Let Him Have Your Coat Also

Mt 5:40 “If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also.”

Summary Notes

Say What?!

Jesus said that if someone is trying to take the shirt off my back that I should just give him the shirt and my coat too. Does Jesus mean that I should give away all my possessions to bullies?!

Why would He say this?

Photo by Dawn Carlson – The Keweenaw Upper Entrance Light in Lake Superior, like all lighthouses, facilitate the transportation of goods and services on the water. Paying what you owe and then some is the foundation of Capitalism. Nothing happens without capital (money) and nothing BIG happens with out a lot of money. In our system few people or businesses have enough money to prepay for everything they need to move goods and to pay people for their time and services. Businesses borrow what they need in the near certain hope that they will sell their goods and pay what they owe and still have a profit. Without the lighthouses over the last two centuries shipping would have been very fraught with peril and the progress and prosperity of our Great Lakes states and country would have been much slower. The quote is from Adam Smith (1723-1790) who was a moral philosopher and is known as the Father of Capitalism. Click the link to find out why I like lighthouses: Why a Lighthouse? See the Photo Gallery for this and other images.

There is a principle of Jewish law that states punishment for violent acts be in kind such as , “AN EYE FOR AN EYE AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.” In a previous post I pointed out that the context was of judicial proceedings but the people were using this principle in personal matters. I think this command is about debts, perhaps both financial and otherwise, and about the likelihood of an imminent judicial ruling against me. The command also has implications about personal attitude.

There is no reason to think that this opponent is suing for my shirt unrighteously. If I have wronged someone and they have a legitimate case against me then Jesus’ command has profound implications.

Click here for my personal application and your comments link …or Scroll down for my full notes. By the way, I’ve reprinted some interesting comments that you can see if you scroll down there…

Command 16: “…let him have your coat also.”

REFERENCE:

Mt 5:40 also Lk 6:29

RECIPIENT: To the disciples in the hearing of the crowds on the mountain

Mt 5:1-2 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. ²He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying,

CONTEXT: A continuation of the Sermon on the Mount

Mt 5:38-39 “You have heard that it was said, ‘AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.‘ ³⁹But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.”

COMMAND FULL TEXT:

Mt 5:40 “If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also.”

RESULT:

No stated result except for two chapters later when Jesus came down from the mountain

Mt 7:28-29; 8:1 When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; ²⁹for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.
¹When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him.

COMMENT:

The saying, ‘AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH,’ comes from Old Testament law (Ex 21:23-25, Lv 24:19-20, Dt 19:18-21). In the previous post (BLOG 14 & 15) I pointed out that the context was of judicial proceedings but the saying was being misapplied to personal attitudes. This command is about the threat of imminent judicial ruling and again has implications about personal attitude.

There is no indication that this opponent is going to law unrighteously. There are a few potential implications if I’ve wronged someone:

1. My attitude should be humble and not defensive.
2. I should more than satisfy the restitution I owe.

If however, your opponent is going to court using lies, deceit or forgeries against you, consider the cost of going to court in a counter-suit to recover what is rightfully yours. Worse damage may be done to your family and fortune if you pursue the counter-suit. It might be better to simply buy another coat and shirt and be at peace with the matter. Jesus did not mention what to do if your opponent was demanding your house or business. These items matter to your family and livelihood and you might need to approach such a problem differently.

DEFINITIONS: Key Greek Words

sue: G2919 κρίνω kree’-nō — Properly to distinguish, that is, decide (mentally or judicially); by implication to try, condemn, punish

take: G2983 λαμβάνω lam-ban’-ō — A primary verb: to take

have: G863 ἀφίημι af-ee’-ay-mee — To send forth

MY PERSONAL APPLICATION: I encourage you to make your own application and please share it in the comments

If I’ve wronged someone, my attitude toward them should be humble. I should more than satisfy my debt to them if possible.

RETURN TO COMMAND

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB

Please share a comment, question or perhaps another application for this command of Jesus.

I think that in the past (and maybe I still do this too often) I extrapolate the sayings of the Bible beyond the boundaries of their obvious application. This command is an example and it is why I asked the question, “Does Jesus mean that I should give away all my possessions to bullies?” The bully would be someone who sues me knowing I have to give my possessions to him/her because I’m a Christian; this, to me, is beyond the boundaries of Jesus’ command and the answer is a resounding, “NO!”

The situations you mention about the coat held for a pledge and the one that is the subject of a lawsuit are two entirely different topics . The coat held for a pledge is mentioned in Exodus and Deuteronomy:
Ex 22:26-27 “If you ever take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge, you are to return it to him before the sun sets, for that is his only covering; it is his cloak for his body. What else shall he sleep in? And it shall come about that when he cries out to Me, I will hear him, for I am gracious.
Dt 24:12-13 “If he is a poor man, you shall not sleep with his pledge. When the sun goes down you shall surely return the pledge to him, that he may sleep in his cloak and bless you; and it will be righteousness for you before the LORD your God.”

Both of these are in the context of lending for necessities to the very poor. Interest was forbidden in the case of a Jewish person lending to a fellow Jewish person. But in principle, lending for necessity to a poor person and keeping his/her other necessities is extortion and wrong no matter who it is.

In the case of a lawsuit against you to take your (for example) coat, I think this is a different situation. Although clothing in 33 AD was more valuable than today, I do not think someone would sue for the only possession of a poor person. If they did sue, only the most corrupt of courts would uphold it. Therefore, I think there is an assumption that the person being sued is not destitute without the object of the lawsuit. In my opinion, Jesus was talking about my attitude regarding my obligations and my possessions more than anything else.

2 Replies to “Let Him Have Your Coat Also”

CNC says:

25 July, 2019 at 11:30 pm

I’ve often wondered about the meaning of this passage. I’m afraid the blog post doesn’t offer much perspective for me. Remember, there was a rule about not holding a person’s coat as surety because that may be his last defense against the cold. So should i turn my cheek and offer my cloak when that may be everything i have too? I suppose it’s true i should make sure to pay back everything and more that i owe. But this passage is normally used with the assumption that the suit against someone is unjust. So when I’m being treated unjustly, should i also be submissive and generous?

1. Christopher Carlson says:
  
  25 July, 2019 at 11:32 pm
  
  I think that in the past (and maybe I still do this too often) I extrapolate the sayings of the Bible beyond the boundaries of their obvious application. This command is an example and it is why I asked the question, “Does Jesus mean that I should give away all my possessions to bullies?” The bully would be someone who sues me knowing I have to give my possessions to him/her because I’m a Christian; this, to me, is beyond the boundaries of Jesus’ command and the answer is a resounding, “NO!”
  
  The situations you mention about the coat held for a pledge and the one that is the subject of a lawsuit are two entirely different topics . The coat held for a pledge is mentioned in Exodus and Deuteronomy:
  Ex 22:26-27 “If you ever take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge, you are to return it to him before the sun sets, for that is his only covering; it is his cloak for his body. What else shall he sleep in? And it shall come about that when he cries out to Me, I will hear him, for I am gracious.
  Dt 24:12-13 “If he is a poor man, you shall not sleep with his pledge. When the sun goes down you shall surely return the pledge to him, that he may sleep in his cloak and bless you; and it will be righteousness for you before the LORD your God.”
  
  Both of these are in the context of lending for necessities to the very poor. Interest was forbidden in the case of a Jewish person lending to a fellow Jewish person. But in principle, lending for necessity to a poor person and keeping his/her other necessities is extortion and wrong no matter who it is.
  
  In the case of a lawsuit against you to take your (for example) coat, I think this is a different situation. Although clothing in 33 AD was more valuable than today, I do not think someone would sue for the only possession of a poor person. If they did sue, only the most corrupt of courts would uphold it. Therefore, I think there is an assumption that the person being sued is not destitute without the object of the lawsuit. In my opinion, Jesus was talking about my attitude regarding my obligations and my possessions more than anything else.