Jesus said; My yoke is easy

“[The Pharisees] bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves do not move them with their finger” (Matthew ch23 v4).
“Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew ch11 vv28-30).

These two observations on the problem of bearing burdens should be taken together. We’re better able to see the connection between them if we appreciate that “yoke” is not just another word for “burden”. The yoke is a tool which makes it easier to carry things.

When I was young, we normally spent our summer holidays (teaching family, six weeks off) in a caravan, touring the highlands of Scotland. Since we spent as much time as possible parked in isolated locations, two nearly-cylindrical water containers, with handles, were a very important part of our equipment. They needed to be kept filled whenever we were close to a public water tap. Naturally teenage sons had to play their part in this chore.

By experiment, I made the discovery that collecting the water in both containers at the same time was easier than using one. One full container would drag my arm down towards the ground and slow me down. With one handle in each hand, the two of them would balance each other out and I could walk upright at a reasonable pace. In fact (it’s all coming back), by swinging the arms a little, it was possible to allow the weight of the water to pull me forwards.

There exists film of me doing this (Callander municipal car-park, August 1m967) because my brother would not believe the claim without a demonstration. He found it counter-intuitive. Scepticism through ignorance, very common.

I had discovered the physical principle which underlies the traditional English “milkmaid’s yoke”, as illustrated in a thousand collections of nursery rhymes;
“Where are you going to, my pretty maid?
I’m going a-milking, sir- she said.”
All over the world, all through the centuries, even slightly built women have been carrying two containers of liquid from the ends of a bar laid across the shoulders.

Jesus is making a double complaint against the Pharisees.
They impose burdens which are too heavy, in the first place.
And the men who bear the burdens on their backs are left without assistance. Though he says, in the previous verse, that the Pharisees do not practise what they preach, “not moving the burden with their finger” could also be a reference to their failure to help the people they have been loading-up and make their burdens easier to carry.

What are these burdens, exactly? If this was an old-fashioned political cartoon., the label written on to the burden might be “Sense of obligation”. All those extra details which the Pharisees could find in the commands. Perhaps also “Sense of guilt”, because the detailed obligations were not being fulfilled.

Similarly, Jesus is making a double promise.
The burden which he provides for us will be “light”.
What he demands from us can be summed up neatly in the essence of God’s law; “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and your neighbour as yourself.”

At the same time, he lightens the burden further by providing the assistance of a “yoke”; an easy yoke, gently curved to fit round the neck, perhaps padded to reduce chafing on the shoulders.

What is the label on this yoke? “Forgiveness”, I think. This was already available for those who heard his words and trusted in his promise, on the authority of his Father. By this means, not only is the sense of obligation lightened, but the sense of guilt is taken away altogether.

So the Pharisees may be harsh task-masters, but Jesus in the same role is gentle in heart.

Your book should stop shaming humans for being dirty sinful heathens and we won't be burdened by obligation and guilt.

a reply to: DISRAELI

You always bring them out of the woodwork, it's like full moon with all the atheists howling at it.

BorisBadinOff

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Your cartoon is more appropriate for Corporate politics than an attempt to insult faith, just wrong and it shows no understanding of Christianity if you even think that has anything to say about the faith.

Abolition of Slavery for example only came about because of Christianity though Corporations have snuck it back in, wage slavery, the only time Christians were slavers they were NOT Christian's and were going against the Word of the Lord whom came to set YOU FREE.

a reply to: TzarChasm

Get to know Him.




The Bible says my King is the King of the Jews. He's the King of Israel. He's the King of Righteousness. He's the King of the Ages. He's the King of Heaven. He's the King of Glory. He's the King of kings, and He's the Lord of lords. That's my King.

I wonder, do you know Him?

My King is a sovereign King. No means of measure can define His limitless love. He's enduringly strong. He's entirely sincere. He's eternally steadfast. He's immortally graceful. He's imperially powerful. He's impartially merciful.

Do you know Him?

He's the greatest phenomenon that has ever crossed the horizon of this world. He's God's Son. He's the sinner's Saviour. He's the centrepiece of civilization. He's unparalleled. He's unprecedented. He is the loftiest idea in literature. He's the highest personality in philosophy. He's the fundamental doctrine of true theology. He's the only one qualified to be an all sufficient Saviour.

I wonder if you know Him today?

He supplies strength for the weak. He's available for the tempted and the tried. He sympathizes and He saves. He strengthens and sustains. He guards and He guides. He heals the sick. He cleansed the lepers. He forgives sinners. He discharges debtors. He delivers the captive. He defends the feeble. He blesses the young. He serves the unfortunate. He regards the aged. He rewards the diligent. And He beautifies the meek.

I wonder if you know Him?

He's the key to knowledge. He's the wellspring of wisdom. He's the doorway of deliverance. He's the pathway of peace. He's the roadway of righteousness. He's the highway of holiness. He's the gateway of glory.

Do you know Him? Well...

His life is matchless. His goodness is limitless. His mercy is everlasting. His love never changes. His Word is enough. His grace is sufficient. His reign is righteous. And His yoke is easy. And His burden is light.

I wish I could describe Him to you. Yes...

He's indescribable! He's incomprehensible. He's invincible. He's irresistible. You can't get Him out of your mind. You can't get Him off of your hand. You can't outlive Him, and you can't live without Him. Well, the Pharisees couldn't stand Him, but they found out they couldn't stop Him. Pilate couldn't find any fault in Him. Herod couldn't kill Him. Death couldn't handle Him, and the grave couldn't hold Him.

Yeah! That's my King.

a reply to: LABTECH767
I'm pretty sure that cartoon was drawn by someone who intended it as an honest interpretation of the passage. It appears to come from something (a column, a book?) called "The back pew", which implies a non-leadership member of a church. That burden looks exactly like the one imposed by the Pharisees.

You think the poster uploaded it, notwithstanding, with hostile intentions? He's new, and I haven't had a chance to look closely at his posts, but I'm not sure we've got enough evidence to question his good faith.

a reply to: DISRAELI

You are correct and I am sorry for scolding the poster, but I have to admit it was funny if in poor taste.

You know though in that context it was correct and for a very long time a misguided controlled church did impose terrible burdens upon the poor instead of alleviating them, the catholic church was once the largest land owner in Europe and perhaps the world for example and all those living on the land it owned had to pay rent, before that the poor paid the bulk of the Tithe system while the rich paid little and that was not correct as it all went to make bishops into princes but we know they were far from true Christians at the top of the church hierarchy for those periods, even after the rise of Protestantism there are many just like that in the Protestant and affiliated church's, TV pastors and Evangelists come in two variety's for example, the true ones that live humbly and the jet setters with there Ferrari's and grand mansions.

So after Disraeli's correct Correction of my post I apologise to BorisBadinOff.

The tithe system would have worked had it helped the poor but the Church sold it for profit and the money went instead almost entirely into monastic and other church institutions instead of helping the congregation whom were the real church of course.
Instead of being donation it because tax by religion and that was not the way.

originally posted by: TzarChasm
Your book should stop shaming humans for being dirty sinful heathens and we won't be burdened by obligation and guilt.

The very fact that you feel the need to come in here and lecture about something you claim to have no faith or belief in belies your words.

If you don't believe, then you don't believe. Lack of belief alone ought to lift your burdens of obligation and guilt. Is that not what you are claiming? That they are still there by your own admission should tell you something.

If nothing else, it ought to tell you that you care way too much what strangers on the internet think.

a reply to: ketsuko

He may be angry with God, it's not the same as being an Atheist so much as it is riling against God, we don't know the reason but there may be one, God is likely not to blame however but if we drop a brick on our toes most of us shout at him even if we don't mean it.

a reply to: LABTECH767

Yes, I am familiar with that sort of atheist who is really angry with God which is completely different than not believing in Him.

Think someone could spend half their life in a slam with a horse bit in their mouth and not believe? Think he could start out in some liquor store trash bin with an umbilical cord wrapped around his neck and not believe? Got it all wrong, holy man. I absolutely believe in God... And I absolutely hate the @$#%^."

- Riddick, Pitch Black

Not a nice quote at all, but illustrates the point. Riddick was at least honest unlike so very many of today's so-called atheists. The very best that can be said is that perhaps some of them confuse hatred for disbelief.

a reply to: ketsuko

I know personally, I have fallen out with God at times in my life though HE never fell out with me for which I am grateful, I know because I nearly turned away, because I have suffered (though I am painfully aware that I am also not perfect), seen someone I love, a truly good and decent person, suffer more than I ever had and could not understand why he allowed such injustice but I still believe.

He will gently wipe away every tear that is the God I believe in.

Other than that Daddy issues and God gets it all thrown at him, he knows we don't really mean it because we don't KNOW and if we did he knows us better than we do ourselves how different our view on the matter would probably be.

He knows that our lives are short, that we are impatient, that we are easily led and distracted by this world as a child is by bright toy's on a cradle, he still loves us and many Atheists are also the subject of his love as they too are our brothers and sisters, quite often they are a lot less hypocritical than some of us can be as well.

It is hard for us, we are lost in the woods but he is calling, some are having a tantrum, been there myself and so we will run away foolishly often into the den of wolves lost in the dark.

I'm not clear if there is an etymological relationship, but I am a shameless yokel.

a reply to: Homefree
My dictionary says of "yokel"- "Origin obscure".
Though I do remember once hearing "yokel" defined as "the inside of an eggle".

originally posted by: DISRAELI
a reply to: Homefree
My dictionary says of "yokel"- "Origin obscure".
Though I do remember once hearing "yokel" defined as "the inside of an eggle".

"Eggle," as far as I'm aware, is an affectionate cuddling position.

a reply to: Homefree
Sorry, I should have signalled the joke more clearly.
A yoke is the inside of an egg.
So a yokel must be the inside of an eggle.

originally posted by: Homefree

originally posted by: DISRAELI
a reply to: Homefree
My dictionary says of "yokel"- "Origin obscure".
Though I do remember once hearing "yokel" defined as "the inside of an eggle".

"Eggle," as far as I'm aware, is an affectionate cuddling position.

Nope, that's definitely a spoonle.

originally posted by: TzarChasm
Your book should stop shaming humans for being dirty sinful heathens and we won't be burdened by obligation and guilt.

Then it’s not addressed to you TC
It’s my choice, you don’t get to choose for me.

Guilt is a real emotion for some, Jesus offers forgiveness
No one is forcing you, well shouldn’t be

a reply to: DISRAELI

What I like about the yoke, it doesn’t promise christians a prosperity gospel, no free rides
Jesus didn’t promise that life would be easy, effortless or power

a reply to: Raggedyman
Yes, he even adds "with persecutions" as part of what he does promise elsewhere.