That is all fine and good but I am hungry and just want to actually eat. Probably nuke a breakfast sandwich and pour a glass of OJ. Tomorrow is take-out Tuesday so my wife will probably score some stuff at Burger King. I'm thinking that those fried scorpions are probably more nutritious than a Whopper and side of onion rings. On the plus side, the breakfast sandwiches are made with free range organic eggs. No, not gluten free whatever gluten is.
Poison is used in the parables to represent false doctrine coming from false apostles. Jesus called them a brood of vipers. False prophecy the poison of scorpions will not harm a believer.
Paul shook it off and then shook the dust from his feet as a sign against those that make the apostles into god's in the likeness of corruptible mankind .
A good example is found in Acts28 using metaphors that follow one has believed (filled with the Spirit) Some tried to use it to seek after so that they could believe the lie, and the poison took their life, being slain in the spirit of judgment. falling backward .
28: 1-6
And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita. And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold. And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.