7 And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. 8 And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: 9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. 10 But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, 11 Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. 12 But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city. (Luke 10:7-12 KJV)
William Burkitt’s Commentary
Here our Saviour gives his disciples sundry directions, how to manage themselves in this expedition for preaching the gospel.
He enjoins them, 1. To observe the rules of decency in going from place to place; having entered a house to continue there, not changing their lodging, and going from house to house, thereby avoiding all show of lightness and inconstancy, and testifying all gravity and staidness in their behavior; this being a special means to win authority to their persons and ministry.
2. He gives them the power to work miracles for the confirmation of the doctrine which they preached: Heal the sick that are therein. This was necessary, partly to procure reverence to their person, being poor and unlearned men; and partly to gain credit and authority to their doctrine: for the doctrine of faith in the Messiah, as now come and exhibited in the flesh, being a strange and new doctrine to the Jews, the truth and certainty of it was to be extraordinarily ratified and confirmed by working miracles; one sort of which was healing of diseases in an extraordinary manner.
Observe, 3. How Christ encouraged his disciples against the want of success: he bids them denounce the judgments of God by shaking off the dust of their feet; which action was emblematical, and signified that God in like manner would shake off them, and esteem them no better than the vilest dust.
Learn hence, that those who despise the message that the ministers of the gospel bring, shall hereafter find the dust of their feet, and the ashes of their graves to give a judicial testimony against them in the day of Christ. Wherever the word is preached, it is for a testimony, either a testimony for or against a people. For, if the dust of a minister’s feet bears witness against a people, their sermons much more.
Observe, lastly, the dreadful judgment denounced by our Saviour against the contemners of his disciples’ doctrine: Verily it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.
BURKITT | Luke 10:1 | Luke 10:2 | Luke 10:3-4 | Luke 10:5-6 | Luke 10:7-12 | Luke 10:13-15 | Luke 10:16 | Luke 10:17-18 | Luke 10:19 | Luke 10:20 | Luke 10:21-22 | Luke 10:23-24 | Luke 10:25-28 | Luke 10:29-37 | Luke 10:38 | Luke 10:39 | Luke 10:40 | Luke 10:41-42 | KJV Comm