Matthew 11:29
Thursday, 17 July 2025
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. Matthew 11:29
“Lift My yoke upon you, and you learn from Me, for benignant I am, and lowly of heart, and you will find rest – your souls” (CG).
In the previous verse, Jesus said to those around Him, “You come to Me, all those laboring and having been encumbered, and I, I will give rest to you.” He now continues His words, beautifully calling His people to Himself, beginning with, “Lift My yoke upon you.”
The word zugos, a yoke or a pair of scales, is introduced. The word is derived from the root of zeugnumi, to join. This joining is usually by a yoke. Thus, it speaks of a coupling. Figuratively, it is applied to servitude, such as by law. This is just how both Peter and Paul will later use it –
Peter: “Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.” Acts 15:10, 11
Paul: “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. 2 Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing.” Galatians 5:1, 2
Jesus is using the same figurative language. He is telling those who will hear that what He offers is available. By saying this, He is conveying the thought, “All people are slaves to something. I offer you my yoke, which is far preferable to the one you now bear.” In coming under Jesus’ yoke, He next says, “and you learn from Me, for benignant I am.”
It is the same word used in Matthew 5:5 where Jesus said –
“Blessed – the benignant,
For they – they will inherit the land.”
The word gives the sense of being mild or humble. Added to that, He continues with, “and lowly of heart.”
Here, the word tapeinos, lowly, is introduced. It signifies depressed, as in (figuratively) humiliated. This could be in circumstances or in disposition. Jesus is indicating that because of His gentle and lowly disposition, the yoke that He offers will be similar in its effect upon those who accept it. Because of this, He provides a sure promise to those who accept it, saying, “and you will find rest – your souls.”
Another new word, anapausis, is provided. It is a noun signifying intermission. By implication, it gives a sense of recreation or rest. It is the noun form of the verb just introduced in the previous verse. Jesus is saying that in taking on His yoke, something normally associated with work, toil, and physical effort, a person will instead receive rest for their souls.
The thoughts, seemingly contradictory, are expressed based on His position as the Messiah. He indicated in the previous verses that in knowing Him, one would then know the Father. Jesus was sent on a mission, specifically to fulfill the law that stood opposed to the people. This law, as indicated above by both Peter and Paul, is a yoke of bondage.
One must work in order to be pleasing to God under the law. But because of sin, the works remain unacceptable. However, Jesus had no sin. He lived life under the law perfectly. He is indicating, even before His completion of the law, that He would accomplish all that is necessary for the law to be fulfilled. In doing this, what He will offer is not a yoke of bondage, but one of humility.
His subjugation under the law will lead to His exaltation. His labors will be complete, and He offers the fruit of His labors to all who will believe.
Life application: Applying these words of Jesus to those in the church does not violate the dispensational model. He is referring to an action which is future to the point in time at which He states it. As such, it is an action that is open to all when that point is met.
Jesus was in the process of fulfilling the law. If He had failed to do so, the words of this verse would be nullified. Of course, He would not fail, and He did not fail. It was a given that He would prevail. As such, He could rightly proclaim these words, offering Himself as the provider of rest even before He had finished His labors.
In the completion of His efforts, what He accomplished is now available to any and all who will accept the premise. Though spoken to Israel while under the law, they are words anticipating the ending of the law and the granting of rest. Therefore, they reflect an ongoing offer to any and all who will accept His yoke.
This is the point of the words of Peter and Paul. They are telling the people of the world that law observance is not the way to please God, except as it was observed by Jesus. In coming to Christ, our yoke is that of “law fulfilled” not “law to be fulfilled.” Thank God for His tender mercies in sending Jesus to make this our happy state of servitude.
Lord God, thank You that the yoke we take upon ourselves through Christ Jesus is one of being Your bondservant under His fulfillment of the law and the paying of humanity’s sin-debt. We no longer have to bear the burden of sin. Instead, we can be free in the Lord to serve You in a state of rest, refreshment, and eternal joy. Hooray for Jesus! Amen.
