At that time Jesus said in reply, “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. 26 Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him. 28 “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”
‘I praise you Father’ is the way typical Jewish blessings began (Ps. 18:50). In his prayer, Jesus addressed God as ‘Father,’ and praised him for his divine revelation to the simple, humble people who heard him and believed in him while the wise of this world would not accept him (1 Cor. 1:18-19; Is. 19:12). Jesus told his disciples that he had received everything from his Father and declared that he would reveal the Father to those who accepted him (v. 27). Jesus revealed his unique relationship with His Father and the reciprocal relationship the Father had with him. The authority has been given to Jesus to let his disciples know the Father according to their individual capacity to grasp knowledge of the Father.” They have been offered salvation through Jesus Christ by God’s gracious will.
Jesus asks his disciples to let him teach them (Sir. 51;23, 26) instead of the burden of the Law taught by the Pharisees and Sadducees. They should take the yoke he offers in obedience to his teaching and they will find rest because he is humble and compassionate. Jesus’ teaching was easier than that of the Pharisees because it was shorter than the yoke of the Torah with its petty regulations, and it was centered on the essentials for salvation. However, it is harder because it demands continued love of God and neighbor which are more difficult.
Almighty God, grant us the grace to follow the teachings of your Son and not be crushed by our worldly burdens. Give us loving, patient, and humble hearts so that we may enter into Jesus’ rest. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
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