Topical Bible: The Feet: Condemnation Expressed by Shaking the Dust From

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Topical Encyclopedia

In biblical times, the act of shaking the dust from one's feet served as a symbolic gesture of condemnation and separation. This practice is rooted in the cultural and religious customs of the ancient Near East, where dust and dirt were often associated with uncleanness and rejection. The act of shaking off dust was a physical demonstration of disassociating oneself from those who rejected the message of God.

Biblical Instances

The most notable references to this practice are found in the New Testament, where Jesus instructs His disciples to shake the dust off their feet as a testimony against those who do not receive their message. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus sends out the twelve apostles with specific instructions: "If anyone will not welcome you or heed your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town" (Matthew 10:14). This directive underscores the seriousness of rejecting the gospel message and serves as a warning of impending judgment.

Similarly, in the Gospel of Mark, Jesus reiterates this instruction: "And if anyone will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that place, as a testimony against them" (Mark 6:11). The act is not merely a gesture of personal offense but a prophetic sign indicating that the kingdom of God has come near, and rejection of its message carries grave consequences.

In the Gospel of Luke, the seventy-two disciples are also given this command: "But if you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go into the streets and declare, 'Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off as a testimony against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near'" (Luke 10:10-11). Here, the act of shaking off dust is coupled with a proclamation of the nearness of God's kingdom, emphasizing the urgency and importance of accepting the gospel.

Cultural and Theological Significance

The practice of shaking the dust from one's feet has its roots in Jewish customs, where Jews returning from Gentile lands would shake off the dust from their feet to avoid bringing pagan contamination into the Holy Land. This act symbolized a clear demarcation between the holy and the profane, the clean and the unclean. In the context of the New Testament, it takes on a deeper theological significance, representing the separation between those who accept the message of Christ and those who reject it.

Theologically, this gesture serves as a powerful reminder of the responsibility of individuals to respond to the gospel. It highlights the gravity of rejecting God's message and the consequences that follow. The act of shaking off dust is not merely a rejection of the people but a solemn declaration that they have chosen to separate themselves from the blessings and salvation offered through Christ.

Implications for Believers

For believers, the practice of shaking the dust from one's feet serves as a sobering reminder of the importance of faithfully proclaiming the gospel, while also recognizing that not everyone will accept it. It encourages Christians to persevere in their mission, trusting that God will judge justly those who reject His message. This act also calls believers to maintain their own spiritual purity and commitment to the truth, even in the face of opposition and rejection.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Matthew 10:14
And whoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when you depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Mark 6:11
And whoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when you depart there, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Truly I say to you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Psalm XLIV.
... and yet it says, "They pierced My hands and My feet. ... All these things are expressed
as if they were past ... of the wicked at His left; the condemnation of the ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm xliv.htm

The First Stages. Ch. 9:51 to 13:21
... its peculiar privileges and to its consequently greater condemnation. ... also sat at
the Lord's feet, and heard ... Luke is nowhere more perfectly expressed than by ...
/.../erdman/the gospel of luke an exposition/a the first stages ch.htm

Chapter xlix
... at a time which serves to make his condemnation all the ... ruler's staff would be placed
between the feet as the ... yeh??, "may he be." The wish expressed is Jacob's ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xlix.htm

Jesus in the Garden of Olives.
... They eagerly crowded round him, and expressed their love in a ... a rock, in a grotto
about six feet deep, while ... and crowning with thorns, the condemnation to death ...
/.../the dolorous passion of our lord jesus christ/chapter i jesus in the.htm

Exposition of the Doctrines of Grace
... Look at that wondrous shaking under Jonathan Edwards, and ... judgment came upon all
men to condemnation;" and further ... foot of Calvary, and laves the feet alike of ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 7 1861/exposition of the doctrines of.htm

From the Close of the General Conference of 1800, to the End of ...
... of whom concurred in the views therein expressed, while only ... profession cannot save
him from the condemnation of the ... gospel, and to wash the saints' feet; as a ...
/.../chapter 5 from the close.htm

Seasonable Counsel: Or, Advice to Sufferers.
... being, when the body is returned to the dust as it ... should lay down our souls at the
feet of God ... carry in their consciences the guilt and condemnation that is ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/seasonable counsel or advice to.htm

The Greatness of the Soul,
... that cannot, by mouth, or tongue, or pen, be expressed. ... he had espied lying trampled
under the feet of those ... last will work for his future condemnation, yet at ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the greatness of the soul.htm

Israel's Hope Encouraged;
... And why this may not be implied here, as well as expressed elsewhere, I know not ...
Kiss the ground, sinner; put 'thy mouth in the dust, if so be there may be hope ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/israels hope encouraged.htm

The Desire of the Righteous Granted;
... church fellowship are always lovely; they are delightfully expressed. ... There is therefore
now no condemnation to them ... lusts and desires, to the shaking of their ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the desire of the righteous.htm