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
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"… but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the best part; it will not be taken away from her."
Read Luke 10:38-42 (RSV): "Now as they went on their way, he entered a village; and a woman named Martha received him into her house. (39) And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. (40) But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to him and said, 'Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.' (41) But the Lord answered her, 'Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; (42) one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her.'"
Consider. Are you like Mary, listening to Jesus' word and receiving his guidance? Are you like Martha, gifted in serving others, but becoming overly busy and anxious? What is the one thing needful?
1. Martha welcomed Jesus as a guest into her home Martha Welcomes Jesus as a Guest Into Her Home
Luke 10:38 tells us that when Jesus and his disciples were traveling to Jerusalem, Martha welcomed him as a guest into her home. Martha was the "mistress of the house," the head of the household (Ref. 1, Ref. 2). The Greek word translated as "welcomed" or "received" in Luke 10:38 means that Martha was personally responsible for seeing to Jesus' needs while he was under her roof (HELPS word-studies - Ref. 3).
2. Mary chose to sit at Jesus feet and was listening to him
Mary, too, was eager to give Jesus a fitting reception. Luke 10:39-40 and 42 tell us that she left Martha in making preparations and instead chose [decided, made a deliberate choice] to sit at Jesus' feet and listen to his word (Ref. 4). In the ancient world, sitting at a teacher's feet -- literally and figuratively -- was the posture of disciples or learners (2 Kings 4:38, Luke 8:35, Acts 22:3, Ref. 5). By her action, Mary showed that she was willing to receive Jesus' word and give up herself to the guidance of Christ -- the one thing needful (Ref. 6).
3. Martha was distracted with much serving
Luke 10:40 tells us that Martha was "distracted with much serving." Note that "serving" [Greek word diakonia - ministry - Ref. 7] is one of the "gifts of grace" that the Apostle Paul mentions in Romans 12:6-8. Martha was gifted at serving others (John 12:1-2). However, in Luke 10:40-41 Martha became so "distracted" [literally drawn away] by the many tasks she was doing that she was drawn away from listening to Jesus and his word (Ref. 8).
4. Jesus tenderly reproved Martha for being anxious about many things
Martha asked Jesus to reprove Mary for leaving Martha to do the serving alone (Luke 10:40). Instead, Jesus instead tenderly reproved Martha, saying, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things" (Luke 10:41). Jesus did not reprove Martha for her hospitality or her gift of serving. However, Jesus did gently reprove Martha for being anxious [worried, divided, figuratively "going to pieces"] and troubled [disturbed, agitated] about many things (Ref. 9, Ref. 10).
5. Jesus commended Mary for choosing the one thing needful
Jesus commended Mary for choosing the good portion, the one thing needful. Mary chose to give undivided devotion to Jesus -- to listen to his word and to give herself to his guidance (Ref. 6).
Apply. Make time each day for the one thing needful -- Give undivided devotional time to Jesus. Listen to Jesus' word. Pray. Receive Jesus' guidance and follow his priorities for the things you will do to serve others each day.
References
1. https://biblehub.com/commentaries/barnes/luke/10.htm Barnes' notes on Luke 10:38 2. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mistress 3. https://biblehub.com/greek/5264.htm 4. https://biblehub.com/greek/1586.htm 5. https://biblehub.com/commentaries/barnes/luke/10.htm Barnes notes on Luke 10:39 6. https://biblehub.com/commentaries/mhc/luke/10.htm Matthew Henry's Commentary on Luke 10:38-42 7. https://biblehub.com/greek/1248.htm 8. https://biblehub.com/greek/4049.htm 9. https://biblehub.com/greek/3309.htm 10. https://biblehub.com/greek/2350.htm |
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