Jesus demanded outrageous love from His followers. We see this in Matthew chapter five:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. A nd whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Gi ve to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away. Matthew 5:38-42

When Jesus told His followers to go two miles when someone compelled them to go one, it was a reference to the supposed rights of a Roman soldier. Rome decreed that any Roman soldier could conscript anyone to carry his pack a mile.

Could you imagine being a Jew and having to carry a Roman soldier’s pack against your will? This was not just some guy who needed a little help. The Romans were pagans who conquered Israel. They had killed the Jews by the tens of thousands many by crucifixion. They brought such high taxes that common folks were having to sell their land to pay their debts. And one of these Romans comes, and he does not ask you to carry his pack a mile; he demands it. What do you do? Jesus said carry it two miles.

Jesus taught that the way we should meet outrageous injustice is with outrageous love. Yet, there was an edge to His teaching. In the kingdom of God the way to expose darkness is not with more darkness but with light. The more loving our response is to evil, the more our enemy’s hatred is exposed. The way to overcome our enemies is not by becoming like them but by doing the opposite of what they do to us.

Could you image being a Roman soldier and a hated Jew had just carried your pack not the required mile but two miles? Such a soldier probably would not lay down his sword, but he would be disarmed. He could never hate that Jew again.