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Selected Verse: Matthew 5:40 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Mt 5:40	Strong Concordance	And [2532] if any man will [2309] sue [2919] thee [4671] at the law [2919], and [2532] take away [2983] thy [4675] coat [5509], let [863] him [846] have [863] thy cloke [2440] also [2532].
	King James	And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take way thy coat--the inner garment; in pledge for a debt (Exo 22:26-27). let him have thy cloak also--the outer and more costly garment. This overcoat was not allowed to be retained over night as a pledge from the poor because they used it for a bed covering.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take way thy coat--the inner garment; in pledge for a debt (Exo 22:26-27).

let him have thy cloak also--the outer and more costly garment. This overcoat was not allowed to be retained over night as a pledge from the poor because they used it for a bed covering.

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]
Coat, cloke (χιτῶνα, ἱμάτιον) The former, the shirt-like under-garment or tunic; the latter, the mantle, or ampler over-garment, which served as a covering for the night, and therefore was forbidden by the Levitical law to be retained in pledge overnight (Exo 22:26, Exo 22:27). To yield up this without resistance therefore implies a higher degree of concession.

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]

Coat, cloke (χιτῶνα, ἱμάτιον)

The former, the shirt-like under-garment or tunic; the latter, the mantle, or ampler over-garment, which served as a covering for the night, and therefore was forbidden by the Levitical law to be retained in pledge overnight (Exo 22:26, Exo 22:27). To yield up this without resistance therefore implies a higher degree of concession.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Where the damage is not great, choose rather to suffer it, though possibly it may on that account be repeated, than to demand an eye for an eye, to enter into a rigorous prosecution of the offender. The meaning of the whole passage seems to be, rather than return evil for evil, when the wrong is purely personal, submit to one bodily wrong after another, give up one part of your goods after another, submit to one instance of compulsion after another. That the words are not literally to be understood, appears from the behaviour of our Lord himself, Joh 18:22-23.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]

Where the damage is not great, choose rather to suffer it, though possibly it may on that account be repeated, than to demand an eye for an eye, to enter into a rigorous prosecution of the offender. The meaning of the whole passage seems to be, rather than return evil for evil, when the wrong is purely personal, submit to one bodily wrong after another, give up one part of your goods after another, submit to one instance of compulsion after another. That the words are not literally to be understood, appears from the behaviour of our Lord himself, Joh 18:22-23.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
And if any man will sue thee at the law - Every where our blessed Lord shows the utmost disapprobation of such litigations as tended to destroy brotherly kindness and charity. It is evident he would have his followers to suffer rather the loss of all their property than to have recourse to such modes of redress, at so great a risk. Having the mind averse from contentions, and preferring peace and concord to temporal advantages, is most solemnly recommended to all Christians. We are great gainers when we lose only our money, or other property, and risk not the loss of our souls, by losing the love of God and man. Coat - Χιτωνα, upper garment. - Cloke, ἱματιον, under garment. What we call strait coat, and great coat. - See on Luk 6:29 (note).

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826

And if any man will sue thee at the law - Every where our blessed Lord shows the utmost disapprobation of such litigations as tended to destroy brotherly kindness and charity. It is evident he would have his followers to suffer rather the loss of all their property than to have recourse to such modes of redress, at so great a risk. Having the mind averse from contentions, and preferring peace and concord to temporal advantages, is most solemnly recommended to all Christians. We are great gainers when we lose only our money, or other property, and risk not the loss of our souls, by losing the love of God and man.

Coat - Χιτωνα, upper garment. - Cloke, ἱματιον, under garment. What we call strait coat, and great coat. - See on Luk 6:29 (note).

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