Luke 10:9-11 9And heal those who are sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, after going into its streets, say, 11‘Even the dust from your town clinging to us on our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless, know this that the kingdom of God has come near.’ 12 I say to you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.
Verses 9-11 deal with the topic of reception of the message the disciples would proclaim. Like the twelve, the seventy-two would have the authority to heal the sick. The healing was not done by their ability, which would only be trickery and fake magic, but by the power of Jesus’ name. He sent and empowered the disciples to do as he had been doing. They were his representatives. The healing was to be accompanied with the message of God’s kingdom. Healing proved the presence of God’s kingdom. Healing and sharing the gospel should go together. The greatest medical care also heals the soul.
Not every person or town would be welcoming, so Jesus warns his disciples what to do in that situation. Wiping the dust from one’s foot was symbolic of rejection and dismissal about visiting a place. The disciples were not even to take with them the memory of dust from walking down the streets of unwelcoming cities (9:5). Shaking the dust off was a warning sign that the people had rejected the message of God’s kingdom. There was always hope, but the opportunity to find salvation had passed them by. Jesus emphasizes the severity of the situation in verse 12. The story of God’s judgment upon Sodom is recorded in Genesis 19:24-28. Like the prophet Isaiah reflects on Israel’s rejection in Isaiah 1:9-10, those who rejected the message of God’s kingdom and refused to listen to God’s messengers would face judgment.
This passage has two primary messages. One is for those who are disciples. Disciples who are sent out into the great harvest field of the world can go with the assurance of Jesus’ presence and power. The sending of the seventy-two was a special situation, perhaps never to be repeated in the same way as the group headed towards Jerusalem and the cross. But Jesus still sends out his workers, both near and far. The core message has not changed, though it will be stated in fresh ways that speak to different situations. We may not be channels of physical healing, but our message can bring spiritual healing. The second is for those who hear the message proclaimed by Jesus’ followers. The person of peace will receive the blessing of God, but those who reject the message and the messenger will face the judgment of God. The good news of Jesus presents an opportunity and warning to all who hear it.
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