If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. [Matthew 5:41]
At first glance, this is a wonderful image of being humble and serving other people, which it is. But there is also an intentional edge to what Jesus challenged his believers to do.
You see, there was a Roman law called lex angeria which allowed a soldier to compel a civilian to carry his pack for one milion– 1,520 paces. This is known as a Roman mile. But the soldier was required to take the pack again at the end of the mile. He would be subject to punishment if he tried to make the civilian carry the pack further.
By telling his followers to walk beyond the mile, he was actually challenging the Roman authority. Jesus, in his brilliant non-violence, found a way to show up the Roman system.
Under the threat of Roman force, we might be required to walk a mile. So, by love we should walk two.
When following Jesus’ command here, the Christian would force the Roman soldier to acknowledge that Jesus’ teachings were more compassionate, loving and humble than the Roman system. Jesus’ followers were more submitted to him than to Roman law, more willing to do for him what few would do for Caesar.
Giving up the inner garment as well as the outer for a debt was also a way of shaming the creditor. Leaving him naked with the creditor standing there with both his garments. In ancient Judah the same would have been on the seeing and who caused nakedness.