And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
The magistrate may lawfully exact this penalty; but the Old Testament never commanded private revenge as necessary. Jewish teachers corrupted it into a demand for retaliation by common men. Christ sweeps away that abuse entirely and calls His followers to something higher: forgiveness and patience even under fresh injury.
AI summary
Commenting on Matthew 5:38-42
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...
Verse 41. Whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile. The word translated shall compel, is of Persian origin. Post-offices were then unknown. In order that the royal commands might be delivered with safety and despatch in different parts of the empire, Cyrus stationed horsemen at proper intervals on all the great public highways. One of those delivered the message to another, and intelligence was thus rapidly and safely communicated.