Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30
Are you worn down? Jesus says to come to Him and take on His yoke, a yoke that will actually give you rest. Hmmm… taking on any yoke doesn’t sound restful, no matter how light. Is Jesus saying He isn’t going to ask too much of us?
The yoke is a crossbeam worn by animals to help guide their work and also spread the weight across the team of animals. That offers an interesting spiritual picture to explore but I’m not sure that was His main point.
Yoke was also used to describe the teachings of God. To put on the Yoke of Torah, or Yoke of Commandments, was to the obedient. The yoke signified that you were under its authority.
If you took on the yoke or mantel of a rabbi and became his disciple, you were taking on his interpretation, his understanding of obedience. Rabbis are known for their detailed examination of every scriptural mandate. Each teacher may have volumes of work to ensure each one was given its proper priority. Disciples were tasked with memorizing the order and importance of each rule. It seemed a heavy and burdensome way life to be constantly consumed with its every fulfillment.
Jesus, a popular Rabbi, came into this setting and was asked about the commandments. He responded to love God and others. If you do that, everything else will follow. It has been noted that Jesus’ yoke was the simplest to know and yet the hardest to fulfill.
Is this the yoke that Jesus could have been referring to? He said, “take My yoke and learn.” Love God, Love your neighbor. It’s an easy yoke – at least easy to know. And its execution, although often difficult, does not produce anxiety or angst about the minutiae of life. Loving God leads to loving our neighbor, and this fulfillment does indeed produce rest for our soul – both now and forevermore.
I need to often re-examine whose yoke I’ve taken on. I want the mantel of Jesus and to be obedient to Him. Taking on the right yoke, the yoke of Jesus, will provide rest even in hardship.
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