Steven Carr

'“Angeria” is the law that stipulates that a Roman soldier is permitted to force a civilian to carry his ~75lb pack one mile only. At the second marker the soldier was required to retrieve his pack. By carrying the pack more than a mile, the peasant makes the soldier culpable for violation of military law. Again, Jesus is not just “extending himself” by going the second mile, He is putting the soldier in jeopardy of punishment.'

has anybody ever heard of angeria?

Vinnie

Never heard of it. Documentation please

Vinnie

Toto

Walter Wink, Christian pacifist

Wink is the only source referenced on the internet for this idea. Wink is a PhD, a member of the Jesus Seminar. Probably a reliable source. But the idea that this puts the soldier in jeopardy, just for accepting the offer of help, may be his creative interpretation of the law, the sort of creative interpretation that PhD's sometimes come up with.

secular buddhist

It is hard to see how the civilian volunteering to carry the load an extra mile would put the soldier in jeopardy of violating the law. Unless the civilian was going to lie about it afterward? Afterall, who would believe the soldier that a peasant in a conquered nation would volunteer to do extra work?