Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 5:41
And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
41. compel thee to go a mile ] The Greek text has a Persian word here signifying “to press into service as a courier” for the royal post, then, generally, “to force to be a guide,” “to requisition,” men or cattle. This was one of the exactions which the Jews suffered under the Romans. Alford quotes Joseph. Ant. xiii. 2, 3, where Demetrius promises not to press into service the beasts of burden belonging to the Jews. For an instance of this forced service see ch. Mat 27:32.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 41. Shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.] . This word is said to be derived from the Persians, among whom the king’s messengers, or posts, were called , or angari. This definition is given both by Hesychius and Suidas.
The Persian messengers had the royal authority for pressing horses, ships, and even men, to assist them in the business on which they were employed. These angari are now termed chappars, and serve to carry despatches between the court and the provinces. When a chappar sets out, the master of the horse furnishes him with a single horse; and, when that is weary, he dismounts the first man he meets, and takes his horse. There is no pardon for a traveller that refuses to let a chappar have his horse, nor for any other who should deny him the best horse in his stable. See Sir J. Chardin’s and Hanway’s Travels. For pressing post horses, c., the Persian term is [Persian] Sukhreh geriften. I find no Persian word exactly of the sound and signification of but the Arabic [Arabic] agharet signifies spurring a horse, attacking, plundering, c. The Greek word itself is preserved among the rabbins in Hebrew characters, angaria, and it has precisely the same meaning: viz. to be compelled by violence to do any particular service, especially of the public kind, by the king’s authority. Lightfoot gives several instances of this in his Horae Talmudicae.
We are here exhorted to patience and forgiveness:
First, When we receive in our persons all sorts of insults and affronts, Mt 5:39.
Secondly, When we are despoiled of our goods, Mt 5:40.
Thirdly, When our bodies are forced to undergo all kinds of toils, vexations, and torments, Mt 5:41. The way to improve the injustice of man to our own advantage, is to exercise under it meekness, gentleness, and long-suffering, without which disposition of mind, no man can either be happy here or hereafter for he that avenges himself must lose the mind of Christ, and thus suffer an injury ten thousand times greater than he can ever receive from man. Revenge, at such an expense, is dear indeed.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
41. And whosoever shall compel theeto go a mile, go with him twainan allusion, probably, to thepractice of the Romans and some Eastern nations, who, when governmentdespatches had to be forwarded, obliged the people not only tofurnish horses and carriages, but to give personal attendance, oftenat great inconvenience, when required. But the thing here demanded isa readiness to submit to unreasonable demands of whatever kind,rather than raise quarrels, with all the evils resulting from them.What follows is a beautiful extension of this precept.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile,…. The word , rendered “compel”, is generally said to be of Persic original; the “Angari”, among the Persians, were the king’s messengers, or those who rode post, and were maintained at the king’s expenses; and had power to take horses, and other carriages, and even men, into their service, by force, when they had occasion for them: hence the word is used to force, or compel persons to do this or the other thing; the word is often to be met with in the Jewish writings, and is in them expounded to be k, the taking of anything for the service of the king. David de Pomis renders it by , “a yoke” l; meaning, any servile work, which such, who were pressed into the king’s service, were obliged unto. And m
is used to compel persons to go along with others, to do any service; in which sense it is here used: and Christ advises, rather than to contend and quarrel with such a person, that obliges to go with him a mile, to
go with him twain: his meaning is, not to dispute such a matter, though it may be somewhat laborious and disagreeable, but comply, for the sake of peace. The Jews n, in their blasphemous book of the birth of Christ, own that he gave advice in such words as these, when they introduce Peter thus speaking of him.
“He, that is, Jesus, hath warned and commanded you to do no more evil to a Jew; but if a Jew should say to a Nazarene, go with me one mile, he shall go with him two miles; and if a Jew shall smite him on the left cheek, he shall turn to him also the right.”
Can a Jew find fault with this advice?
k Vid. Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Bava Metzia, c. 6. sect. 3. l Tzemach David, fol. 8. 4. m Vid. Buxtorf. Lex. Rabb. p. 131, 132. n Toldos Jesu, p 22.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Shall compel thee (). The Vulgate has angariaverit. The word is of Persian origin and means public couriers or mounted messengers () who were stationed by the King of Persia at fixed localities, with horses ready for use, to send royal messages from one to another. So if a man is passing such a post-station, an official may rush out and compel him to go back to another station to do an errand for the king. This was called impressment into service. This very thing was done to Simon of Cyrene who was thus compelled to carry the cross of Christ (Mt 27:32, ).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Shall compel thee to go [] . This word throws the whole injunction into a picture which is entirely lost to the English reader. A man is travelling, and about to pass a post – station, where horses and messengers are kept in order to forward royal missives as quickly as possible. An official rushes out, seizes him, and forces him to go back and carry a letter to the next station, perhaps to the great detriment of his business. The word is of Persian origin, and denotes the impressment into service, which officials were empowered to make of any available persons or beasts on the great lines of road where the royal mails were carried by relays of riders.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile,” (kai ostis se angareusei milion en) “And whoever shall impress you, or press upon you to go one mile,” with him. Let your grace and goodness put covetousness and greed to shame in the life of the unbeliever of the world. It was Simeon of Cyrene who was compelled to bear Jesus’ cross, at the same time a fatiguing task and a Divine blessing, Mat 27:32; Mr 15:21.
2) “Go with him twain.” (hupage met’ autou duo) “Go on with him for two miles,” be more gracious to him than his covetousness required of or from you. For where sin abounded for us “Grace did much more abound,” Rom 5:20. The lesson is to cover the case of the Jews and their subjection to the Romans. The slaves in subjection to their masters, and Christians who were to show charity and grace to put to shame or bring sinners to conviction and repentance; In such one may heap coals of fire upon the head of an enemy, Rom 12:17; Rom 12:19-21.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(41) Whosoever shall compel thee.The Greek word implies the special compulsion of forced service as courier or messenger under Government, and was imported from the Persian postal system, organised on the plan of employing men thus impressed to convey Government dispatches from stage to stage (Herod. viii. 98). The use of the illustration here would seem to imply the adoption of the same system by the Roman Government under the empire. Roman soldiers and their horses were billeted on Jewish householders. Others were impressed for service of longer or shorter duration.
A mile.The influence of Rome is shown by the use of the Latin word (slightly altered) for the mille passuum, the thousand paces which made up a Roman mileabout 142 yards short of an English statute mile. It is interesting to note a like illustration of the temper that yields to compulsion of this kind, rather than struggle or resist, in the teaching of the Stoic EpictetusShould there be a forced service, and a soldier should lay hold on thee, let him work his will; do not resist or murmur (Diss. iv., i. 79).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
41. C ompel thee to go a mile The phrase was borrowed from the practice of the oppressive Eastern despotisms. The custom was introduced from the Persian into the Roman government. The royal officers in transmitting government dispatches, were empowered to impress any man into service, and compel him or his beast to perform a stage or two of the message. So Simon, the Cyrenian, was compelled to bear the cross. Now, says our Lord, if any one obliges you to perform some task for him like this, make him magnanimously ashamed, if possible, by doubling the favour.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Mat 5:41 . , passed over from the Persian (see Gesenius, Thes . I. p. 23) into Greek, Latin ( angariare , Vulgate, Augustine, Eph 5 ), and into the Rabbinical dialect ( , Buxtorf, Lex. Rabb. p. 131; Lightfoot on the passage), to force into transport service. The Persian arrangements respecting post messages, instituted by Cyrus, justified the couriers ( ) in making requisitions from station to station of men, or cattle, or carriages for the carrying on of their journey, Herodotus, viii. 98; Xenoph. Cyrop. viii. 6. 17; Josephus, Antt. xii. 2. 3. See Dougtius, Anal. II. p. 9 f. Here it refers to continuing a forced journey, comp. Mat 27:32 .
] One thousand steps, or eight stadia, one-fourth of a German mile. A late word found in Strabo.
REMARK.
The spirit of the ethics of Jesus, His own example (Joh 18:22 f.) and that of the apostles (Act 23:3 ; Act 16:35 ; Act 26:25 ; Act 25:9 f.), require us to recognise, in these manifestly typical representations, Mat 5:39-41 , not precepts to be literally followed, but precepts which are certainly to be determined according to their idea . This idea, which is that of love, yielding and putting to shame in the spirit of self-denial, and overcoming evil with good, is concretely represented in those examples, but has, in the relations of external life and its individual cases, the measure and the limitation of its moral practice. Comp. on Mat 5:38 . Luther appropriately lays emphasis here upon the distinction between what the Christian has to do as a Christian , and what as a worldly person (in so far as he is in a position or an office, and so on). The Lord leaves to the state its own jurisdiction, Mat 22:21 .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
Ver. 41. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile ] Under colour of the magistrate’s authority, which he abuseth; rather than by resisting thou shouldest revenge thyself, go with him two miles, yea, as far as the shoes of the preparation of the gospel of peace can carry thee. In the course of a man’s life many wrongs are to be put up, which whoso cannot frame to, let him make up his pack, and be gone out of the world; for here is no being for him. a Many pills are to be swallowed down whole, which if we should chew them would stick in our teeth and prove very bitter. Patience is of continual use to us at every turn; it is as bread or salt, which we cannot make one good meal without. It is a cloak, to keep off all storms; a helmet, to bear off all blows; a paring knife, that cuts the cross less and less, till it comes to nothing. As there be two kinds of antidotes against poison, viz. hot and cold, so against tribulation and temptation, prayer, and patience; the one, hot; the other, cold; the one, quenching; the other, quickening, Dan 6:20 . The king cried unto Daniel with a lamentable voice, Mat 5:21 . Then Daniel talked with the king, &c., with a voice not distressed, as that of the king was: for as by faith he stopped the mouths of the lions, Heb 11:33 , so by patience he possessed his own soul, Luk 21:19 ; he became master of himself, which is the only true manhood. So patience had her perfect work in Joseph; therefore he became, as St James hath it, “perfect and entire, wanting nothing,” Jas 1:4 . Julius Caesar, beholding the picture of Alexander in Hercules’ temple at Gades, lamented that he had done no worthy exploit at those years, wherein Alexander had conquered the whole world. Joseph at thirty showed more true virtue, valour, piety, patience, purity, policy, knowledge of secrets, skill in government, &c., than either of them. Giles of Brussels, a Dutch martyr, when the friars at any time did miscall him, he ever held his peace at such private injuries, insomuch that those blasphemers would say abroad that he had a dumb devil in him. And Cassianus reporteth, that when a Christian was held captive by infidels, and tormented with various pains and ignominious taunts, being demanded by way of scorn, Tell us what miracle thy Christ hath done? he answered, He hath done what you see, that I am not moved at all by the cruelties and contumelies you cast upon me. Godly people can bear wrongs best of any; and although corrupt nature in them bustles again, and bestirs itself, yet they soon club it down, they reason themselves patient, as David, and pray down their distempers, as Paul, Psa 43:1 ; 2Co 12:9 . And albeit, with those two sons of thunder, they could find in their hearts to call for fire from heaven upon their adversaries, yet they will do nothing without leave. As they came to Christ, and said, “Wilt thou that we command fire from heaven?” &c., which when Christ disliked and denied, they were soon satisfied, Luk 9:54 . We must take up our crosses, and when God bids us yoke, he is the wisest man that yields his neck most willingly. Our Saviour gave Judas his mouth to be kissed when he came to betray him, leaving us a pattern of like equanimity and patience.
a Persis dicebantur quos hodie postas vocamus. Eph 6:15 . Qui nescit dissimulate, nescit vivere; ut Saul, 1Sa 10:27 . Levius fit patientia quicquid corrigere est nefas. Cedamus, leve sit quod bene fertur onus. Pondus ipsa iactatione incommodius fit. Sen.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Mat 5:41 . : compel thee to go one mile in A. V [32] and R. V [33] Hatch ( Essays in Biblical Greek , p. 37) thinks it means compel thee to carry his baggage , a very probable rendering in view of the history of the word as he gives it. A Persian word, originally, introduced into the Greek, Latin, and Rabbinic languages, it denoted first to requisition men, beasts, or conveyances for the courier system described in Herod. viii. 98, Xen. Cyr. viii. 6, 17; next in post-classical use under the successors of the Persians in the East, and under the Roman Empire, it was applied to the forced transport of military baggage by the inhabitants of a country through which troops were passing. Hatch remarks: “The extent to which this system prevailed is seen in the elaborate provisions of the later Roman law: angariae came to be one of those modes of taxing property which, under the vicious system of the empire, ruined both individuals and communities”. An instance in N. T. of the use of the word in this later sense occurs in Mat 27:32 , Mar 15:21 , in reference to Simon compelled to carry Christ’s cross. We may conceive the compulsion in the present case to proceed from a military man. , a Roman mile, about 1600 yards, a late word. , in point of time, the additional mile = two, there and back, with proportional fatigue, a decided climax of hardship. But it is not merely a question of time, as Achelis thinks. The sense of oppression is involved, subjection to arbitrary military power. Christ’s counsel is: do not submit to the inevitable in a slavish, sullen spirit, harbouring thoughts of revolt. Do the service cheerfully, and more than you are asked. The counsel is far-reaching, covering the case of the Jewish people subject to the Roman yoke, and of slaves serving hard masters. The three cases of non-resistance are not meant to foster an abject spirit. They point out the higher way to victory. He that magnanimously bears overcomes.
[32] Authorised Version.
[33] Revised Version.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
to go: i.e. to carry his baggage. Compare Luk 3:14.
a mile. Greek. million (from Latin. miliarium). Occurs only here.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Mat 5:41. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
If you can do him any service, do it cheerfully, do it readily. Do what he wants of you.
Mat 5:42. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
This is the spirit of the Christian to live with the view of doing service.
Mat 5:43-46. Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye?
You have done what anybody would do.
Mat 5:46-48. Do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Rise out of ordinary manhood. Get beyond what others might expect of you. Have a high standard. Be ye, therefore, perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
This exposition consisted of readings from Mat 5:41-48; Mat 6:1-8
Fuente: Spurgeon’s Verse Expositions of the Bible
Mat 5:41. ) A word of Persian origin.[225] They who travelled on the public business could press a person into service. See Vriemoet on this passage.[226]
[225] , a Persian word for a royal courier, who had authority to press horses, etc. into his service in execution of his mission. The word (angaria) (whence avania and avanie in Ital. and Fr.) is used in the Talmud for any forced work. Connected with this is the Hebrew (iggereth), a letter.-Wordsworth in loc.-(I. B.)
[226] Emo-Lucius Vriemoet, born at Embden, in Friesland in 1699, became Professor of Oriental languages and Hebrew antiquities at Francker, and published many learned works on these subjects. He died in 1764.-(I. B.)
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
compel: Mat 27:32, Mar 15:21, Luk 23:26
Reciprocal: Luk 6:29 – and him
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
5:41
Under some peculiar customs of the old times there seems to have been one of providing an escort for a man making a journey. However, the lesson is the same as that contained in the preceding verses which is that the disciples of Christ should show a willingness to be imposed on rather than wanting to impose on others.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
[And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, etc.] to him that had some corporeal wrong done him were these five mulcts to be paid, according to the reason and quality of the wrong: A mulct for maiming; if so be the party were maimed: a mulct for pain; caused by the blow or wound given: a mulct for the cure of the wound or blow; a mulct for the reproach brought upon him: and a mulct for ceasing; when, being wounded or beaten, he kept his bed, and could not follow his business.
To the first, the first words of our Saviour, That ye resist not evil; seem to relate: Do not so resist or rise up against an injurious person, as to require the law of retaliation against him. The second and fourth, the words following seem to respect, viz. ‘Whosoever smiteth thee; so that it cause pain and shame’: and those words also, ‘Him that will take away thy coat.’ To the last do these words under our hand refer, and to the second certainly, if “some intolerable kind of service be propounded,” which the famous Beza asserts.
The word very usual among the Talmudists, whereby they denote accompanying him that goes elsewhere, out of honour and respect, reaches not the sense of the word compel; but is too soft and low for it. It is reckoned for a duty to accompany a dead corpse to the grave, and a Rabbin departing somewhere. Hence is that story, “Germani, the servant of R. Judah Nasi, willing to conduct R. Illa going away, met a mad dog,” etc. The footsteps of this civility we meet with among the Christians, Tit 3:13; John, Ep. 3 verse 6; 3Jo 1:6; they were marks of respect, love, and reverence: but that which was required by the Jewish masters, out of arrogance and a supercilious authority, was to be done to a Rabbin, as a Rabbin.
But to compel to go a mile, sounds harsher, and speaks not so much an impulse of duty, as a compulsion of violence: and the Talmudists retain that very word Angaria; and do show, by examples not a few, what it means. “It is reported of R. Eliazar Ben Harsum, that his father bequeathed him a thousand cities on the dry land, and a thousand ships on the sea: but yet he, every day carrying along with him a bottle of meal on his shoulder, travelled from city to city, and from country to country, to learn the law. On a certain day his servants met him, and angariate, compel him. He saith to them, ‘I beseech you, dismiss me, that I may go and learn the law.’ They say to him, ‘By the life of R. Eliazar Ben Harsum, we will not dismiss you,’ ” etc. Where the Gloss is, “Angariah is the service of the governor of the city; and he was here to serve himself [for he was the lord of the city]. But they knew him not, but thought him to belong to one of those his cities: for its was incumbent on them to attend on their master.”
Again; “R. Eliezer saith, ‘Why was Abraham our father punished, and why were his sons afflicted in Egypt two hundred and ten years?’ Because he ‘angariavit,’ ‘compelled’ the disciples of the wise men to go with him: as it is said he armed his catechumens; or his trained; or instructed;” Gen 14:14.
The same almost is said of King Asa: “Rabba asked, Why was Asa punished [with the gout]? Because he compelled the disciples of the wise men to go along with him: as it is said, ‘And Asa gathered together all Judah, none excepted,’ ” etc., 1Ki 15:22.
We meet with mention also of angariating cattle; “An ass is hired for a hilly journey; but he that hireth him travels in the valley: although both be of the like distance, that is, ten miles, if an ass dies, he who hired him is guilty, etc. But if the ass were angariated; the hirer saith to the owner, Behold, take your beast to yourself;” etc. The Gooss is, “If he were angariated; that is, if they take him for some work of the king,” etc.
You see, then, whither the exhortation of our Saviour tends: 1. To patience under an open injury, and for which there is no pretence, Mat 5:39. 2. Under an injury, for which some right and equity in law is pretended, Mat 5:40. 3. Under an injury, compulsion, or violence, patronized by the authority of a king, or of those that are above us.
Fuente: Lightfoot Commentary Gospels
Mat 5:41. Impress thee. The word is borrowed from the Persian, and refers to couriers pressing men and beasts into the public service, a matter very obnoxious to the Jews; it includes also the quartering of soldiers, and military requisitions, etc.
A mile, a thousand Roman paces, about 1,520 yards (less than an English mile), but the proportion, one to two, is the main point. Endure double hardship, even when it seems most unjust, rather than angrily refuse.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 41
Go with him twain. The officers of government, in transmitting despatches, could press any man into their service, to help them on their way. This often gave rise to great oppression. Our Savior teaches his disciples not to be eager to resist the authority of the government, even when it is unjustly exercised.