The term "mile" as understood in contemporary measurements does not appear directly in the Bible, as the ancient world used different systems of measurement. However, the concept of a mile can be related to biblical distances through the Roman mile, which was commonly used during the time of the New Testament. The Roman mile, or "mille passus," was approximately 1,000 paces or about 4,854 feet, which is slightly shorter than the modern mile of 5,280 feet.

Biblical Context and Usage

In the New Testament, the concept of a mile is indirectly referenced in the teachings of Jesus. In Matthew 5:41, Jesus instructs, "If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles" . This passage is part of the Sermon on the Mount and reflects the Roman practice of impressment, where Roman soldiers could compel civilians to carry their gear for a mile. Jesus' teaching here emphasizes the principle of going beyond what is required, demonstrating love and service even to those who impose burdens.

Cultural and Historical Background

The Roman mile was a standard unit of distance in the Roman Empire, which dominated the Mediterranean world during the time of Jesus and the early church. Roads built by the Romans often had mile markers, known as "milestones," which helped travelers measure distances. This infrastructure facilitated the spread of the Gospel, as the apostles and early Christians traveled extensively throughout the Roman Empire.

Symbolic Interpretation

From a symbolic perspective, the instruction to "go the extra mile" has been interpreted as a call to exhibit Christ-like behavior, characterized by selflessness and generosity. It challenges believers to exceed the expectations of societal norms and to act with grace and compassion, reflecting the transformative power of the Gospel in everyday life.

Related Biblical Concepts

The idea of going beyond what is required can be linked to other biblical teachings on love and service. For instance, in Philippians 2:3-4, Paul writes, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others" . This passage, like the teaching on the extra mile, encourages believers to prioritize the needs of others and to act with humility and love.

Conclusion

While the term "mile" itself is not explicitly found in the Bible, its conceptual presence in the teachings of Jesus provides a profound lesson on Christian conduct. The call to go the extra mile remains a powerful metaphor for living out the principles of the Kingdom of God in a world that often values self-interest over selflessness.Mile

a Roman measure of length, equal to 1618 English yards --4854 feet, or about nine-tenths of an English mile. It is only once noticed in the Bible, (Matthew 5:41) the usual method of reckoning both in the New Testament and in Josephus being by the stadium. The mile of the Jews is said to have been of two kinds, long or short, dependent on the length of the pace, which varied in different parts, the long pace being double the length of the short one.

Mile

The word mile, in Matthew 5:41, is spoken of the Roman milliare, or mile, which contained eight stadia, 1,000 paces, that is, about 1,614 yards, while the English mile contains 1,760 yards.

(from Lat. mille, "a thousand;" Matthew 5:41), a Roman measure of 1,000 paces of 5 feet each. Thus the Roman mile has 1618 yards, being 142 yards shorter than the English mile. (n.) A certain measure of distance, being equivalent in England and the United States to 320 poles or rods, or 5,280 feet.MILE

mil (milion, Latin mille passus, milia passuum): A thousand paces, equal to 1,618 English yards. (Matthew 5:41).

See WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.

3400. milion -- a Roman mile (about 1618 yards)
... a Roman mile (about 1618 yards). Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: milion
Phonetic Spelling: (mil'-ee-on) Short Definition: a Roman mile Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3400.htm - 6k

4712. stadion -- a stadium (a Gr. measure of length), by impl. a ...
... of Speech: Noun, Masculine; Noun, Neuter Transliteration: stadion Phonetic Spelling:
(stad'-ee-on) Short Definition: one eighth of a Roman mile Definition: (a ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4712.htm - 7k

Another Ninety-Mile Journey
... Chapter 11. "I do Indeed Live by Preaching"; Wesley's Advice to Travelers;
Wesley and the French Prisoners Another Ninety-mile Journey. ...
/.../wesley/the journal of john wesley/another ninety-mile journey.htm

But Christmas is not only the mile-mark of another year
... But Christmas is not only the mile-mark of another year, moving us to thoughts of
self-examination: it is a season, from all its associations, whether domestic ...
//christianbookshelf.org/stevenson/a christmas sermon/ii.htm

Tsok: and Beth Chadudo.
... When they sent forth the goat Azazel, on the day of expiation,"before that, they
set up ten tents, a mile distant one from another: where some betook ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 54 tsok and beth.htm

The River of Life
... The Prophet describes how his companion, the interpreter, measured down the stream
a thousand cubits"about a quarter of a mile"and the waters were ankle ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/the river of life.htm

Fresh Supplies of Power.
... After the eagle-flight up into highest air, and the hundred yards dash, or even
the mile run, comes the steady, steady walking mile after mile. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/gordon/quiet talks on power/fresh supplies of power.htm

Appendix xv. The Location of Sychar, and the Date of Our Lord's ...
... p.48 d). If further proof were required, it would be sufficient to say that a woman
would scarcely have gone a mile and a half from Shechem to Jacob's well to ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/appendix xv the location of.htm

Non-Resistance
... let him have thy cloke also.41. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a
mile, go with him twain.42. Give to him that asketh thee ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/non-resistance.htm

Introduction.
... We get our chronology so twisted that we come to believe that the white marble of
the tomb is the mile-stone at which a good man stops, when it is only a mile ...
//christianbookshelf.org/fagg/forty years in south china/introduction.htm

Travelling in Palestine --Roads, Inns, Hospitality, Custom-House ...
... soldiers leaving him at Antipatris, about twenty Roman miles from Lydda, and altogether
from Jerusalem about fifty-two Roman miles (the Roman mile being 1,618 ...
/.../sketches of jewish social life/chapter 4 travelling in palestineroads.htm

"The Pharaoh Drew Nigh"
... At sunset he was again upon the way, taking the level highway of the Wady Toomilat
for a mile toward the west, and turning south, after that distance, as the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the yoke/chapter xliii the pharaoh drew.htm

Mile (2 Occurrences)
... Thus the Roman mile has 1618 yards, being 142 yards shorter than the English mile.
Noah Webster's Dictionary. ... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. MILE. ...
/m/mile.htm - 7k

Mile'tus (3 Occurrences)
Mile'tus. Miletus, Mile'tus. Military . Multi-Version Concordance
Mile'tus (3 Occurrences). Acts 20:15 and thence having ...
/m/mile'tus.htm - 7k

Sychar (1 Occurrence)
... has now, however, as the result of recent explorations, been identified with `Askar,
a small Samaritan town on the southern base of Ebal, about a mile to the ...
/s/sychar.htm - 10k

Elealeh (5 Occurrences)
... It is now an extensive ruin called el-A'al, about one mile north-east of Heshbon.
Int. ... Eusebius (Onomasticon) locates it one Roman mile from Heshbon. ...
/e/elealeh.htm - 9k

Weights (14 Occurrences)
... we have the fathom (orguia), about 6 feet, and the furlong (stadion), 600 Greek
feet or 606 3/4 English feet, which is somewhat less than one-eighth of a mile. ...
/w/weights.htm - 21k

Measures (50 Occurrences)
... we have the fathom (orguia), about 6 feet, and the furlong (stadion), 600 Greek
feet or 606 3/4 English feet, which is somewhat less than one-eighth of a mile. ...
/m/measures.htm - 35k

Damascus (58 Occurrences)
... The city is about a mile long (East to West) and about half a mile broad
(North to South). On the south side a long suburb, consisting ...
/d/damascus.htm - 45k

Zarephath (4 Occurrences)
... Smelting-shop, "a workshop for the refining and smelting of metals", a small Phoenician
town, now Surafend, about a mile from the coast, almost midway on the ...
/z/zarephath.htm - 11k

Nob (6 Occurrences)
... near Jerusalem. It has been identified by some with el-Isawiyeh, one mile
and a half to the north-east of Jerusalem. But according ...
/n/nob.htm - 12k

Long (2810 Occurrences)
... 5. (superl.) Extended to any specified measure; of a specified length; as, a span
long; a yard long; a mile long, that is, extended to the measure of a mile...
/l/long.htm - 8k

What are the modern equivalents of biblical weights and measures? | GotQuestions.org

What is the significance of the Jordan River in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

What can we learn from the woman at the well? | GotQuestions.org

Mile: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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