The Yoke – Matthew 11:25-30

How do you get the benefit of powerful oxen pulling your plow? You harness them together under a yoke, a brace that rests on their shoulders, keeps them pulling in the same direction, and is strong enough bear the pull of all that weight. That yoke has to be substantial and, thus, heavy.

Many suppose that submitting to God and His kingdom is the same way. It means laboring under His commands, exerting enormous effort to perform up to standards. But Jesus has a different perspective.

At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 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 11:25-30 ESV)

Are you smart, intelligent, knowledgeable?  Or are you a little child?  Those among us who would claim to be wise, and those among Jesus’ generation who claimed to be so, are not and were not the ones the Father revealed Himself to regarding the king and the kingdom and the judgment to come. He revealed Himself to those who were humble.  And He did it through Jesus, the one to whom He has handed over all things, the one who knows Him like no one else knows Him because he is the Father’s unique Son.  And the Son has chosen to reveal the Father and the kingdom to his disciples.

Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum did not receive Jesus’ witness and would face judgment (11:20-24). But he still held out an invitation to all who labored and were heavy laden. The laboring and heavy laden included everyone, because apart from God we are all living in hardship, one of our own making. But not all humbled themselves and acknowledged it, so they would miss out. Perhaps they were afraid that God and His kingdom meant life under a harsh ruler. That is foolishness. Jesus is gentle and lowly of heart and he is offering rest. Yes there is a yoke, but it is easy and light.

And now the Son invites us and any who are burdened down with life, to come to him.  They must be willing to believe that it is possible to know our Creator, the Lord of heaven and earth, to come to him and to have a relationship with Him.  We can come to Jesus Christ and he will give us rest/salvation.  When we acknowledge him as our Lord, the one whose yoke rightly belongs on us, and are willing to learn from him and submit to him, we find rest/salvation. 

But he is not a slave-driver.  He is gentle and humble and his yoke is easy and his burden is light and our souls find rest in him.  To know that we are doing his will brings repose to our souls.  We may not understand the big picture of what is happening, but we know and trust him.  He has all things handed over to him by the Father.  He is trustworthy. We find joy in His yolk.  If we aren’t experiencing joy, it can only mean that we are not laboring under Jesus’ yoke at the moment.