the order. As a result, the correct course of affairs was distorted, and everything among us was filled with great confusion. How, do you think, am I upset and grieved when I think that at the onset of a celebration and holiday the whole city flocks, even if no one invited you - and after the celebration and holiday, even if we spent the whole day straining and inviting you, no one doesn't heed? Often imagining this in my mind, I sighed heavily and said to myself: why offer admonition or advice when you do everything simply and out of habit and do not become at all more zealous from our instruction? If during the holidays you do not need our admonition at all, and after them you do not benefit from our instruction at all, then aren’t you making our words unnecessary, as much as it depends on you?

4. Perhaps many of those listening to this are indignant. But the careless think not so; otherwise they would abandon their carelessness, like us, who take care of you every day. Do you get that much profit from foreign affairs How much do you harm yourself? It is impossible to leave another meeting or society with such benefit as staying here brings, whether you point to the court of law, or to the place of meetings, or to the royal palace itself. We do not teach those who come here the government of peoples and cities, nor the command of armies, but another power, more important than the reign itself, or - better - we do not teach, but the grace of the Spirit.

What kind of power is this? more important than reign that those who come here receive? Here they learn to dominate shameful passions, reign over vicious lust, control anger, suppress envy, enslave vanity. The king sitting on the royal throne and wearing a diadem is not so important as the man who has built health within himself.

Place your mind on the throne of power over slavish passions and clothe your head with dominion over them, as if with some kind of brilliant diadem. What is the use, tell me, of wearing scarlet, golden robes and a crown with expensive stones when the soul is captivated by passions? What is the use of external freedom when the dominant faculty within us servilely slavishly and shamefully? Just as when a fever hides in the depths and burns all the insides, there is no benefit from the fact that the surface of the body does not tolerate anything like this, so when our soul is tormented by internal passions, there is no benefit either from external power or from the royal seat , if the mind with great violence is cast down from the throne of dominion over the passions, submits to them and fears their uprising. To prevent this from happening, prophets and apostles flock from everywhere to tame our passions, to purge from us all fierce recklessness and to give us power more important than kingship. That is why I said that those who deprive themselves of such care receive a mortal wound, experiencing such harm as is not experienced from anything else; but on the contrary, those who come here receive benefits that they could not receive from anything else, as was proven in our conversation. Yes Let them not come before Me empty-handed, said the law (Ex. 23:15), i.e. don't come without sacrifices. If one should not enter the house of God without sacrifice, then much less should one not enter the meetings of the brethren; The best sacrifice and offering is when you enter here with your soul. Don't you see how the learned pigeons, when they fly out, carry others with them? We will do the same. Indeed, what excuse will we have when dumb animals can catch animals like themselves, and we, distinguished by speech and wisdom, neglect such catching? In a previous conversation, convincing you, I said: let each of you approach the houses of your neighbors, wait for those who come out, hold them and lead them to your common mother; let him imitate people addicted to the spectacle, who, with all their zeal, gather together, from early morning, await this lawless spectacle. But our exhortation was not at all successful. Therefore, I speak again, and I will not stop speaking until I am convinced. Listening will be of no use unless it is accompanied by activity. Even we will incur the heaviest punishment on ourselves if, constantly listening to the same thing, we do not fulfill anything that is said. And that for this the gravest punishment awaits, listen to Christ, who says: if I had not come and told them,

then they would have no sin; and now they have no excuse for their sin (John 15:22); and the apostle says: It is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified(Rom.2:13). This he speaks to those who listen; and in order to teach the speaker that there will be no benefit to him from teaching if his teaching is not accompanied by activity and life in accordance with the word, listen to how both the apostle and the prophet address him. One says: But God says to the sinner: Why do you preach My statutes and take My covenant in your mouth, but you yourself hate My instruction and throw My words away for yourself?(Ps. 49:16,17). Likewise, the apostle, addressing those who think too much of themselves because of their teaching, says this: and I am confident of myself that you are a guide to the blind, a light to those in darkness, a teacher of the ignorant, a teacher of babes; How can you, while teaching others, not teach yourself?(Rom.2:19,20,21)? If, however, my speech cannot bring any benefit to me, the speaker, or to you, the listeners, without fulfilling what is said, but also serves to greater condemnation, then let us not limit our zeal only to listening, but let us begin to carry out what is said in practice. It is good to constantly engage in listening to divine sayings; but this good is useless when it is not combined with the benefit that comes from obedience. So, so that you do not gather here in vain, with all your zeal, as I have often asked and will not stop asking, bring the brethren to us, convince those who are mistaken, advise not only in word, but also in deed. The best instruction is instruction by way of life, instruction by action. Even if you didn’t say anything, but after leaving the meeting, with your appearance, gaze, voice, gait and any other body position, you showed the absent people the benefit that you received here, then this is enough for instruction and admonition. We must leave here as if from an impregnable sanctuary, as if we had descended from heaven itself, becoming modest, wise, speaking and doing everything decently; and the wife, seeing her husband returning from the meeting, and the father of the son, and the son of the father, and the servant of the master, and each other, and the enemy of the enemy, let everyone feel what benefit we receive here; and they will feel if they see that you have become more modest, more pious. Imagine what mysteries you are initiated into, initiated into them, with whom you lift up the mysterious song together, with whom you invoke the Trisagion. Teach those outside that you rejoiced with the seraphim, that you belong to the highest host, that you are numbered among the angels, that you conversed with the Lord,

What did you do with Christ? If we set ourselves up this way, then when we leave here, we will not need words for those who are absent, but due to our benefit, they will feel their own loss, and will soon come running to get the same. Seeing the beauty of your soul, manifested in your very feelings, they, even if they were the most careless of all, will be imbued with love for your beauty. In fact, if physical beauty touches those who look at it, then spiritual beauty can touch the viewer much more and excite them to competition. Let's decorate our inner man, and what is said here we will remember outside, because there it is especially timely to remember it. Just as a warrior shows what he learns in the martial arts school during his exploits, so exactly what we learn here must be shown in external affairs.

5. So, remember what is said here, so that when you go out and the devil attacks you - either through anger, or through vanity, or through some other passion - you, remembering the teaching here, can easily evade the snares of the evil one . Don’t you see in the fields of warfare how teachers of young men, after countless exploits, due to old age, who have finally received a release from warfare, sitting outside the fence near the very dust, prompt those who are inside and are entering into the struggle to grab a hand so that they can be carried away? leg, so that they take hold of the back, and they say a lot of other similar things, for example: if you do this and that, then you will easily defeat the enemy - and in this way they help the students a lot? So you, too, look to your teacher, blessed Paul, who, after countless crowns, is now outside the field, i.e. real life, prompts us ascetics and calls out through messages when he sees those possessed by anger and rancor and tormented by some kind of passion: if your enemy is hungry, feed him(Rom. 12:20). And just as the teacher of young men says: if you do this and that, then you will overcome the enemy, so he adds: By doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. I." But as I read this commandment, a question arises, which, apparently, is born from it and gives many a reason to speak against Paul, which I want to offer you today. What worries the thoughts of those who do not want examine everything carefully? Paul, they say, by turning away from anger and urging them to be meek and kind to their neighbors, irritates them even more and disposes them to anger. In fact, in the words: if your enemy is hungry, feed him

his; if he's thirsty, give him a drink , contains a beautiful commandment, full of wisdom and useful both for the one doing it and for the one receiving it; but the words that follow lead to great bewilderment and, apparently, do not agree with the thought expressed in the first. What is this? In what he says: . With these words, they say, he harms both the doer and the recipient of the benefit, burning the latter’s head and placing hot coals on it. In fact, can there be as much good from feeding and drinking as there is evil from laying down a heap of coals? Thus, they say that he does evil to the one who receives the benefit, subjecting him to greater punishment, and on the other hand, he causes harm to the one who provides the benefit, because the latter can also benefit from the benefit to his enemies if he does it in the hope of inflicting punishment on them. ? He who feeds and gives drink to the enemy in order to heap hot coals on his head cannot be humane and kind, but is inhuman and cruel, causing unspeakable torment through a small good deed. What, in fact, could be more cruel than the feeder in order to collect hot coals on the head of the feeder? This is the objection. Now it is necessary to offer permission, so that you can clearly see all the wisdom of the legislator from the very thing that apparently degrades the words of the commandment. What kind of permission is this?

Punishment inclines the offended person to do good to the offender; and when he has already bowed down, he holds him back and does not allow him to leave, since the very nature of the matter binds him to the enemy, and, as it were, says to him: if you do not want to feed the offender out of piety, then feed him at least in the hope of punishment. He knows that if he begins such a good deed, the path to reconciliation will begin and continue. No one, after all, no one can have as an enemy the one whom he feeds and waters, even if at first he did this in the hope of punishment. Time, in its passage, weakens the power of anger. And just as a fisherman, if he threw an empty fishing rod, would not catch a fish, but, having closed it, imperceptibly inserts the fishing rod into the mouth of an approaching animal, so Paul, if he had not offered the hope of punishment, would not have convinced the offended to begin doing good to those who had offended. Therefore, wanting to persuade those very people who shy away, are indignant and irritated at the mere sight of their enemies to do the greatest good deeds for them, he proposed burning coals- not in order to subject them to inevitable punishment, but so that, having convinced those offended by the hope of punishment to provide benefits to their enemies, convince them over time to abandon all their anger.

6. So he calmed the offended; Look how he reconciles the offender with the offended. And firstly - in the very way of doing good, because no one can be so low and insensitive that, receiving drink and food, he would not want to be the slave and friend of the one who does this for him; and secondly - fear of punishment. Apparently, he addresses the feeder with the words: by doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head; but they are primarily directed against the offender, so that out of fear of punishment he would not remain an enemy forever, but, knowing that food and drink can greatly harm him if he remains constantly in his enmity, he would cease his anger. Thus, he will be able to extinguish hot coals. So punishment and the upcoming torment disposes the offended to do good to the offended, and frightens the offender, corrects and forces him to reconcile with the one who feeds and waters him. Consequently, with double bonds he connects both of them to each other - the bonds of beneficence and punishment. It is difficult to begin and make an attempt at reconciliation; and when it is done in any way, then everything that follows will be easy and convenient. Even if the offended one first nourished his enemy in the hope of punishing him, but through feeding himself, having become his friend, he can reject the desire for punishment,

Because, having become a friend, he will no longer nourish the one who has reconciled with him in such expectation. Likewise, the offender, seeing that the offended one intended to feed and water him, therefore himself and out of fear of the punishment ahead of him, will leave all enmity, even if he were a thousand times cruel, like iron and adamant, ashamed of the goodwill of the feeder and fearing the punishment ahead of him, if after eating he will remain an enemy.

That is why the apostle did not stop here in his admonition, but when he destroyed the anger of both, then he corrected their disposition and said: don't be overcome by evil(Rom. 12:21). If, he says, you remain vindictive and vengeful, then, apparently, you defeat him, and meanwhile you yourself are conquered by evil, i.e. anger, so if you want to win, then reconcile and do not take revenge. A brilliant victory is when you overcome evil with good, i.e. forbearance, leaving behind anger and rancor. But at first these words would not have been accepted by the offended and burning with anger. Therefore, the apostle, when his anger was satisfied, then presented him with the best incentive for reconciliation and did not allow him to remain with the bad hope of punishment. Do you see the wisdom of the lawgiver? And so that you may be convinced that due to the weakness of those who otherwise did not want to be reconciled among themselves, he proposed such a commandment - listen to how Christ, offering the same commandment, did not appoint the same reward, but saying: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, - which means to feed and water - did not add: by doing this, you collect hot coals on their heads, but what? yes you will like your Father, Heavenly(Matt. 5:44). And fair enough. He talked with Peter, James and John and with the other apostles; That's why he appointed such a reward. If you say that despite all this, this commandment is difficult, then again you will give us even more the opportunity to justify Paul, and you will deprive yourself of all justification. Why? Because - I will show you - this task, which seems difficult, was carried out even in old testament when such wisdom had not yet been demonstrated. Therefore, Paul did not express the commandment in his own words, but used the very words that he who first proposed this commandment expressed himself, so that there would be no excuse for those who do not fulfill it. Words: if your enemy is hungry, feed him with bread; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink It was not Paul who used the first word, but Solomon (Prov. 25:21,22). That's why he used these words to convince the listener that it was very shameful - the ancient law, which

Roy was often fulfilled by the Old Testament, but now - with such high wisdom - it is considered difficult and difficult. And who, they will say, of the Old Testament fulfilled it? Many, especially David with greater completeness. He not only fed and watered the enemy, but also repeatedly saved someone in danger from death and, having the opportunity to kill him, spared him once, twice, and many times. Saul could not tolerate and hated him so much after his countless good deeds, after his brilliant victories and salvation from Goliath, that he could not even hear his name and called him by the name of his father. So once upon a time, at the approach of the holiday, when he formed some intention against David and prepared evil intrigues, but did not see him come, he asked: where son of Jesse(1 Samuel 20:27); called him by his father's name, both not wanting to remember his name out of enmity, and thinking through his father's ignorance to darken the fame of the righteous man - thinking pitifully and unhappily, because even though he could blame his father for something, it did not harm David at all . Everyone is responsible for their own affairs, and only for them can they be approved or condemned. And here he, unable to say anything bad about David, exposed the ignorance of his origin, hoping in this way to darken his celebrity; it was extremely crazy. What kind of guilt is there, really, in coming from humble and humiliated parents? But he did not know how to be so philosophical. So Saul called David the son of Jesse; and David, finding him sleeping inside the cave, called him not the son of Kish, but an honorary name: May the Lord not allow me, he said, lift my hand against the Lord's anointed(1 Samuel 26:11). So he was clean from anger and all rancor! He calls the Lord's anointed the one who offended him so much, thirsted for his blood, and after countless good deeds often tried to kill him. He did not look at what Saul was worthy to endure, but looked at what he himself needed to do or say; this is the highest limit of philosophy. How? Having captured the enemy, as if in prison, bound by double, or - better - triple bonds, and cramped space, and the lack of helpers, and the need for sleep, you do not demand an account from him and do not subject him to punishment? No, he says; I now look not at what he is worthy of suffering, but at what I should do. He did not look at the ease of killing, but looked at the fulfillment of his characteristic wisdom. Meanwhile, which of the circumstances at that time was not enough to motivate him to murder? Is it that the enemy was betrayed to him bound? Of course you know how

Soon we begin to do easy things, and the hope of fulfillment awakens in us a greater desire to act, as it was then with him.

Was it the military leader who advised and encouraged him then? Is it a memory of the past? But nothing prompted him to kill; on the contrary, the very ease of killing turned him away from it. He thought that God had given him the enemy in order to give him a reason and opportunity for greater wisdom. So, you may be surprised that he did not remember any of his past disasters; I am much more surprised at him for another reason. Which one? Because the fear of the future did not prompt him to kill the enemy. He knew well that Saul, having escaped his hands, would again rebel against him; but he decided it would be better to expose himself to danger by sparing the enemy than to kill the enemy for his own safety. What can compare with this great and noble soul, who, while the law commanded to tear out an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth and reward equals (Deut. 19:21), not only did not do this, but showed even greater wisdom? Meanwhile, even if he had killed Saul then, even then he would not have lost praise for his wisdom, not only because he was not the first to take revenge by starting violence, but also because he would have fulfilled the law: an eye for an eye - with great meekness . He would not have repaid for one murder with one murder, but for the many deaths with which he threatened him, not once or twice, but repeatedly trying to kill him, he would have repaid with one death; or - better - not only this, but also the fact that the danger in the future disposed him to revenge, and this, together with the above, would give him a whole crown of patience. In fact, he who is angry and seeks punishment for what was done to him before cannot receive praise for patience; and the one who, having left everything that was past, much and difficult, feared for the future and was concerned about his safety, and therefore was forced to turn to vengeance, no one would deprive him of the crowns of meekness.

7. But David did not do this, but showed extraordinary and wondrous wisdom. Neither the memory of the past, nor the fear of the future, nor the advice of the military leader, nor the desolation of the place, nor the convenience of killing, nor anything else prompted him to kill, but as if a benefactor had done him a lot of good, he spared the enemy and the offender. What kind of justification will we have, who remember past misdeeds and take revenge on those who insulted us, while this innocent one, who endured so many evils and expected even greater and more severe ones after deliverance?

The enemy, he spared him so much that he decided it would be better to expose himself to danger and live in fear and trembling than to justly kill the one who intended to do him a lot of harm?

Thus, David’s wisdom can be seen from the fact that he not only did not kill the enemy, in such a need, but did not even utter a blasphemous word against him, which, moreover, the insulted person could not even hear. We often say bad things about absent friends, but he did not do the same to an enemy who had done him so much harm. So, from this one can see his wisdom; His love for mankind and thoughtfulness are visible from what he did afterwards. Cutting off the hem of his garment and taking a vessel for water (1 Sam. 24:5; 26:13), going far away and standing, he called out and showed this to the spared man, doing so not out of vanity and ambition, but wanting to convince him by deeds that it was in vain and in vain he considered him an enemy, and, hoping through this to win him over to friendliness. However, even without convincing him and having the opportunity to kill him, he again decided it would be better to leave his fatherland and live in a foreign country and live in poverty every day, obtaining the necessary food for himself, rather than staying at home and insulting the offender. What could be gentler than his soul? Truly rightly he said: remember, Lord, David and all his contrition(Ps. 131:1). Let us also imitate him; Let us neither say nor do evil to our enemies, but let us even do good to them to the best of our ability; through this we will do more good to ourselves than to them. If you forgive people their sins, said the Lord, then your Heavenly Father will forgive you too(Matt. 6:14). Forgive the sins of the servant, so that you may receive forgiveness of sins from the Lord; if he greatly offended you, then the more you forgive, the more forgiveness you yourself will receive. That is why we are taught to say: forgive us as we forgive, (Matthew 6:12), so that we know that the measure of forgiveness initially depends on us. Thus, the more evil the enemy does to us, the more benefits he will provide. Let us hasten and try to make peace with those who have offended us, whether they are angry justly or unjustly. If you are reconciled here, you will be freed from judgment there; If the enmity remains, meanwhile the ensuing death will stop the hatred, then judgment will inevitably befall you there. Like many of the people who quarrel with each other, if they resolve the quarrel among themselves amicably outside the court, they get rid of loss, fear and many dangers, putting an end to the quarrel at the request of both parties, but if they turn to the judge, then there is often a waste of money, and punishment, and endless enmity remains, that’s right

And here, if we stop enmity in this life, then we will get rid of all punishment, but if, remaining enemies, we come to that terrible judgment, then we will certainly undergo extreme condemnation according to the definition of the Judge, and we will both receive inevitable punishment: and the one who is unjustly angry - for that who is unjustly angry, and he who is justly angry - because he held a grudge, albeit justly, because, even if we unjustly suffered evil, we must give forgiveness to those who offended. Look how the Lord disposes and encourages those who have unjustly offended to make peace with the offended. If, He says, you bring your gift to the altar and there you remember that your brother has something against you, go first and be reconciled with your brother(Matthew 5:23,24). He did not say: prepare, make a sacrifice, but: make peace, and then bring it. Leave it, he says, let it lie, so that the need to bring it will force you to involuntarily go for reconciliation with someone who is justly angry. See also how He encourages us to go to the one who has offended us when He says: Farewell to your debtors, so that your heavenly Father may forgive you your sins(Mark 11:25). He appointed no small reward, but it greatly exceeded the importance of the matter itself. So, remembering all this and imagining the reward assigned for this, and how little work and effort is needed to atone for sins, let us forgive those who have offended us. What others barely achieve through fasting, sighing, prayer, sackcloth, ashes and repeated repentance, i.e. atonement for our sins, we can easily achieve this without sackcloth, ashes and fasting, if only we eradicate anger from our souls and sincerely forgive those who have offended us. The God of peace and love, having torn away all irritation, bitterness and anger from our souls, may he give us, as fellow members, to unite closely with each other, and accordingly, with one mouth and one soul, constantly send up to Him the appropriate hymns of thanksgiving to Him, glory and power in forever and ever. Amen.

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“If your enemy is hungry, feed him with bread; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink: for [by doing this] you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you" (). What does it mean to gather burning coals in this passage?

If your enemy is hungry, feed him bread; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink:
for by [doing this] you are heaping burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.

One of the versions expressed by the once early Christian writer Chrysostomos ( Chrysostome), says that by doing a good deed to the enemy, we thereby aggravate his guilt and, accordingly, the punishment that he will receive. As a parallel, clarifying verse, it is given: “Let the evil of their own lips cover the heads of those around me. Let burning coals fall on them; let them be cast into the fire, into the abyss, so that they will not rise up” (see article “”). Coals in these passages are slightly different: in this גחלים (gechalim) - coals, heat; into this גחלים באשׁ (gechalim ba'esh) - hot coals (lit. coals with fire), but this does not particularly affect the meaning. More importantly, this version is inconsistent with the context of Scripture as a whole, since it would motive of beneficence appears to the enemy vindictiveness, but not love.

The attitude towards enemies in the Bible is covered well enough for us to avoid error in interpreting the passage:

Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles.
Otherwise, the Lord will see, and it will be displeasing in His sight, and He will turn away His anger from him.

If you find your enemy's ox or his donkey lost, bring it to him;
If you see your enemy’s donkey fallen under his burden, do not leave him; unload with him.

As we see, helping the enemy presupposes that he will receive some kind of benefit from us - help and support; at the same time, the failures of our enemies should not make us happy. Chrysostom's version must therefore be rejected.

What then do the coals heaped on the enemy’s head mean?

The following explanation is possible: having received help from us, our enemy will be ashamed; coals (or rather, smoldering coals, heat) here are a metaphor for shame. Biblical scholars Kyle and Delitzsch ( Keil & Delitzsch), however, refuse to accept this version, because, in their opinion, when a person is ashamed, his cheeks “burn” - while the coals on the head should be a metaphor for the repentance that follows the realization of one’s guilt.

Presbyterian Bible commentator Albert Barnes ( Barnes) combines the version of Kyle and Delitzsch with the “shame version” they reject: he believes that the solution is suggested to us by the passage (“And Aaron shall bring the bullock as a sin offering for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself and for his house, and shall kill the bullock as a sin offering for himself ; and he will take a censer full of burning coals from the altar, which is before the Lord, and handfuls full of finely ground incense, and bring it behind the veil”), where the burning coals are called to lift up the fragrant aroma to God. The same thing, according to Barnes, happens here: burning shame turns into prayer, repentance and gratitude to God.

Methodist theologian Adam Clarke ( Clarke) in his comments points to another possible explanation: coals, he says, are needed in order to melt a person, making him kinder; the metaphor, in his opinion, refers us to how ore is smelted on coals, obtaining metal that is free of impurities.

Versions according to which burning coals mean shame, repentance, a combination of both (a certain factor leading to the fact that a person softens) - have something in common with each other, namely the idea that our good deed brings about beneficial changes in the heart of our enemy.

One cannot help but add that the passage is quoted by the Apostle Paul in Romans, placing these verses in an eloquent context:

18 If it is possible on your part, be at peace with all people.

19 Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to [God’s] wrath. For it is written: Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord.

20 So if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink: for by doing this you will heap burning coals on his head.