What is the meaning of the phrase walk another mile?

Answer 1

It originates from a teaching of Jesus Christ which is included in the Sermon on the Mount found in the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew's version of the phrase can be found in Matthew 5:41 which states that "If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles." NIV

At that time, the Jewish nation was occupied by the Romans, and Roman soldiers would frequently draft individuals on impulse to carry their loads for them. A historical example of this occurring is when the Roman soldiers forced a man from Cyrene called Simon to carry Jesus' cross for him (refer to Matthew 27:32). This was because the Roman military held the power in the society and also because it was a way of demonstrating that they had the upper hand over the Jews. It was typical for the Roman soldiers to force someone to carry their load for them for one mile.

Jews, however, really resented this treatment. Not only was it an affront to their personal freedom, but it also emphasised that their country was under Roman rule, even though they firmly believed that they were God's people and their land had been promised to them by God himself. More zealous Jews would refuse to carry the Roman soldiers' loads, which resulted in conflicts and severe punishments for the Jews.

In contrast, Jesus encouraged his followers to take a different course of action. Rather than rebel against this treatment, Jesus advised his listeners to take the opposite approach, which was to not just carry the load for the legal limit of one mile, but to carry it for an extra mile as well. This demonstration of self-sacrifice would ultimately, Jesus believed, be more effective in softening the hearts of their conquerors than a rebellious approach. This teaching is consistent with the general approach that Jesus took in his own life, according to the Biblical records, which describe how Jesus was willing to die rather than trying to resist his prosecutors.

The saying "to go the extra mile" has broadened slightly from its original meaning to a more general meaning which refers to someone who is willing to go beyond what is specifically required of them in completing a task or a request, and put in extra effort to do a better job. The motivation for doing this can include making an impression on the person who requested that the task be carried out, or it can be related to wanting to do a good job for personal reasons.