THE NORTHERN KENTUCKY SEARCHER
"Search the scriptures: for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. " (John 5:39)

VOLUME 7, NUMBER 28, JULY 15, 2007

SHAKE OFF THE DUST

            There is an expression that we find used from time to time in the New Testament and each time it is used it carries essentially the same meaning.  The expression to which I am referring is “shake off the dust of your feet.”   As near as I can tell, we find it first in Matthew 10.  In this passage the Lord is sending His apostles out among the Jews. He told them, “And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 

 He gave them other instructions as well, part of which are found in verses 11-15.  Look at what Jesus said, “And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, inquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence.  And when ye come into an house, salute it.  And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.  And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.  Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city.”

What an interesting expression, “Shake off the dust of your feet.”  It makes us wonder where it came from and what it meant to the apostles.  The expression came from an action that was often taken by pious Jews of the time when they were returning from Gentile, pagan territory.  They would not even want the dust of such territory clinging to their sandals.  They wanted to make it clear that they had removed completely the unclean elements from their person.  Consequently, when individuals and towns to whom the apostles journeyed refused to accept the truth, the apostles were to move on.  With the shaking of the dust off of their feet they were essentially declaring the unresponsive individuals and towns as unholy and pagan.

The Apostle Paul practiced the same symbolic action when leaving regions and people who rejected the truth of the gospel.  In Acts 13, Paul and Barnabas were preaching in Antioch of Pisidia.  Many of the Gentiles believed, but certain of the Jews created a problem.  In verses 50-51 we find, “But the Jews stirred up the devout and honorable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.  But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium.”  Later, in Acts 18, Paul was in the city of Corinth and preaching in the synagogue of the Jews.  As Paul pressed more strongly the truth that Jesus was the Christ, we find this happening in verse 6, “And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.”  This was an act that those Jews would long remember.  They knew what the shaking off of the dust meant, and in case they didn’t get it, Paul made it clear:  “Your blood be upon your own heads: I am clean.”

I believe that there are some things we can learn from the expression, “Shake off the dust of your feet.”  Number one relates to the responsibility that we have to take the gospel to all that we can.  All we can do is to take it to them; whether or not they respond favorably is up to them.    Secondly, we are going to have to make a judgment call.  When the gospel is rejected, should others suffer because we fail to move on?    When the truth has been presented and questions asked and answered, if the response is negative, then there are others who need to hear.  Move on.

I believe that this can happen within the Lord’s church as well.  Occasionally people will leave the truth of God’s word.  They need to be taught as the process of their leaving is beginning to take place, they need to be taught and encouraged right up to the time that they leave.  Even after they have left and the called-for disciplinary action has been taken, as long as they will truly study with an eye toward learning the truth and embracing it once again, they need to be taught.  But a point of diminishing returns can be reached where it now becomes a mockery and manipulative.  When such occurs, it is time to move on.  Others who have never heard the gospel may not get the chance because so much time, energy, and effort is put forth with those who knew the truth and forsook it.   There comes a time to shake off the dust of your feet and move on.  There are so many people who need to hear the truth and so little time to get the job done.

                                                Greg Litmer

“WATCH YE, STAND FAST IN THE FAITH, QUIT      YOU LIKE MEN, BE STRONG.” (1 COR. 16:13)

There are times when I get weary,

Oh, yes, I surely do.

Sometimes the end I cannot see.

But then I hear You say, “Watch Ye.”

The sword has gotten heavy

And with tear-stained eyes I fear I will not last,

But I will pick it up and hoist it high,

For I hear You say, “Stand fast.”

When Satan’s darts are falling

And beneath their weight I start to bend; 

 I can not, will not, let him win,

For I hear You say, “Quit you like men.”

I marvel sometimes at things that are said,

Things that are just so cruel and wrong.

I want to say, Enough, no more.

But I hear you say “Be strong.”

Greg Litmer

A word of encouragement and commendation to our song leaders – you are doing a great job.