RULES:

No biting, kicking, punching, screaming, demeaning, belittling nor any otherwise abusive communications.

Any opposing ideas other than mine will be considered wrong. But feel free to state your case.

Let's Go!

Post your question, idea, thought or what's bothering you in general.

I will answer in a most civilized way in full accord with the KU convention not like the Geneva.

All answers will come directly from the Bible! 

Explain "heaping burning coals on his head." 

lol x 4

Subtle is the word. 

Not much of an answer there...lol 

prov 25:21, 22 If your enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: 22For you shall heap coals of fire on his head, and the LORD shall reward you. 

Right. Explain what that means. 

In my kindness I am heaping burning coals on their heads. I am much too kind. That is my problem. 

Explain what the scripture means and how it is relevant. Isn't that what you said you were going to do? 

Maybe you need to research it a bit? 

Get back with me when you figure it out. 

SO! Great is my Reward 

Explain what it means to "heap burning coals on his head" 

The precept to love even our enemies is an Old Testament commandment. Our Saviour has shown his own great example in loving us when we were enemies 

I'd play, but you wouldn't be the one answering me-(and I don't mean God) 

But what does it mean to "heap burning coals on his head?" 

It has to have some sort of meaning right? 

This expression has been taken in various senses. It has been thought to mean that the forgiveness of the injured person brings to the cheek of the offender the burning blush of shame. But heaping coals on the head cannot naturally be taken to express such an idea. 

Of course, in one view, kindness to an evil man only gives him occasion for fresh ingratitude and hatred, and therefore increases God's wrath against him. But it would be a wicked motive to act this beneficent part only to have the satisfaction of seeing your injurer humbled or punished. 

Ok, maybe you should go to google and research it. Then you will understand it. 

I guess we can just make stuff up as we go along, right? 

"Coals of fire" are a metaphor for the penetrating pain of remorse and repentance. The unmerited kindness which he receives forces upon him the consciousness of his ill doing, which is accompanied by the sharp rain of regret. 

Wouldn't it be better and easier if you would simply explain it for us? 

Wrong again. Please, please...google it and take 5 minutes to read the real explanation. Truly this expression is lost in our day and age. I wouldn't expect you to know it unless you ahve studied it before. 

Wouldn't it be better and easier if you would dimply explain it for us?

You were the one who was going to answer our questions. I'm giving you a hard time cause this is a difficult passage. 

Please give us the interpretation thereof

I am fully interested 

Please give us the interpretation thereof

I am fully interested

Don't be lazy...I'm working legs right now. LOL 

Your answer will not be considered wrong 

Your answer will not be considered wrong

I'm just going to wait for you to look it up... 

lol. I will wait for John Lynch to answer. I do not mean that as a slam but that I am not in the mood to google it just yet.

The power of scripture is that it hides from those who are not interested and is only for the diligent. Often one saying can have many meanings for it is the word of God. Add in the Rhema factor and one verse can mean this for one and that for another depending on what life is hurling at them. 

Jesus said this...

The WORDS that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life 

Hmm, so you were going to answer our questions and you are going to let Lynch do it for you cause you are too lazy to spend 5 minutes goggling the phrase "what does it mean to heap coals of fire" and clicking on the first link? 

Guess this thread was an utter fail. 

ok ok

I wil do it

give me a few seconds 

Paul says that if we give food and drink to our enemies, we shall be heaping “coals of fire on their heads.” To us this doesn’t sound like forgiveness, but like taking vengeance.

In the Bible lands almost everything is carried on the head – water jars, baskets of fruit, vegetables, fish or any other article. Those carrying the burden rarely touch it with the hands, and they walk through crowded streets and lanes with perfect ease. In many homes the only fire they have is kept in a brazier, which they use for simple cooking as well as for warmth. They plan to always keep it burning. If it should go out, some member of the family will take the brazier to a neighbor’s house to borrow fire.

Then she will lift the brazier to her head and start for home. If her neighbor is a generous woman, she will heap the brazier full of coals. To feed an enemy and give him drink was like heaping the empty brazier with live coals – which meant food, warmth and almost life itself to the person or home needing it, and was the symbol of finest generosity. – B.M. Bowen, Strange Scriptures that Perplex the Western Mind

We, Westerners, usually picture vengeance when we think of pouring hot coals on someone’s heads. The Semites pictured something completely different … We, Westerners, must break some of our traditions, if we are to ever come to a deep understanding of the God of the Bible. It is full of beautiful pictures like this one. – Gary Amirault, Tentmaker

The phrase “heap coals of fire on his head” is a part of the quote from Proverbs 25:21-22. Farrar Fenton’s (1903) translation of the passage in Proverbs takes the phrase “heap coals of fire on his head” in its literal meaning, thus explaining the Jewish figure of speech, rather than translating it: And a fire besides for his needs.

Although popular translations of this entire passage may often lead readers to a “punishment” view toward mankind, we have actually been instructed not to recompense “evil for evil” (Romans 12:17), but to “overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). This is the divine plan of the ages – “overcome evil with good” – for “love never fails!” (I Corinthians 13:8).

Jesus instructed His disciples to love their enemies and be a blessing to them:

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them who curse you, do good to them who hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you, and persecute you (Matthew 5:44).

On what basis did He do so? Because this is the very nature of the Father!

Be therefore perfect, even as your Father Who is in heaven is perfect (Matthew 5:48).

“God is love” (I John 4:8, 16), and His love has been “shed abroad in our hearts” (Romans 5:5), that we may “walk in love” (Ephesians 5:2), so that as the Father’s “vessels of mercy” (Romans 9:23) we would be a “blessing” to those around us:

Love your enemies, bless them who curse you, do good to them who hate you … (Matthew 5:44).

Bless them who persecute you: bless, and curse not (Romans 12:14).

Being reviled, we bless (I Corinthians 4:12).

See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men (I Thessalonians 5:15).

Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing (I Peter 3:9).

This is our “high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14)!

Clyde L. Pilkington, Jr.
Bible Student’s Notebook
© 2008, 2010 

this is funny. u caused me to make this thread and now u r tha one beating me up over it.

iron sharpeneth iron I spose

thanks!!!

it was a bitter pill to swallow but I needed it 

Hmm, interesting. 

I don't doubt Lynch would have come and bailed you out but You are the one who is supposed to be ready in season and out to give a reason for your faith.

We should be ashamed to make stuff up as we go along, when it comes to Gods holy word, rather than saying we don't know to "study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 

To feed an enemy and give him drink was like heaping the empty brazier with live coals – which meant food, warmth and almost life itself to the person or home needing it, and was the symbol of finest generosity

that is a fine explanation. We must remember though that it is only their interpretation thereof.

Scriptures must be interpreted in the spirit it was written in and not the letter of the law itself.

however a good food for thought on the subject 

But, I know this is a difficult verse that is greatly misunderstood. Which is why I asked about it LOL. 

You give water,you give life. You give food you give life. You give coals you give life.