Matthew 11:28-30 28Come to me, all who labor and have been heavy burdened, and I will revive you. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Jesus uses the image of farming and transportation common in that time. Animals carried many of the heaviest loads. The common system was to use a yoke attached to the heads and shoulders of animals so they could pull a cart or plough. This was the common source of transportation and farm work until the twentieth century. We still use the idea of “horsepower” to measure the energy produced by an engine.
People struggle under many heavy burdens. Some are created by them and others are put upon them by other people. Life is full of stressors that can create many spiritual and physical problems. In first century Israel, many people struggled even to survive; everything about life was a burden. The greatest burden we bear is sin and the many detrimental consequences it has on our lives. Our rebellion against God creates chaos in many places in our lives, leading to broken relationships and broken bodies.
Jesus offers a reprieve and release from the burdens. Revive (anapausō) gives the sense of rest, renewal, and refreshing. The place Jesus begins this revival is in our souls, our essential inner beings. When we are at peace within, we will be better equipped to deal with the pressures of life. The key to this is to learn from Jesus. The word for learn (mathete) shares the same root as “disciple.” We watch, learn, and live out what Jesus taught. Jesus offers the invitation, come to me. He is the only access to the Father, the Giver of Life. He is the only one who has complete knowledge of God.
These verses are another invitation to follow Jesus. A yoke symbolized submission to a master (the driver of the cart or the farmer in the field). Disciples submit to the Master. The result is a release from the burdens that hold us down and the experience of peace that passes understanding (Philippians 4:7). The way of discipleship will cost us the commitment of our total allegiance, but the benefit is a light burden.
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