What is the meaning of Luke 10:11? Even the dust of your town Jesus tells the seventy-two, “Even the dust of your town…” (Luke 10:11). •The instruction is literal: the missionaries were to treat unreceptive towns so utterly foreign to God’s purposes that even their dust was unwelcome. •This echoes the earlier command to the Twelve (Matthew 10:14; Mark 6:11) and anticipates Paul and Barnabas in Pisidian Antioch, who “shook the dust off their feet in protest” (Acts 13:51). •The gesture signals a clean break, underscoring that God separates His people from persistent unbelief (cf. Isaiah 52:11). that clings to our feet Dust “clings.” Rejection tries to stick to the servant just as actual dirt sticks to sandals. •By calling attention to what “clings,” Jesus highlights how unbelief contaminates. Disciples must not carry it forward. •This safeguards their own walk with God and keeps the next village from being influenced by lingering discouragement or compromise (Galatians 5:9, “A little leaven leavens the whole batch,”). we wipe off as a testimony against you “To wipe off” is both action and message. •Action: a public, visible motion—no bitterness, simply obedience. •Message: it becomes “a testimony” (martyrion)—a witness in God’s courtroom that the gospel was offered and refused (Luke 9:5). •Divine confirmation follows: Jesus says it will be more bearable for Sodom than for such towns (Luke 10:12), underscoring real, future judgment (Romans 2:5). Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near Rejection does not negate reality. “The kingdom of God is near” (Luke 10:11). •Near in time: Messiah is present; the cross and resurrection are imminent (Mark 1:15). •Near in accessibility: even the rejecting town could still repent while time remains (Luke 15:20). •Near in certainty: whether received or rejected, God’s reign advances (Daniel 2:44; Acts 28:28). summary Luke 10:11 shows Jesus’ messengers literally shaking off dust to mark a decisive break with unbelief, warn of coming judgment, and underscore that God’s kingdom is undeniably at hand. The act protects the servants, testifies against the rejecters, and affirms that Christ’s rule draws ever closer. |
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