Matthew 11:29-30

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

From Background Notes [BN] for November 10^th & 11^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

Matthew uses a pair of words, “gentle (=meek) and humble,” which come from the Greek praus and tapeinos. Both are joined by the noun “heart,” which, in the Greek, is used as a dative of respect: “meek and humble with respect to the heart.”

 

In this instance, Jesus ascribes these adjectives to himself as fitting reasons for people to “take” his “yoke.” The metaphor means that Jesus offers to pull alongside his disciples in a common yoke, and he will do so meekly and gently. The words, as Moulton suggests, almost function like adverbs.4 By approaching the yoking process in this way, Jesus promotes soul health for his followers. How Jesus yokes with his followers actually benefits them and alleviates their other burdens (see 11:28). But they come under this yoke in response to Jesus’ invitation (“come”). He does not forcibly place the yoke on them without their consent or through coercion or violence. “I know you are already burdened,” Jesus tells them, “and this burden of yours has made you weary of life. It does not need to be this way. Accept my yoke. Accept the yoke of one who himself has already accepted his Father’s yoke, and knows the kind of “rest” — the wholeness — such an acceptance brings.”[BN, 2-3]

Join us this week in Study, Worship, Praise and Celebration at Chicago First Church of the Nazarene:

* Saturday 6:00pm
* Sunday 8:30am & 11:00am