Take my Yoke
Matthew 11:28–30 The Message
28–30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me — watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
ESV
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 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. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden
Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion?
Weary
2872 kopiáō (from 2873 /kópos, “exhausting labor”) — to labor until worn-out, depleted (exhausted). See 2873 (kopos).
Burdened
5412 phortízō — overload (pack up), causing someone to be (literally) “weighted-down.” See 5413 (phortion).
Come to me.
Get away with me…
Keep company with me…
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me,
Take off your yoke, your way, your modus operandi and put mine on your shoulders. Partner with me in life and I’ll show you how to walk and work in a way that gives and sustains life!
Yoke
zygós — properly, a yoke; a wooden bar placed over the neck of a pair of animals so they can pull together; (figuratively) what unites (joins) two people to move (work) together as one.
[2218 (zygós) unites two elements to work as one unit, like when two pans (weights) operate together on a balance-scale — or a pair of oxen pulling a single plough.]
Learn
3129 manthánō (akin to 3101 /mathētḗs, “a disciple”) — properly, learning key facts; gaining “fact-knowledge as someone learns from experience, often with the implication of reflection — ‘come to realize’ “ (L & N, 1, 27.15).
What do we learn
1. Gentleness — meekness
4239 praýs (also listed as 4239a/praupathia in NAS dictionary) — meek. See 4236 (praótēs).
This difficult-to-translate root (pra-) means more than “meek.” Biblical meekness is not weakness but rather refers to exercising God’s strength under His control — i.e. demonstrating power without undue harshness.
- Humility — reliance on God
tapeinós (an adjective) — properly, low; (figuratively) inner lowliness describing the person who depends on the Lord rather than self. See 5012 (tapeinophrosynē).
5011 /tapeinós (“lowly, humble”) means being God-reliant rather than self-reliant — which ironically always exalts a person (brings them true worth, cf. 1 Pet 5:6).
…and you will find rest for your souls.
and you’ll recover your life… you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.
I will give you rest
Give rest = by implication ‘refresh’ your soul
373 anapaúō (from 303 /aná, “up, completing a process,” which intensifies 3973 /paúō, “pause”) — properly, to give (experience) rest after the needed task is completed; to pause (rest) “after precious toil and care” (Vine/Unger, White, NT).
