Matthew 11:30
ESV - 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
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The saying "my yoke is easy and my burden is light" is part of a larger passage (Matthew 11:28-30), in which Jesus tells all who are weary and burdened to come to Him for rest. He isn't speaking he...
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Since man has had a knowledge of good and evil, he/she had to experience pain, suffering and death as a manifestation of curses of the knowledge of evil (Genesis 3: 16-19). Fortunately, man also has had a knowledge of good; a knowledge about God, who is good and His mercy endured forever (2 Chronicles 7: 3); and He, who has done everything well (Mark 7: 37) and, no one is good-except God alone (Mark 10: 18). By believing and following Jesus, all evil matters symbolized in "yoke" and "burden"caused by the knowledge of evil will be overcome by the knowledge of good (John 16: 33) : a salvation on earth and in Heaven (John 3: 16-21).
A yoke was a wooden beam which was placed across the shoulders of two animals working in tandem. It allowed them to direct their combined labor to a single task, accomplishing that which could not be done alone. Jesus is suggesting that we give up the idea of achieving righteousness by our own effort and be yoked together with him. In doing so we find that he shoulders the load and relieves us of the burden of sin which no person can overcome alone. When the burden of sin has been dealt with, we are released to live productive lives of joy, peace and purpose. "His yoke is easy, his burden is light..."
A yoke means work, as originally oxen were united together to farm land. Yokes meant heavy, hard work because the yokes themselves were heavy and wooden (crossbars) which were utilized to connect 2 oxen together to plow more efficiently than the one man behind the horse/ox idea. But Jesus is using a paradox here (which He loved/loves to do). Jesus contrasts the load of doing the Law with the light burden of obeying His teachings (with His help, of course). Help us, O Lord, Thy yoke to wear, Delighting in Thy perfect will; Each other’s burden learn to bear, And thus Thy law of love fulfill.
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