Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible

But into whatsoever city ye shall enter, and they receive you not, go out into the streets thereof and say, Even the dust from your city, that cleaveth to our feet, we wipe off against you: nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh.

No gospel mission has any valid purpose beyond that of giving men the opportunity to hear and know the truth. The foregone certainty that countless souls shall reject the message cannot invalidate or change the message, nor impose any further responsibility upon the messengers beyond that of faithfully declaring the word of God. In these instructions, Jesus clearly recognized the right of cities to reject the truth if they wished to do so; but such a rejection entailed also their suffering of the penalties and consequences of their choice. The message was exactly the same to those who received and those who rejected God's messengers: "The kingdom of God is come nigh."

The carryover from this Scripture has wide applications in the church of all ages. God does not command that any specific individual or city be "won for the Master," but rather that the message be proclaimed in its full integrity; the rest is left up to the hearer.

We wipe off against you ... Adam Clarke has the following with regard to this:

The Jews considered themselves defiled by the dust of a heathen country, which was represented by the prophets as a "polluted land," Amos 7:17, when compared with the land of Israel, which was considered as a "holy land," Ezekiel 14:1; therefore, to shake the dust of any city of Israel from off one's clothes or feet was an EMBLEMATICAL action, signifying a renunciation of all further connection with them, and placing them on a level with the cities of the HEATHEN. See Amos 9:7.[13]

The practice of this symbolical action was continued into the apostolic age; Paul and Barnabas, for example, "Shook off the dust of their feet against them and came unto Iconium" (Acts 13:51). The relevance of this for present-day missionaries lies in the fact that if God's word is rejected in one place, the message should then be declared in another. Of course, this is also true regarding individuals; and no preacher of the word should consider it his divine mission to nag any man into the kingdom of God.

ENDNOTE:

[13] Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Holy Bible (New York: Carlton and Porter, 1829), Vol. V, p. 119.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

But into whatsoever city ye enter,.... On the other hand Christ here directs how to behave towards other cities they should come to, and be rejected:

and they receive you not; refuse to admit them into their houses, or provide in any shape for them, nor hear their message:

go your ways out into the streets of the same. The Ethiopic version reads, "cast the dust off your feet into the streets of it: and say"; aloud, in the most public manner, in the ears of all the people, as follows.

Geneva Study Bible

(3) God is a most severe avenger of the ministry of his gospel.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

son of peace — inwardly prepared to embrace your message of peace. See note on “worthy,” (see on Matthew 10:13).

Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament

Into the streets thereof (εις τας πλατειας αυτης — eis tas plateias autēs). Out of the inhospitable houses into the broad open streets.

The Fourfold Gospel

1. And in that same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give. They were not to give trouble and waste time by asking for better food.

2. For the laborer is worthy of his hire. See 1 Timothy 5:18.

John Trapp Complete Commentary

10 But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,

Ver. 10. See Matthew 10:14; Acts 13:51;

Johann Albrecht Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament

Luke 10:10. πλατείας, the streets) near the walls. Comp. on Revelation 11:8.— εἴπατε, say) publicly.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

See Poole on "Luke 10:8"

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

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9:5; Matthew 10:14; Acts 13:51; 18:6