Matthew 11 – An Easy Yoke and a Light Burden

After Jesus had sent His apostles out on mission, the disciples of John the Baptist paid Him a visit. John was in prison, and he had a question for Jesus. Was Jesus truly the one who was to come, the Messiah of God? Or was he mistaken?

It is likely that John’s expectation of the Christ was similar to that of everyone else. He would come in power, throw out the Romans, and sit on the throne of an eternal kingdom. But, at least so far, Jesus had not done any of that. So John began to doubt.

Jesus told John’s disciples to go back and tell John what they were seeing Him do. Jesus quoted a portion of Isaiah 35:4-6, a messianic prophecy, to tell John that He was doing the work of the Messiah. The kingdom He had come to establish was very different than the popular misconception.

John the Baptist

Jesus then paid tribute to John the Baptist. He was the Elijah who had been prophesied (Mal. 4:5-6). And that no greater human had ever lived. But anyone who is a part of the kingdom of heaven, even the least, is greater than the greatest in the eyes of this world.

Accountability

Jesus had some sharp words for some of the towns that He had visited. Capernaum was the town He had chosen as His home base for His Galilean mission. He told them that it would be more tolerable for Sodom on the day of judgment than it would be for them.

Capernaum was likely a good Jewish town, in general, doing what the Law required. They had seen a lot of Jesus. He had performed miracles there and had taught there frequently. Yet, while they likely rejoiced in the healings and may have found His teaching interesting, it had not moved them to follow Him. Of course, there would have been some who did, but by and large, Capernaum was unmoved by His presence.

In contrast was Sodom, a city destroyed by fire and brimstone because of their wickedness (Gen. 19:1-29). But Jesus told those listening to Him that if the same thing had happened in Sodom, they would have repented and still been around.

Take up Jesus’ Yoke

This chapter closes with a call to those who are weary and heavy burdened to come to Jesus. This would likely have described most of the people Jesus ministered to. Galilee was a backwater region of the Roman Empire. And most of the people there lived day-to-day.

The burdens imposed by the Roman Empire and the Jewish establishment in Jerusalem were burdensome. But Jesus offered an easy yoke and a lighter burden to all those who would follow Him. While their physical circumstances might not be changed, their souls would find rest in Him.