You're Invited
Intro:
Among the last words of Scripture is a final invitation to mankind to be saved: “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost” (Rev. 22:17).
These verses are only in Matthew. Jesus is the one who alone reveals the Father (v. 27). Jesus it is who invites, not “the wise and learned” (v. 25), but “the weary and burdened” (v. 28).
Clearly Jesus and God have a unique relationship. He is God’s Son in a different sense than believers are God’s children (John 1:12). Epiginōskō means more than know, involving the most intimate and fullest acquaintance. The theology is not yet Trinitarian but prepares the way for the references to the Father and Son in the baptismal formula of 28:19.
11:28–30 Jesus now appeals for a response to his revelation.
After Jesus’ performing countless miracles to attest His divinity and His messianic credentials (4:23–24), after His preaching in detail the message of the gospel and the Christian life (5–7), and after His having sent out the twelve (10:5–15) and then the seventy (see Luke 10:1–16), the people of Galilee had the greatest opportunity to learn of God and of His way of salvation than any people in history, before or since. Yet in spite of that great opportunity, the majority willfully rejected Christ and His message, either by hostility or by indifference.
“Weary” evokes the image of persons exhausted from their work or journey, while “burdened” indicates persons weighted down with heavy loads. They are like the crowds whom Jesus said earlier are harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd (9:36).
In the light of the following statements, the scribes and Pharisees seem once again to be the target of Jesus’ criticism (cf. 5:20; 6:1–18). Jesus will later condemn outright the Jewish leaders for the burden that their legalistic traditions has put on the people (23:4), so this is an invitation to the crowds to become his disciples and find a rest in him that cannot be found in the legal casuistry of the Pharisees.
He extends the invitation by saying, “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.” The “yoke” (zygos) was the wooden frame joining two animals (usually oxen) for pulling heavy loads; this image was used metaphorically to describe one individual’s subjection to another. In that latter sense, the yoke is a common metaphor in Judaism for the law: “He that takes upon himself the yoke of the Law, from him shall be taken away the yoke of the kingdom [troubles from those in power] and the yoke of worldly care; but he that throws off the yoke of the Law, upon him shall be laid the yoke of the kingdom and the yoke of worldly care.”
While there is no need to restrict the “burdens,” it is impossible not to be reminded of the “heavy loads” the Pharisees put on men’s shoulders (23:4; cf. 12:1–14; cf. Schlatter; Klostermann; M. Maher, “`Take my yoke upon you’ [Matt. xi.29],” NTS 22 [1976]: 97–103). The “rest” (cf. use of cognate term in Heb 3–4) is eschatological (cf. Rev 6:11; 14:13) but also a present reality.
The “yoke” (v. 29), put on animals for pulling heavy loads, is a metaphor for the discipline of discipleship. If Jesus is not offering the yoke of the law (Pirke Aboth 3:6, cf. Ecclesiasticus 51:26), neither is he offering freedom from all constraints. The “yoke” is Jesus’ yoke, not the yoke of the law; discipleship must be to him. In view of Mt 11:27, learn from me cannot mean imitate me or learn from my experience (contra Stauffer, TDNT, 2:348f.) but learn from the revelation that I alone impart (cf. Schmid).
Jesus invites the “weary” (the participle suggests those who have become weary through heavy struggling or toil) and the “burdened” (the passive side of weariness, overloaded like beasts of burden) to come to him; and he (not the Father) will give them rest. There is an echo of Jeremiah 31:25, where Yahweh refreshes his people through the new covenant.
When a man carried a yoke he would carry it on his shoulders (cf., e.g., Jer 27:2); Judaism applied this image of subjection to obedience. Jewish people spoke of carrying the yoke of God’s law and the yoke of his kingdom, which one accepted by acknowledging that God was one and by keeping his commandments. Matthew intends Jesus’ words about rest as a contrast with Pharisaic sabbath rules in the following passage (12:1–14): the promise of “rest for your souls” comes from Jeremiah 6:16, where God promises to stay his wrath if the people turn to him instead of to the words of the false religious leaders (6:13–14, 20).
Jesus now invites all who hear or read his words to experience the refreshment of being his disciple. His metaphor is drawn from the world of field work, where the labor is hard and the loads difficult for man and beast. Within the context of Matthew’s Gospel, this imagery probably refers to the heavy load of religious observances that the scribes and Pharisees had bundled together and placed on people’s backs (23:4).
The Mosaic law itself was not intended to be burdensome to keep (Deut. 30:11) but a delight and a blessing to the humble person who trusted God (Ps. 19:7–11; 119). The scribes and the Pharisees, however, had twisted God’s law into a means of self-congratulation and showing off, by observing it in unnecessarily ostentatious ways devised by “learned” calculation (Matt. 23:5, 16, 18, 23, 25, 29–30). Those who were not learned—the “little children” to whom Jesus referred in 11:25—would likely have experienced the teaching of the scribes and Pharisees on these matters as burdensome.
There is an echo of the first beatitude (5:3) in this passage. Note that this is an open invitation to all who hear—but phrased in such a way that the only ones who will respond to the invitation are those who are burdened by their own spiritual bankruptcy and the weight of trying to save themselves by keeping the law. The stubbornness of humanity’s sinful rebellion is such that without a sovereignly-bestowed spiritual awakening, all sinners refuse to acknowledge the depth of their spiritual poverty
Therefore Jesus issued a call to all … who are weary (hoi kopiōntes, “those tired from hard toil”) and burdened (pephortismenoi, “those loaded down”; cf. phortion, “load,” in Matt. 11:30) to come to Him. People’s weariness comes from enduring their burdens, probably the burdens of sin and its consequences.
Has sexual immorality brought you rest? Has partying every weekend brought you rest? Has that perfect girl or guy brought you rest? Has your education brought you rest? Has climbing the corporate ladder brought you rest? Has any of that stuff you keep buying—the house, the car, the vintage sports car, the vacation home, the home entertainment center, the hot tub, the box of Twinkies—brought you rest? Has any of that really brought you rest?
Jesus does not release his disciples from burdens, just as he did not escape the burdens of human life in his Incarnation. Illness and calamity and tragedy remain a part of this fallen world until the final renewal, but for those in the kingdom of heaven there is a promise of Jesus’ sustaining help as we carry his yoke of discipleship.
Why is that? It is easy to find comfort in places other than Jesus himself, whether it be television, alcohol, escapist vacations, pornography, or a myriad of other things that dull us to the pain of life. We can find peace in that reality, not in other things that masquerade as true life. Much of what we use to dull the pain of life really does exactly the opposite, giving us fleeting pleasure and leaving us empty in the end. But this is exactly what Jesus offers us—true life (John 10:10), one that forms us from the inside out (see comments on Matt. 5:20) and makes us into the kinds of people who love and serve God from a renewed nature under his easy yoke of discipleship.
Jesus issues his invitation to all who labour and are heavy laden. The last word is unusual, and reminds us of 23:4, where the scribes and Pharisees are accused of making the people carry ‘heavy burdens’ by their legalistic demands. Scribal religion was meant to honour God, but its effect was to condemn the ordinary Jew to hard labour. The rest Jesus offers instead is not a release from all obligations; 5:20 shows that his demands are greater. But because of who he is (v. 29), his demands are such that to respond to them is rest (‘relief’ would be an equally good translation).
new yoke was needed to lighten the load. Jesus’ yoke is easy (chrēstos normally means ‘good’, ‘kind’), not because it makes lighter demands, but because it represents entering into a disciple-relationship (learn from me) with one who is gentle and lowly in heart (cf. 2 Cor. 10:1 for these as recognized qualities of Jesus). The words echo the description of God’s servant in Isaiah 42:2–3; 53:1–2, and specially the words of Zechariah 9:9 which Matthew will pick up again at 21:4–5; it is also the character Jesus expects, and creates, in his disciples (5:3ff.) This attractive aspect of Jesus is a vital counterbalance to the sterner side seen in 7:13–27; 10:34–39; etc. To emphasize either to the exclusion of the other is to miss the real Jesus.
“Weary and burdened” reflects the daily labor of carrying a pack on one’s back. Tired workers need refreshment and renewal (cf. Jer 6:16); Jesus equates the Christian life with spiritual rest.
“Learn” echoes the exhortation of rabbinic instruction. No doubt, like many of the Jewish teachers, Jesus is “gentle” (the same word as “meek” in 5:5) and “humble.” But unlike them, Christ offers work that is refreshing and good (more literal than NIV “easy”) because it brings salvation. Christ’s yoke is thus “light.” None of this implies that Jesus’ “greater righteousness,” as illustrated in the Sermon on the Mount, is not extremely challenging or demanding. Jesus’ requirements are no less stringent than those of the Jewish teachers, but they can be accomplished more readily because of the strength Christ provides through the Holy Spirit.32 Jesus did not escape the hard life, but he could experience rest and refreshment in its midst. Christians are not promised freedom from illness or calamity, but they may experience God’s sustaining grace so that they are not crushed or driven to despair (2 Cor 4:8–9). The rest Jesus offers his disciples enables them to overcome a certain measure of “fear, anxiety, uncertainty, and meaninglessness in the joy and peace of God’s very presence in Jesus Christ.” By way of contrast, most Jews found the interpretations of the law imposed on them by their leaders increasingly burdensome (23:4; cf. Acts 15:10, which uses the identical “yoke” imagery).
You will find rest for your souls is an echo of the Hebrew text of Jeremiah 6:16 (LXX is different), where it is the offer of God to those who follow his way; Jesus now issues the invitation in his own name!
In chapter 12 opposition turns explicit and ugly. First, the Jewish authorities called Jesus on the carpet for breaking their Sabbath laws (vv. 1–14). Although it cannot be proven that Jesus went beyond the infringement of the “oral law” to violating the Old Testament itself, part of the argument Jesus made on His behalf appeals to Old Testament precedent in which the very provisions of the Mosaic law were violated (v. 4). Matthew reasoned that in Jesus something greater than both David and the temple (the king and priestly cult) is present. Surely very serious infractions indeed would be needed to have elicited the Pharisees’ extreme response (v. 14). Jesus withdrew from hostilities and in so doing again fulfilled Scripture (vv. 15–21).
All who are weary and burdened may come to Christ for rest. His is not the yoke of the law (a common rabbinic expression), which made demands without adequate empowerment for obedience. Jesus also offers a yoke (commands that restrict and guide), but with the greater demand comes a greater empowerment through the Spirit, so that his “yoke is easy” and his “burden is light” (v. 30).
The implicit contrast between Jesus’ yoke and that of others is not between antinomianism and legalism, for in a deep sense his demands (5:21–48) are far more radical than theirs; nor between salvation by law and salvation by grace (contra Bornkamm, Tradition, p. 148, n. 2); nor between harsh attitudes among Jewish teachers of the law and Jesus’ humane and humble approach (Klostermann). No, the contrast is between the burden of submission to the OT in terms of Pharisaic regulation and the relief of coming under Jesus’ tutelage as under the authority of gentle Revealer to whom the OT, the ancient paths, truly pointed
his Spirit provides the same strength to carry the load that Jesus himself relied upon to carry his own load of redemptive service to humanity.
However, in the quest to learn from Jesus how to live God’s truth, it is critical to remember that Jesus’ disciples can also turn his yoke into an unbearable burden unless we consciously recognize that discipleship to Jesus is not essentially a religious obligation. Rather, ours is an intimate relationship with the One who calls, “Come to me” and “learn from me.” As complicated as life may become, discipleship is at heart simply walking with Jesus in the real world and having him teach us moment by moment how to live life his way.
His easy yoke is neither cheap nor convenient. The surprising promise of the easy yoke was meant to free us from a self-serving, meritorious, performance-based religion. It is easy in that it frees us from the burden of self-centeredness; liberates us from the load of self-righteousness; and frees us to live in the way that God intended us to live.… The easy yoke sounds like an oxymoron. Plowing a field or pulling a load is hard work! And nowhere does Jesus promise soft ground for tilling or level paths for bearing the load. What he does promise is a relationship with Himself. The demands are great but the relationship with Jesus makes the burden light.
This passage is the only place in all four Gospel accounts where Jesus tells us about his heart—and he says it is “gentle and lowly” (v. 29). He is ready to help all those who are themselves humble enough to admit their need of his mercy and grace. Indeed, he delights to do so.
“Come.” The Pharisees all said “Do!” and tried to make the people follow Moses and the traditions. But true salvation is found only in a Person, Jesus Christ. To come to Him means to trust Him. This invitation is open to those who are exhausted and burdened down. That is exactly how the people felt under the yoke of pharisaical legalism (Matt. 23:4; Acts 15:10).
“Take.” This is a deeper experience. When we come to Christ by faith, He gives us rest. When we take His yoke and learn, we find rest, that deeper rest of surrender and obedience. The first is “peace with God” (Rom. 5:1); the second is “the peace of God” (Phil. 4:6–8). To “take a yoke” in that day meant to become a disciple. When we submit to Christ, we are yoked to Him. The word “easy” means “well-fitting”; He has just the yoke that is tailor-made for our lives and needs. The burden of doing His will is not a heavy one (1 John 5:3).
“Learn.” The first two commands represent a crisis as we come and yield to Christ; but this step is into a process. As we learn more about Him, we find a deeper peace, because we trust Him more. Life is simplified and unified around the person of Christ. This invitation is for “all”—not just the people of Israel (Matt. 10:5–6).
First, the fact that Jesus chooses us does not negate our choice. Right after Jesus says, “No one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him,” we find two imperatives: “Come to me … Take my yoke upon you.” Which is it, Jesus? Make up your mind. Do you choose or do we come? He chooses, and we come.
Bruner writes:
Christian countries are in special trouble on judgment day, not because Jesus has not really been in their communities but because he has. Jesus’ presence, without change, can lead to a damnation deeper than Sodom’s.… Capernaum stands for all self-conscious Christianity, for all Christianity smug in its possession of Jesus, in its being the center of Jesus’ work.… Jesus is not always impressed. It is going to go better in the judgment day for notorious pagans than for self-satisfied saints. The sum of the matter is this: Christians should take Jesus seriously. When they do, they escape judgment; when they do not, they invite it.
The invitation to come to Christ remains for all today, but now as then it requires the recognition that persons cannot come by exalting themselves (recall v. 23) but only by completely depending on and trusting in Christ.