But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium. Acts 13:51
Considering that we are all made of the stuff, dust has a bad reputation in the Bible. Its first mention is Adam’s creation, but its second mention is the curse put upon the serpent, which was condemned to spend its days eating dust (Genesis 3:14). Just as the dust is the domain of the serpent, so the dusty earth is the domain and dominion of the god of this world, the devil. The curse of sin includes a curse on the ground, so that it brings forth thorns and thistles (3:18). But it is also the medium to which our sinful bodies return when sin has completed its work and brought forth death (Ecclesiastes 3:20). In a limited measure, the ancient Jews understood some of this, because when they returned to Israel from being in a foreign land, they would shake off the dust of that foreign land as they entered Israel. The Lord Jesus called on that custom as he instructed his seventy to shake off the dust of those towns that rejected the Gospel (Matthew 10:14). Our text relates a solemn incident where such an instruction was carried out.
The word ‘whosoever’ is a wonderful reminder of the universal nature of the Gospel message. We remind sinners that God’s salvation is available to all. But when people reject the message and its messengers, they run the risk of never hearing it again. In the case of Antioch, Pisidia, we find that Paul and Barnabas never returned to preach the gospel, although they did return to visit the Christians and to assist in the building up of the Assembly there. The missionaries would work with people who were at least willing to listen.
The act, either literal or figurative, of shaking off the dust of a community can and does occur today. When preachers encounter overwhelming hostility or absolute apathy today, they turn to more favourable regions. And when they do, the consequences are dire for the people. For one thing, the people are highly unlikely to ever hear the Gospel again. How sad to consider look upon such people and know that they face almost certain judgment! That is a frightening thought, and yet they have only themselves to blame. For another thing, it means those seeking to bring the Gospel have discharged their duties and are not responsible for the fate of the rejectors. For another, the act of shaking off the dust marks those rejectors as permanently consigned to the condemnation of the dust. Such an act would never be done lightly, but it is according to Scripture.
The Gospel message is too precious to waste. If some reject it, we must turn to others. -Jim MacIntosh