Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 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.
This passage, from which the title of this blog is taken, has been interpreted in a variety of ways. Some interpret “yoke” to refer to what Jesus demands of his followers in comparison to what the religious leaders of His time demanded of Jews. This makes sense, in a way, since the latter demanded adherence to the Mosaic Laws, but also to many other rules that they created, often in efforts to clarify those laws. I have never found this convincing, though, as it doesn’t really address verse 29, and it defines “yoke is easy” and “burden is light” as what Jesus demands. Yet, Jesus demands difficult things, among them eschewing wealth, putting Him above father and mother and son and daughter, and giving up the life you know.
Others interpret see this as referring to becoming like Him—or, as Paul put it, “grow up into Christ Himself.” (Ephesians 4:15) This makes more sense to me, as it accounts for “I am gentle and humble of heart” in verse 29 and for this to follow verse 27: “No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.” Viewed this way suggests that Jesus then says, “Come, let me reveal the Father to you.”
Perhaps, though, this interpretation does not invalidate the first one, but simply provides a deeper meaning. Whatever the case, this blog is based on Jesus’ yoke being His way of being and relating to life in this world. This is how it first came across to me and I remember being astonished that he could say “my yoke is easy and my burden is light” while knowing what was going to happen to Him before He left this world. And how could He say that and mean it?
For me, this is revealed in Matthew 6, in several verses, but especially verses 22—
22The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light.
and 33—
31Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 33For the Gentiles strive after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.
34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.
Jesus’ eyes were good and sought first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
I believe this is what he wanted us to do, which is not easy in this world. It wasn’t when He said these things and it has only become more difficult since.
It is my hope that the things I right here will help whomever reads them to become more like Jesus.