Find Rest for Your Souls - Matthew 11:29 - Yoked Oxen Pulling a Loaded Cart Together
"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." (Matthew 11:29)
The expression, "You will find rest for your souls" occurs only twice in the Bible, in Jeremiah 6:16 and Matthew 11:29. This lesson explains how rest for our souls is found according to the Bible.
The scripture quotations in this lesson are taken from the New International Version (NIV) unless noted otherwise (Ref. 1).
Consider. According to the Bible, how does a person find rest for their soul?
1. Rest for our souls is found where God's ancient, good way is honored.
"This is what the Lord says: 'Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.' But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.'" (Jeremiah 6:16)
In Jeremiah 6:16, God promised the people of Jerusalem that they would find rest for their souls if they would walk in obedience to God's good way as God had instructed their ancestors. God's good way was expressed primarily in the Ten Commandments (Deuteronomy 5:1-21,
Deuteronomy 5:33). In Jeremiah 6:16, the promised "rest" in "rest for your souls" means inner peace and tranquility (Ref. 2, Ref. 3). This Hebrew word for "rest" in Jeremiah 6:16 occurs only once in the Old Testament (Ref. 2). Unfortunately, the people of Jerusalem chose to refuse God's instruction. Their ears were closed and the word of the Lord was offensive to them (Jeremiah 6:10). By choosing their own way, they did not find rest for their souls. By choosing their own way, they soon suffered siege and being carried away into captivity (2 Kings 24:10-14). 2. Jesus is the giver of rest to the weary and burdened.
In Matthew 11:28, we find the first part of Jesus' two-part summons. The first part of his summons is "Come to me." The second part, in Matthew 11:29, is "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me."
Jesus is the giver of true rest (Matthew 11:28). When we come to Jesus as he has already invited us, he gives us rest from our toil, and rest from our burdens. When we come to Jesus, he unburdens us by forgiving our sins and taking away our anxiety as we place our faith and trust in him (1 John 1:9, John 14:1). In Matthew 11:28, the rest that Jesus gives us is anapauó [pronounced, an-ap-ow'-o], which means refreshment (Ref. 4). The rest [refreshment] that Jesus gives from our anxiety, grief, and sin prepares us to enter (or re-enter) service to Jesus. By coming to Jesus, and only to Jesus, we find the peace, comfort, and forgiveness that we need (John 14:27, Matthew 5:4, 1 John 1:9). 3. Rest for our souls is found in submission to Jesus' gentle yoke.
"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." (Matthew 11:29)
The surprise and main point for this lesson is that rest for our souls is found in submission to Jesus' gentle yoke. Jesus said we are to take his yoke upon us and learn from him, and we will find rest for our souls.
In Matthew 11:29, the Greek word for "rest" is anapausis [pronounced, ah-NAH-pow-sis] which means inner tranquility (Ref. 5). This definition for "rest" is similar to the rest the Lord promised we would find by walking in his good way (Jeremiah 6:16, Ref. 2). Jesus teaches that we find rest [tranquility] for our souls by responding to both parts of Jesus' two-part summons. First, we come to Jesus and he unburdens us by forgiving our sins and taking away our anxiety as we trust in him (Matthew 11:28, 1 John 1:9, John 14:1). Second, as Jesus promised, we find rest for our souls by taking on Jesus' yoke, and learning from him. Taking on Jesus' yoke and learning from him is not "one and done," but is a continuing spiritual process throughout our lifetime (Matthew 11:29). Rest for our souls is not found in escape from work and service but in submission to Christ for work and service. Let us then take on Jesus' yoke, learn from him, and serve him daily. Then we will find that his yoke is easy and his burden is light (Matthew 11:30).
Apply. Come to Jesus in prayer. Receive his forgiveness, and release your burdens to him. Take on his yoke by submitting your will to him, and learning from him. Ask him to direct you in the work and service he would have you do for others. Then you will find Jesus' promise -- rest for your soul.
Related Lessons
"The Way of the Lord (Old Testament)" - Deuteronomy 5:33 "Jesus' Invitation - Come to Me and Rest" - Matthew 11:28-29
References
1. https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/New-International-Version-NIV-Bible/ 2. https://biblehub.com/hebrew/4771.htm 3. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/repose 4. https://biblehub.com/greek/373.htm 5. https://biblehub.com/greek/372.htm
2 Comments
Come to Me and Rest - Matthew 11:28 - 123RF Image - Used under license
"Come to me, all who labor 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 11:28-30)
This lesson explains Jesus' invitation in Matthew 11:28, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
This lesson is the third in a series on God's Invitations in the Bible, specifically, the "Comes" of God's word. The first lesson in the series is "Come Now, Let Us Reason Together (Isaiah 1:18)" (Ref. 1). The second lesson is "Come to the Waters (Isaiah 55:1)" (Ref. 2).
Consider. What heavy burden is weighing you down today?
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden
If you are weary (literally, exhausted from labor), then Jesus' invitation is for you (Ref. 3). If you are weighted down with a heavy burden such as worry, sin, or sorrow, then Jesus' invitation is for you. To receive the rest that Jesus promises, please accept his invitation and come to him in faith.
Jesus who says "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden" is the same God who says "Come, everyone who thirsts" (Isaiah 55:1) and "Come now, let us reason together" (Isaiah 1:18). Jesus also says, "All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out" (John 6:37). I will give you rest
Jesus himself is the Rest Giver (Ref. 4). Jesus can dispel your fear and give you peace (John 14:27). Jesus forgives our sin (1 John 1:9) and gives us a clean conscience (Hebrews 10:22). When you come to Jesus, he will give you that rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me Yoked Oxen Pulling a Loaded Cart - 123RF Image
HELPS Word-studies defines a yoke as a wooden bar placed over the neck of a pair of animals so they can pull together (see illustration). Figuratively, a yoke is what unites (joins) two people to move (work) together as one (Ref. 5).
Notice that in Matthew 11:28-29 Jesus gives us a two-part summons. Our response to both parts is needed for a full Christian life. In the first part (as we discussed above), Jesus invites us to come to him for pardon, refreshment, and rest. In the second part, Jesus asks us to take on his yoke -- to submit our will to him, to learn from him, to obey him, to serve him, and to become like him (Ref. 4). Coming to Jesus is not just a one-time experience -- it is for a lifetime. Coming to Jesus includes willingly taking on the yoke of Jesus by learning from him and serving him the rest of our lives in an ongoing relationship. Are you willing to submit to his yoke? You will find rest for your souls
Jesus promises that when we take his yoke upon us by accepting his teaching and by serving him that we will find rest for our souls. The Greek word here for rest means inner rest (tranquility) (Ref. 6). Jesus quotes the prophet Jeremiah, "Thus says the Lord: 'Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls'" (Jeremiah 6:16).
My yoke is easy, and my burden is light
Jesus contrasts his yoke to the heavy burden of minute legal observances that the scribes and Pharisees of that time put on the shoulders of the Jewish people (Matthew 23:1-4, Acts 15:10, Ref. 7). In contrast, Jesus says that "my yoke" (literally, the yoke of Me) "is easy" (gentle, pleasant, kind) "and my burden" (literally, the burden of Me) "is light" (of little weight and easily carried) (Ref. 8, Ref. 9, Ref. 10).
Key Questions.
Apply. In prayer, give your heavy burden to Jesus. Receive from him the rest that he promises. Submit your will to him, and willingly receive his yoke of instruction. Serve Jesus gladly, joyfully yoked with him in an ongoing relationship.
Related Lessons
"Our Burden-Bearing God (Psalm 68:19)" "Come to the Waters (Isaiah 55:1)" "Come Now, Let Us Reason Together (Isaiah 1:18)"
References
1. https://www.scriptureway.com/home/come-now-let-us-reason-together-isaiah-118 2. "Come to the Waters (Isaiah 55:1)" at the link below: https://www.scriptureway.com/home/gods-great-invitation-come-satisfy-your-thirst 3. https://biblehub.com/greek/2872.htm 4. https://biblehub.com/commentaries/maclaren/matthew/11.htm 5. https://biblehub.com/greek/2218.htm 6. https://biblehub.com/greek/372.htm 7. https://biblehub.com/commentaries/pulpit/matthew/11.htm 8. https://biblehub.com/interlinear/matthew/11-30.htm 9. https://biblehub.com/greek/5543.htm 10. https://biblehub.com/greek/1645.htm |
Daily Bible Verse(Published on my Bluesky account) AuthorMr. Whitney V. Myers. Christian. For more information, please visit the Author Page. Posting ScheduleI plan to provide new postings about once a month. Planned Topics(subject to change) Recent Posts(most recent three publications) Popular Posts(top 10) Categories
All
Archives
October 2025
|
RSS Feed
|
The ScriptureWay site provides Bible Teachings that point to Jesus. The Bible teaches that believing in Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven.
"I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." -- Jesus speaking in John 14:6 
|
|
|
Copyright 2018-2025 Whitney V. Myers |