Gospel of Matthew Chapter 5 Vs. 40

 Retaliation

Matthew 5:40 “And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have [thy] cloak also.”

And if any... It is the second that tests character; and your actions with respect to it will determine whether you have entered into the spirit of Christ and are willing to serve others for love’s sake and at cost of peril and inconvenience to yourself.

let him have... Whether robbed by personal assault or compulsory litigation, the believer is to respond with confidence in what is eternal, rather than that which is temporal. If the believer is sued in order that the accuser may “take away thy coat,” he is to also let him have his “cloak.” The coat is the undergarment or tunic. The cloak is the more expensive outer garment worn over the tunic.

Jesus taught us to have confidence in an almighty God who is completely aware of the injustices done to man and totally capable of evoking ultimate and eternal justice.

Jesus was saying, don’t argue over material things. They will pass away. We get ahead much faster by trying to out-give the other person. If we are generous, people will be generous with us also.

Instead he might go “the extra mile” to maintain peace. When wronged by being struck on a cheek, or sued for his tunic (undergarment; a cloak was the outer garment), or forced to travel with someone a mile, he would not strike back, demand repayment, or refuse to comply.