Luke 10:10-12
But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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When your message of peace is rejected, Jesus doesn't want you to just quietly leave. He instructs you to go into the streets, the public spaces, and declare, which highlights that their rejection isn't a private matter, but a public defiance against God's kingdom reaching them. This public declaration, even in refusal, is an act of bearing witness.
Jesus has just commissioned seventy disciples and sent them out, two by two, ahead of Him to prepare towns for His arrival. He instructed them on how to bless those who welcomed them, but here He gives them specific instructions for what to do when they are rejected. Instead of simply leaving, they are to publicly declare that even the dust of that town clinging to their feet is shaken off as a witness against them.
What happens when the 'peace' you offer is outright refused? Jesus gives a specific, public action and a stark message.
When Jesus sent out the seventy, He instructed them on how to respond if a town rejected their message of peace and the coming kingdom.
A Public Stand
Instead of quietly leaving, the disciples were to go into the streets—the most public places—and declare their rejection of the town's rejection. This wasn't a personal offense; it was a public denouncement of a community's refusal of God's offer.
A Symbolic Gesture
This public declaration often involved a symbolic act: shaking off the dust from their feet. This was a powerful sign in the ancient world, signifying a complete break and a refusal to carry any association with those who rejected God's messengers and message. It was a statement that they would have no part in the town's future judgment.
Even in rejection, Jesus’ message held a powerful, persistent truth that couldn't be erased. What was it?
The striking aspect of Jesus' command to the rejected seventy is that the message of the Kingdom's proximity persists.
Unwavering Truth
Despite the town's refusal to receive them, the disciples were still to declare, 'The kingdom of God is nigh to you.' This wasn't a conditional statement; the offer had been made, and its nearness was a reality, whether embraced or not.
The Gravity of Refusal
This declaration served as a final, solemn warning. By rejecting the messengers and the message of the Kingdom, the people were sealing their own fate. Jesus later indicates that this refusal would bring a more severe judgment than even cities known for their wickedness.
Understand the original words
basileia tou Theou · Greek Noun
The rule, reign, or sovereign authority of God over all creation, which was inaugurated through the ministry of Jesus Christ and will be fully realized in the future.
The disciples' mission unfolds against a backdrop of repeated national exiles and political subjugation. Jesus instructs them that rejection of his message carries a severe consequence, echoing the prophetic warnings of judgment and the potential loss of God's kingdom.
c. 740 BC
Assyrian Exile of Northern Tribes
The Northern Kingdom of Israel (Samaria) was largely conquered by the Assyrians, leading to the deportation of many inhabitants. This event set a precedent for later exiles and fractured the nation.
586 BC
Babylonian Destruction of Jerusalem
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquered Judah, destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple, and deported many Judeans to Babylon. This marked a catastrophic end to the Davidic monarchy and national independence.
c. 539 BC
Persian Empire's Rise
Cyrus the Great of Persia conquered Babylon. His subsequent policy allowed exiled peoples, including the Judeans, to return to their homelands.
c. 516 BC
Second Temple Rebuilt
Exiles returned from Babylon and, after considerable opposition and delay, completed the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem, signifying a return of national and religious identity.
This passage is directly parallel, instructing the disciples to shake the dust off their feet as a testimony against those who reject them, mirroring the public declaration commanded in Luke.
Luke 9:5This earlier command to the twelve disciples shows a similar pattern of judgment and separation when faced with rejection, highlighting Jesus' consistent approach to His messengers.
Acts 13:51This shows Paul and Barnabas enacting the very instruction given here by shaking the dust off their feet against the unbelieving Jews in Antioch of Pisidia.
Acts 18:6Paul's action of shaking the dust off his clothes in Corinth against the Jews who opposed and blasphemed demonstrates this principle of a public declaration and separation in the face of rejection.
Revelation 11:8The imagery of the 'great city' where their 'Lord was crucified' being spiritually likened to Sodom and Egypt has a thematic link to the severe judgment pronounced on cities that reject God's messengers, as detailed in Luke 10:10-12.
ellicottLuke 10:10: "But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,"
(10, 11) Into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not. —See Notes on Matthew 10:13 .
bengelLuke 10:10: "But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,"
Luke 10:10 . Πλατείας , the streets ) near the walls. Comp. on Revelation 11:8 .— εἴπατε , say ) publicly.
When your message of peace is rejected, Jesus doesn't want you to just quietly leave. He instructs you to go into the streets, the public spaces, and declare, which highlights that their rejection isn't a private matter, but a public defiance against God's kingdom reaching them. This public declaration, even in refusal, is an act of bearing witness.
Jesus has just commissioned seventy disciples and sent them out, two by two, ahead of Him to prepare towns for His arrival. He instructed them on how to bless those who welcomed them, but here He gives them specific instructions for what to do when they are rejected. Instead of simply leaving, they are to publicly declare that even the dust of that town clinging to their feet is shaken off as a witness against them.
Jesus has just commissioned seventy disciples and sent them out, two by two, ahead of Him to prepare towns for His arrival. He instructed them on how to bless those who welcomed them, but here He gives them specific instructions for what to do when they are rejected. Instead of simply leaving, they are to publicly declare that even the dust of that town clinging to their feet is shaken off as a witness against them.
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c. 167-142 BC
Maccabean Revolt
The Maccabean Revolt erupted against Seleucid Greek rule in response to religious persecution. This struggle for religious and political freedom significantly shaped Jewish identity and aspirations.
c. 63 BC
Roman Conquest of Judea
Rome conquered Judea, ending the Hasmonean dynasty and establishing Roman dominance. This foreign rule fueled messianic expectations and resistance among many Jews.
c. AD 27-30— this verse
Jesus' Galilean Ministry
Jesus ministered throughout Galilee, teaching and healing. He sent out his disciples, including the seventy, to announce the arrival of God's kingdom in specific towns and villages.
"But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ I tell you…" — When your message of peace is rejected, Jesus doesn't want you to just quietly leave. He instructs you to go into the streets, the public spaces, and declare, which highlights that their rejection…
