1. Matthew 11:29 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

To what does Jesus’ yoke refer?

Matthew 11:29 (ESV)

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.

If you notice the order in the text, you will see that Jesus first speaks about rest and then about his yoke. In the Bible, rest means liberation. God’s people had been delivered from Egypt to enter the Promised Land—the rest (see e.g., 1 Kings 8:56; Hebrews 4:1–11). The rest of Jesus does not work like a sedative pill. Jesus brings you into the redemption, the grace, the love of his Father.