Mark 6:11

6:11 The shaking of dust from the feet is best interpreted as a symbolic act pronouncing God’s judgment upon those who rejected the apostles’ preaching (cp. Acts 18:6), which was really a rejection of Jesus and of God, who sent him (9:37).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Mar 6:11 . καὶ ὃς ἆν τ .… ὑμῶν ; another instance of inconsequent construction beginning with a relative clause and passing into a conditional one = and whatever place does not receive you, if ( ἐάν understood) they, its people, do not listen to you (so Schanz and Weiss in Meyer). ὑποκάτω , the dust that is under your feet, instead of ἐκ and ἀπὸ in Matthew and Luke. The dust of their roads adhering to your feet, shake it off and leave it behind you. Mar 6:12-13 report the carrying out of the mission by the Twelve through preaching and healing. ἵνα μετανοῶσιν : the burden of their preaching was, Repent. Luke has the more evangelic term, εὐαγγελιζόμενοι . The other aspect of their ministry is summed up in the expulsion of many demons, and the cure of many suffering from minor ailments, ἀρρώστους ( cf. Mar 6:5 ). In Mark’s account the powers of the Twelve appear much more restricted than in Matthew ( cf. Mar 10:8 ). The use of oil in healing ( ἐλαίῳ ) is to be noted. Some have regarded this as a mark of late date (Baur). Others (Weiss, Schanz) view it as a primitive practice ( vide Jas 5:14 ). Many conjectural opinions have been expressed as to the function or significance of the oil. According to Lightfoot and Schöttgen it was much used at the time by physicians.

The instructions to the Twelve present an interesting problem in criticism and comparative exegesis. It is not improbable that two versions of these existed and have been drawn upon by the synoptists, one in the Logia of Matthew, reproduced, Weiss thinks, substantially in Luk 10 (mission of Seventy), the other in Mar 6 , used (Weiss) in Luk 9:1-6 . Matthew, according to the same critic, mixes the two. Similarly Holtzmann, who, however, differs from Weiss in thinking the two versions entirely independent. Weiss reconstructs the original version of the Logia thus:

1.Mat 9:38 = Luk 10:2 , prayer for labourers.

2.Luk 10:3 = go forth, I send you as lambs among wolves.

3.Mat 10:5-6 , go not to Samaria, but to Israel only.

4.Luk 10:4-11 , detailed instructions.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The Lord is a most severe revenger of his servants.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 11. And whosoever shall not receive you] Ὁς αν τοπος μη δεξηται, whatsoever PLACE will not receive you: this is the reading of BL, four others, and the later Syriac in the margin.

Verily, &c.] All this clause is omitted in BCDL, two others, one Arabic, one Persic, Coptic, Armenian, Vulgate, and all the Itala but three. Mill and Beza approve of the omission, and Griesbach leaves it out of the text. It has probably been transferred here from Mt 10:15. See this subject, from Mr 6:7-11, explained at large on Mt 10:1-15.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(11) Whosoever shall not receive you.—The better MSS. give, “whatsoever place shall not receive you.” (See Note on Mat_10:14.)

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

11. the dust under your feet] For instances of the carrying out of this command, compare the conduct of St Paul at Antioch in Pisidia, Act_13:51, and at Corinth, Act_18:6. The action must be regarded as symbolical of a complete cessation of all fellowship, and a renunciation of all further responsibility. It was customary with Pharisees when they entered Judæa from a Gentile land, to do this in token of renunciation of all communion with heathenism; those who rejected the Apostolic message were to be looked upon as those who placed themselves beyond the pale of fellowship and communion.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And, whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you,.... Who would neither take them into their houses, nor hear what they had to say to them:

when ye depart thence; from the house or the city, or town, in which it is,

shake off the dust under your feet, for a testimony against them; that they had been with them, and attempted to preach the Gospel to them, but they despised and rejected it; wherefore they departed from them as an unworthy people, against whom the dust of their feet would rise as a testimony, in the day of judgment; See Gill on Mat 10:14.

Verily, I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city. This clause is omitted in some copies, and so it is in the Vulgate Latin version, and may perhaps be transcribed from Mat_. 10:15; see Gill on Mat 10:15; though it is in most copies, and is read in the Syriac, Arabic, Persic, and Ethiopic versions. It is certain that there will be a day of judgment; it is fixed, God has appointed it, though it is not known by men or angels: this will be universal; all must appear in it before God, the judge of all, Jews and Gentiles; such who have lived in the earlier ages of time, as well as those that will live nearer that day; such who have only had the dim light of nature to guide them, and also who have been favoured with the Gospel revelation: the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrha, though they have had the judgments of God upon them in this world, they will not escape the righteous judgment of God hereafter; things are not over with them, there is still a reckoning to be made, an account to pass with them; their full punishment is not yet executed, even though they have been suffering the vengeance of eternal fire; their bodies must be raised, and they must receive for the things which they have done in them, and which they have so dreadfully and unnaturally abused; and yet, as vile sinners as they have been, and as sore a punishment as they are worthy of, their punishment will be milder and more tolerable, than that of the inhabitants of such places, where the Gospel has been preached, and they have despised and rejected it. May the inhabitants of our land, especially of some parts of it, as of London, and others, consider this!

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

11 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.

Ver. 11. {See Trapp on "Mat 10:14"}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Shake off the dust (to) literally, the soil that is under your feet. St. Matthew and St. Luke use the word (koniorton) "dust." A very significant action. The dust was shaken off as an evidence of the toil and labour of the apostles in journeying to them. It witnessed that they had entered the city and had delivered message, and that their message had been refused. The very dust, therefore, of the place was a defilement to them. "It shall be more tolerable," etc. This clause is omitted by the best authorities; it was probably copied from St. Matthew.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

11. ὃς ἂν τόπος μὴ δέξηται ([1146][1147][1148][1149]) rather than ὅσοι ἐὰν μὴ δέξωνται ([1150][1151]2[1152][1153]). [1154][1155][1156][1157][1158][1159] omit ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν κ.τ.λ. (from Mat 10:15).

[1146] Codex Sinaiticus. 4th cent. Discovered by Tischendorf in 1859 at the Monastery of St Katharine on Mount Sinai. Now at St Petersburg. The whole Gospel, ending at Mar 16:8. Photographic facsimile, 1911.

[1147] Codex Vaticanus. 4th cent., but perhaps a little later than א. In the Vatican Library almost since its foundation by Pope Nicolas V., and one of its greatest treasures. The whole Gospel, ending at Mar 16:8. Photographic facsimile, 1889.

[1148] Codex Regius. 8th cent. An important witness. At Paris. Contains Mar 1:1 to Mar 10:15; Mar 10:30 to Mar 15:1; Mar 15:20 to Mar 16:20, but the shorter ending is inserted between Mar 16:8 and Mar 16:9, showing that the scribe preferred it to the longer one.

[1149] Codex Sangallensis. 9th or 10th cent. Contains the Gospels nearly complete, with an interlinear Latin translation. The text of Mark is specially good, agreeing often with CL. At St Gall.

[1150] Codex Alexandrinus. 5th cent. Brought by Cyril Lucar, Patriarch of Constantinople, from Alexandria, and afterwards presented by him to King Charles I. in 1628. In the British Museum. The whole Gospel. Photographic facsimile, 1879.

[1151] Codex Ephraemi. 5th cent. A palimpsest: the original writing has been partially rubbed out, and the works of Ephraem the Syrian have been written over it; but a great deal of the original writing has been recovered; of Mark we have Mar 1:17 to Mar 6:31, Mar 8:5 to Mar 12:29, Mar 13:19 to Mar 16:20. In the National Library at Paris.

[1152] Codex Bezae. 6th cent. Has a Latin translation (d) side by side with the Greek text, and the two do not quite always agree. Presented by Beza to the University Library of Cambridge in 1581. Remarkable for its frequent divergences from other texts. Contains Mark, except Mar 16:15-20, which has been added by a later hand. Photographic facsimile, 1899.

[1153] Codex Petropolitanus. 9th cent. Gospels almost complete. Mar 16:18-20 is in a later hand.

[1154] Codex Sinaiticus. 4th cent. Discovered by Tischendorf in 1859 at the Monastery of St Katharine on Mount Sinai. Now at St Petersburg. The whole Gospel, ending at Mar 16:8. Photographic facsimile, 1911.

[1155] Codex Vaticanus. 4th cent., but perhaps a little later than א. In the Vatican Library almost since its foundation by Pope Nicolas V., and one of its greatest treasures. The whole Gospel, ending at Mar 16:8. Photographic facsimile, 1889.

[1156] Codex Ephraemi. 5th cent. A palimpsest: the original writing has been partially rubbed out, and the works of Ephraem the Syrian have been written over it; but a great deal of the original writing has been recovered; of Mark we have Mar 1:17 to Mar 6:31, Mar 8:5 to Mar 12:29, Mar 13:19 to Mar 16:20. In the National Library at Paris.

[1157] Codex Bezae. 6th cent. Has a Latin translation (d) side by side with the Greek text, and the two do not quite always agree. Presented by Beza to the University Library of Cambridge in 1581. Remarkable for its frequent divergences from other texts. Contains Mark, except Mar 16:15-20, which has been added by a later hand. Photographic facsimile, 1899.

[1158] Codex Regius. 8th cent. An important witness. At Paris. Contains Mar 1:1 to Mar 10:15; Mar 10:30 to Mar 15:1; Mar 15:20 to Mar 16:20, but the shorter ending is inserted between Mar 16:8 and Mar 16:9, showing that the scribe preferred it to the longer one.

[1159] Codex Sangallensis. 9th or 10th cent. Contains the Gospels nearly complete, with an interlinear Latin translation. The text of Mark is specially good, agreeing often with CL. At St Gall.

11. ὃς ἂν τόπος. This principle would apply to the town and to any house in the town, and Mt. applies it both ways.

μηδὲ ἀκούσωσιν ὑμῶν. Nor even listen to you. Paul and Barnabas shake off the dust at Antioch in Pisidia, and Paul shakes out his raiment against the unbelieving Jews at Corinth (Act 13:51; Act 18:6). This dramatic action did not express personal resentment; it was a solemn declaration to those who rejected offers of grace that the person thus acting would make no more offers. He declined all further communication or responsibility. Pharisees are said to have performed this act on returning from pagan lands to Palestine; even the dust of heathendom was a pollution. Neh 5:13 is different. Note the aor. imperat.; it is to be done at once.

εἰς μαρτύριον αὐτοῖς. For a testimony unto them (R.V.), not “against them” (A.V.). Cf. Mar 1:44, Mar 13:9. See crit. note. St Theresa is said to have done this at Salamanca.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

11. ὃς ἂν τόπος μὴ δέξηται, μηδὲ ἀκούσωσιν—With this reading, the subject changes in the second clause, so that it reads, “whatever place does not receive you, and they do not hear you.”

ὃς ἂν τόπος μὴ δέξηται, instead of ὅσοι ἂν μὴ δέξωνται, Tisch. Treg. WH. RV. א BL Δgr 13, 28, 69, 124, 346, Memph. Harcl. marg.

ἐκτινάξατε τὸν χοῦν—This was a symbolical act, signifying that the actor considered even the dust of the place as defiling. See Luk 10:11. εἰς μαρτύριον αὐτοῖς—for a testimony unto them, not against them. It was to testify to the men themselves what the act signifies, viz. that these heralds of the Kingdom of God shook off all association with them as defiling. The rest of the verse is to be omitted. It is evidently copied from Mat 10:15.

Omit ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, Verily I say unto you, to end of verse, Tisch. Treg. WH. RV. א BCDL Δ 17, 28, most mss. Lat. Vet. Vulg.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.