Freedom From The Yoke Of The Law

MATTHEW 11:25-30

The thematic connection between 11.25-30 and 11.2-24 is clear enough. 11.2-19 culminated in a parable about the rejection of John and Jesus, and 11.20-24 declared judgement against Galilean cities for their failure to repent. 11.25-30 continues the theme of response. Its three stanzas, however, go beyond the refrain of failure. Rejection is not the whole story! If “this generation” [11:16] did not follow after John and Jesus, and if Chorazin and Bethsaida and Capernaum did not acknowledge Jesus’ miracles, there are still the “babes” [11:25] who perceive what is happening.

What we have in Matthew 11:25-30 is a presentation of Jesus in Mosaic colours; and it is the similarities as well as the differences between the Messiah and the law-giver which clarify our evangelist’s authorial intent.

The early career of Jesus reveals an inner coherence between three things that can be set out from Jesus’ Jewish context:

Jesus undertook a symbolic action through which he intended to evoke, and to enact, the long-promised return of Yahweh to Zion. [see, for example, Isa.4:2-6; Isa.24:23; Isa.25:9-10; Isa.35:3-6; Isa.40:3-5, 9-11; Eze.43:1-7].
In doing so, he saw himself in the role of the strange quasi-messianic figure who would share the very throne of Israel’s one true God, and who would attain to that exaltation through suffering and vindication on behalf of Israel, fulfilling her destiny to be the light of the world.
Consonant with that vocation, he evoked, in his ministry of kingdom announcement, of welcome, warning and challenge, three of the central symbols by which Israel had learned to think and speak of her God, particularly by his presence and his actions in her midst: temple, torah, and wisdom. [Wright, J&VoG, 648].

Structure:

Thanksgiving [25-26]
Christological declaration [27]
Invitation [28-30]

Matthew identifies Jesus with wisdom: “the Son of man came…but wisdom is justified of her children” [11:19]. The same equation is implicitly present in this passage

THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD

The passage begins with prayer and thanksgiving: “I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth…” [11:25].

§ It is a prayer of thanksgiving for all that the section contains [11:25-30].

1. The Sovereign God

a. The Governing Thought

The prayer of Jesus: “I thank thee, O Father…” [11:25].

ἐξομολογοῦμαί - “thank” [11:25], from ek, ‘out’, and homologéō, ‘to assent’; ‘to confess, admit, profess or express agreement with’; in this context, ‘to praise’;
The “thanksgiving” governs the whole passage from v.25 to v.30: thanks for the ‘giving and hiding of revelation’, for the gnosis given to the Son, and for the possibility of rest.

i. Fatherhood

Jesus gives thanks for the Fatherhood of God: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth…” [11:25].

πάτερ - “Father” [11:25], ‘male parent’; ‘ancestor’;
God is the Father of Israel: “Israel is my son, even my first-born” [Exo.4:22]; “when Israel was a child I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt” [Hos.11:1].

ii. Sovereignty

Jesus gives thanks for the sovereignty of God: “Lord of heaven and earth…” [11:25].

κύριε - “Lord” [11:25], ‘master, owner’;
τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τῆς γῆς - “heaven and earth” [11:25], ‘the visible and invisible creation’;
This phrase recalls God’s acts of creation: “in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…” [Gen.1:1].

Application

2. The Sovereign Action of God

a. The Subject

The subject referred to: “these things…” [11:25].

§ tau/ta - “these things” [11:25], ‘near demonstrative pronoun’;

§ what are these things? In Matthew one thinks of the erga of Jesus [11:2, 19], especially his miracles [11:20-21; cf.11:5-6].

§ The deeds and words of Jesus in his Galilean ministry that disclose the presence of the kingdom: “Go and tell John again those things which ye do see and hear…” [11:4ff]; “we have piped to you and you have not danced…” [11:17].

b. The Encrypting

i. The Religious Leaders

The reference to the scribes and Pharisees: “wise and the prudent…” [11:25].

§ sofw/n - “wise” [11:25], generally of ‘acquired intelligence characterised by the ability to use knowledge for correct behaviour’.

§ sunetw/n - “prudent” [11:25], ‘having understanding and intelligence’;

§ A reference to those who are ‘self-sufficient’, ‘self-confident’, and in no need of help’.

§ A reference to the worldly wise, men of secular sophistication: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent” [1Cor.1:19].

§ The Old Testament verse quoted by Paul above: “Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid” [Isa.29:14].

ii. The Sovereign Action

The action: “hidden these things from the wise…” [11:25].

§ e;kruyaj - “hidden” [11:25], indicative aorist active, from κρύπτω ‘to hide and conceal’; literally ‘preventing something from being seen’;

c. The Revelation

i. The Unlearned

The reference to those unlearned in oral law: “unto babes” [11:25].

§ nhpi,oij - “babes” [11:25], ‘young child’; ‘infant’; metaphorically, ‘one unlearned, unenlightened and innocent’. Matthew and Jesus would have been thinking of those unlearned in the oral Law.

§ The chief priests and scribes are displeased with the sick coming to the temple to be healed. Jesus responds to them: “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?” [21:16].

ii. The Sovereign Action

the action: “revealed them unto babes” [11:25].

§ avpeka,luyaj - “revealed” [11:25], indicative aorist active, with the basic meaning of ‘to uncover’: “there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed” [10:26].

§ The realisation of an eschatological hope (now taking place in Jesus): “for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” [Hos.6:2-3].

d. The Purpose of God

i. The Purpose of God

God’s sovereign action is according to his purpose and will: “for so it seemed good in thy sight” [11:26].

§ euvdoki,a - “good” [11:26], ‘that which pleases’; ‘good pleasure’;

§ An expression that speaks of what God delights in doing: “Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased” [12:18].

§ Preaching and purpose: “it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” [1Cor.1:21].

ii. The Eschatological Expectation

It was widely anticipated that the end would bring unprecedented knowledge and wisdom for the elect: “no longer shall each man teach his neighbour…for they shall all know me from the least to the greatest…” [Jer.31:34].

The expectation: “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord…” [Hab.2:14].
Here the revelation is about what is happening in the present: eschatological gnosis can now be found in Jesus, who in his person ad ministry has unveiled the end-time secrets: “many prophets and righteous men have desired to see the things which you see…” [13:16-17].

Application

God’s sovereignty worked out in decisions for and against Jesus and his message.

§ The “babes” are the ones who, in the eyes of the world, are weak and simple, but before God they are elect.

THE PORTRAIT OF JESUS

1. The Agency of the Son

a. The Messianic Servant of God

i. The Servant

The revelatory role of Jesus: “all things are delivered unto me…” [11:27].

§ Pa,nta - “things” [11:27], refers firstly to “these things” [11:25];

§ But it goes beyond that to include the whole revelation of God in Jesus, which is eschatological revelation:

§ paredo,qh - “delivered” [11:27], indicative aorist passive, ‘to hand over to authority’; ‘the handing on of a tradition’; ‘the delivering up of someone to judgment’;

ii. Passing Down Tradition

Here the idea of passing down of tradition is employed, but in the metaphorical sense:

§ Paul passed down what Jesus had given to him: “For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you” [1Cor.11:23].

§ Here, God the Father entrusts his knowledge to the Son.

b. The Intimate Knowledge

i. The Intimate Knowledge

The intimate and reciprocal relationship: “no man knows the Son but the Father…” [11:27].

§ evpiginw,skei - “knows” [11:27], indicative present active, with emphasis on the epi, ‘to know exactly or to know through and through’;

§ It speaks of personal, concentrated, experiential knowledge: “Adam knew his wife Eve, and she conceived…” [Gen.4:1].

§ The Father, acknowledges, takes account of, and concerns himself with the Son; the Son acknowledges, takes account of, and concerns himself with the Father. Thus they know each other.

i. The Revelation

The revelation of the Father according to the Son’s will: “and to whomsoever the Son will reveal him” [11:27].

§ avpokalu,yai - “reveal” [11:27], infinitive aorist active, the basic meaning of ‘to uncover or reveal’;

§ bou,lhtai - “will” [11:27], subjunctive present middle, ‘to wish, want, desire or choose’;

§ the unique revelation of the unique Son: “No one has ever seen God; God the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known” [Joh.1:18].

c. The Eschatological Appearance of God

Jesus undertook a symbolic action through which he intended to evoke, and to enact, the long-promised return of Yahweh to Zion.

§ Isaiah: “in that day the Lord shall be a beautiful branch and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel…there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat…” [Isa.4:2-6]; “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us…” [Isa.25:9-10]; see also Isa.35:3-6; Isa.40:3-5, 9-11.

§ Ezekiel: “Behold, the glory of the Lord came from the way of the east…behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house…” [Eze.43:1-7].

Application

Jesus is God’s promised Messiah who has come to fulfil God’s eschatological promises and save the people of God.

2. The Moses Connection

a. The Knowledge

There is an implicit connection between this passage and Moses in Exodus 33:

§ The notion of reciprocal knowledge: “Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight” [Exo.33:12]; “Now, therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, show me now thy way, that I may know thee…” [Exo.33:13].

§ This mutual knowledge was exclusive: “there was not arisen a prophet in Israel like Moses, whom God knew face to face” [Deu.34:10].

b. The Promise of Rest

i. The Words of Jesus

The promise of Jesus “I will give you rest” [11:28].

§ avnapau,sw - “rest” [11:28], future active indicative, ‘to cause to rest’; ‘to refresh’.

§ from aná, ‘again’, and paúō, ‘to cease, give rest’; ‘to give rest, quiet, recreate, refresh’;

§ In cl. Gk. anapauo is used in its active form for: (a) make to cease, bring to an end, stop or hinder from something; (b) to rest (trans.), make to halt, refresh.

ii. The Old Testament Usage

The word “rest” is used in the Greek translation of the Old Testament in a variety of contexts:

§ The Ten Commandments: “Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest…” [Exo.23:12].

§ The eschatological promise: “my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places…” [Isa.32:18].

§ The Shepherd of Ezekiel: “I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, says the Lord GOD” [Eze.34:15]; “I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel” [Eze.34:14].

iii. The Moses Connection

The whole context draws on the prayer of Moses in Exodus 33:12ff:

§ Both contexts belong to prayer: “and Moses said unto the Lord, See…” [Exo.33:12].

§ There is the notion of reciprocal knowledge: “I know thee by name…” [Exo.33:12]; “show me now thy way, that I may know thee…” [Exo.33:13].

§ The text that refers to Moses “knowing” God is immediately followed by a promise of rest: “And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest” [Exo.33:14].

c. The Character of Jesus

i. The Humble Character

The humble character of Jesus: “I am meek and lowly of heart…” [11:29].

§ prau<j - “meek” [11:29], ‘gentle or kind’; ‘friendly’; ‘soothing’;

§ tapeino.j - “lowly” [11:29], ‘of humble status’;

§ th/| kardi,a| - “in heart” [11:29], locates the qualities at the centre of his being [Php.2:7].

ii. The Moses Connection

In deeming himself to be “meek” [11:29] Jesus is taking up a chief characteristic of Moses:

§ Moses was for Judaism the exemplar of meekness: “Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth…” [Num.12:3].

§ The humble King: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass” [Zec.9:9].

Application

Jesus was the Moses-type figure who came to save the people of God:

§ He went down to Egypt and returned: “arise, take the young child and his mother, and flee unto Egypt…” [2:13]; “out of Egypt have I called my son” [2:15].

§ He was tempted in the wilderness: “Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted…” [4:1].

§ He taught on a mountain: “seeing the multitude, he went up on a mountain…” [5:1].

§ The knowledge Moses was given became, in the Torah, knowledge for others. So Moses, like Jesus, shared his revelation.

>>> PORTRAIT OF THE PEOPLE*****

**** the place of the law ****

Verse 27 draws upon Exo.33:12-13; vv.28-30 draw upon Exo.33:14:

“Moses said unto the Lord, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight” [Exo.33:12].
“Now, therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, show me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people” [Exo.33:13].

THE PORTRAIT OF THE PEOPLE

1. The Weary

a. The Labour

The work of the people: “all that labour…” [11:28].

§ kopiw/ntej - “labour” [11:28], participle present active, from kópos, ‘labor, fatigue’; ‘to be worn out, weary, faint, used intrans. (Matt. 11:28; John 4:6; Rev. 2:3); ‘to weary oneself with labor, to toil, used in an absolute sense’; ‘to become weary or tired’; ‘to work hard or struggle’; ‘to labour to the point of weariness’;

§ In secular Greek κόπος means a. a ‘beating,’ ‘weariness as though one had been beaten,’ and b. the ‘exertion’ or ‘trouble’ which causes this state; expressing severe labour, it is synonymous with πόνος, which signifies the most tense or strenuous effort, e.g., of the soldier in battle, or the exertions of messengers or manual workers.

b. The Burden

The heavy burden of the people: “all you that labour and are heavy laden…” [11:28].

§ pefortisme,noi - “heavy laden” [11:27], participle perfect passive, from phórtos, ‘the freight of a ship’;

§ ‘to overload, heavily burden’; ‘to cause someone to carry something, heavy load or burden’;

2. The History of the People of God

The people of God have their roots in Abraham and in those redeemed from Egypt by Moses: “we have Abraham as our father…” [Joh.8:39].

§ History has brought them into the rest of the Promised Land: “if Joshua had given them rest…” [Heb.4:9].

§ Their rebellious history brought them to the banishment to Babylon: “as the Lord rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the Lord will watch over you to destroy you…” [Deu.28:63].

§ In the providence of God, they returned from Babylon: “that says of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundations shall be laid” [Isa.44:28].

§ They are still “under the law” and waiting for the promised return of Yahweh to Zion: “Behold the glory of the Lord came from the east…” [Eze.43:2].

3. The Law

a. The Other Yoke

The significance of the yoke: “take my yoke…” [11:29].

§ zugo,n - “yoke” [11:29], literally, ‘balance, pair of scales’; ‘cross-beam or cross-bar’; ‘a wooden frame placed upon the necks of draught animals, joining them together’.

§ The word became a metaphor for obedience, subordination, and servitude.

i. The Old Testament

Some examples of the Old Testament usage:

§ Freedom from slavery: “I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bands of your yoke, and made you go upright” [Lev.26:13].

§ Redemption through the work of the Son of God: “For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian” [Isa.9:4].

§ The promise: “And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them” [Eze.34:7].

ii. The New Testament Idea

Generally, in the New Testament, the idea of “yoke” is used only figuratively. As in older and contemporary Greek usage, and as also in contemporary Jewish usage, the word expresses a relation of absolute dependence.

§ The Jewish idea and the early church: “Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear” [Acts 15:10].

§ Paul speaks of the situation of the slave who cannot do as he pleases but stand under an imposed order: “Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour…” [1Tim.6:1].

§ Paul warns the Galatians, who have been released by the Gospel from slavery not to rob themselves of this divinely effected and established freedom by subjecting themselves to the Jewish Law, for in so doing they will again be reduced to the position of the δοῦλος: “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage” [Gal.5:1].

iii. The Scribes & Pharisees

The perfect passive points to an action performed ‘on them’ at a point of time in the past, which has ongoing consequences: “woe unto you scribes and Pharisees…” [23:13].

§ The imposition of impossible burdens: “For they bind heavy burdens (fortia) and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their finger” [23:4].

§ Not the law itself but rather the overwhelming nomism of the Pharisees and the oral law which spoke of 613 commandments.

b. My Yoke

i. Judaism & Torah

In referring to “yoke” [11:29] he is using a term often applied to the “torah” law which was given to Moses:

§ The Jewish teachers commonly spoke of the yoke of the law; this is clear in Wisdom writing and is carried into the New Testament church: “Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear” [Acts 15:10].

§ For Judaism, the Torah is ‘all that God has made known of his nature, character, and purpose, and of what he would have man be and do: “

ii. Jesus & The Law

Jesus identifies himself with the Torah as the full revelation of God: “neither knows any man the Father but the Son and whomsoever the Son will reveal him” [11:27].

§ Jesus thus identifies himself with the Torah: “I came not to destroy but to fulfil” [5:17].

§ This identification makes Jesus the full revelation of God and of his will for man: “the only begotten Son has revealed him…” [Joh.1:18].

Application

Jesus is clearly speaking to those who already bear a ζυγός.

§ He refers expressly to His ζυγός, to the ζυγός of the Messiah, contrasting this with another ζυγός, with the other ζυγός.

§ But this other ζυγός can only be that of worship under the Law, which involves the oppressive labour and attitude of the slave.

§ This is clear from Mt. 23:4, where we find the image of the burden used. In this saying, therefore, a contrast is drawn between the Messianic ζυγός of Jesus and the ζυγός of legalism. Jesus is thus contrasted with the νόμος, as in John’s Gospel and sometimes in Paul.

Jesus, in both 11:27 and 11:29, and in contrast to Moses, is the perfect embodiment of God’s purpose and demand and the functional equivalent of Torah. Law-giver and Law are one.

THE KINGDOM OF GOD

1. The Message

a. The Invitation

The imperative: “come unto me” [11:28].

§ Deu/te - “come” [11:28], imperative aorist active, the plural of deúro, ‘here, hither, up to this time’; ‘come, come hither’; “all things are ready: come unto the marriage” [22:4].

b. The Salvation-Bearing Son of God

An invitation to come: “to me” [11:28]

§ pro,j me - “to me” [11:28], as the epicentre of the Father’s self-disclosure.

c. The Command

i. The Exchange of Yoke

The command to believe in the One who has come: “take my yoke upon you…” [11:29].

§ a;rate - “take” [11:29], imperative aorist active, ‘to take up, lift up’;

§ zugo,n - “yoke” [11:29], ‘cross-beam or cross-bar’; a metaphor from carrying or ploughing; ‘a call to obedience, subordination, and servitude’.

§ The call to discipleship: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” [16:24].

ii. The Call to Discipleship

The command to become disciples: “learn of me…” [11:29].

§ ma,qete - “learn” [11:29], imperative aorist active, from basic meaning of ‘directing one’s mind to something and producing an external effect of learning’; ‘to experience’; ‘to learn through instruction’;

§ An intellectual process is always implied and this always has external effects: “transformed by the renewing of your mind” [Rom.12:2].

§ The focus or subject to be experienced and to be instructed in is the revelation that I alone can impart: “to whomsoever the Son will reveal him” [11:27].

§ This command is another indication that Jesus is the functional equivalent of Torah.

Application

In the new kingdom of God, Jesus was re-constituting Israel around himself.

§ The verb does not imply the rest that is the complete cessation of labour, which is made clear when Jesus goes on to speak of his “yoke” [11:29] and of his “burden” [11:29]. The “rest” in mind is the rest that enables the worker to go back to the task with renewed vigour.

§ The ‘people of God’ were the ‘forgiven, returned-from-exile, people of the one true God’.

§ In Matthew 19:16-22 ‘the young man was being summoned to join an Israel that was no longer defined by Torah (nor would it be vindicated on the basis of fidelity to Torah), but by allegiance to Jesus – an allegiance that would involve giving up idols’ [Wright, 302].

2. The Promise

a. The Rest

i. The Gift

The promise: “I will give you rest” [11:28].

§ avnapau,sw - “rest” [11:28], future active indicative, ‘to cause to rest’; ‘to refresh’.

§ from aná, ‘again’, and paúō, ‘to cease, give rest’; ‘to give rest, quiet, recreate, refresh’;

§ God’s promise to Moses: “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest” [Exo.33:14].

ii. The Personal Discovery

The personal discovery: “you shall find…” [11:28].

§ eu`rh,sete - “find” [11:29], future active, ‘to find after searching’; ‘learn the location of something’;

iii. The Messianic Age

The words are a quotation from Jeremiah: “Thus says the Lord, Stand ye in the old ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and you shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein” [Jer.6:16].

§ The messianic age was to be a time of rest: “in returning and rest shall you be saved…” [Isa.30:15].

§ The promise of the new covenant rest: “for I have satisfied the weary soul…” [Jer.31:25].

b. The Freedom

i. The Comfortable Yoke

The comfort of the yoke: “for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” [11:30].

§ crhsto.j - “easy” [11:30], ‘superior for a particular purpose or use’; ‘a fit-for-purpose yoke’; ‘easy to wear’; comfortable;

§ The adjective signifies what is ‘good and pleasant’; “The old is better” [Luk.5:39]; “for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil” [Luk.6:35];

§ The contrast: “the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” [Joh.1:17].

ii. The Light Burden

The light burden: “my burden is light” [11:30].

§ forti,on - “burden” [11:30], the diminutive of fortoj, which means a load, and is often used of ship’s cargo.

§ evlafro,n - “light” [11:30], ‘easy to bear’;

iii. The New Exodus

In the new exodus, Jesus brings the burden of the law to an end: “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness” [Rom.10:4].

§ The bore the condemnation of the law: “what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God, in sending…” [Rom.8:2].

§ He brought freedom from the law: “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law…” [Gal.3:13].

§ There is love for God: “the Lord your God will circumcise your heart…to love the Lord your God with all your heart…” [Deu.30:6].

Application

It fits well; it produces the required results;

§ Love for God makes his command a delight: “His commandments are not burdensome” [1Joh.5:3].

§ Apply to a ‘world struggling to find life and peace’ in ways that do not include the Lord Jesus Christ.

The ζυγός which Jesus lays on those who accept it is the new worship of God in the free access to the Father which is the portion of all who bow obediently to the Word of Jesus and receive from Him the revelation of the will of God. This access is not the result of human attainment; it is the gift of Jesus in His Word and person. For this reason acceptance of His ζυγός is possible only in faith in Him as the Christ. Hence only to those who believe in Him is His yoke a ζυγὸς χρηστός and His burden a φορτίον ἐλαφρόν.