Interpretation

Matthew 11:30
"30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

I guess it really depends on how you interpret this scripture before you really understand what it means. There are two schools of thought; one being that this is a physical statement, and one spiritual.

From the physical side, I don't think that anything about Jesus' yoke was easy, nor do I think that His burden was or is light! You see, Jesus, the Son of God, came to earth to sacrifice His life for the redemption of all mankind. How can we possibly think that Jesus was telling us, Christians, that life was going to be easy if we followed Him? He tells us the exact opposite! We often hear this verse in reference to hard times in our lives. "Surrender it to Jesus, His burden is light!" While it's true that we should put our faith and hope in the Savior, not everything is easy. Sometimes the will of the Father isn't for us to give back the trouble we have, but to learn, accept, and inspire others through it. Surely if Christ was speaking of our physical existence here on earth, we as Christians would be all living the good life. We'd be free from disease, financial troubles, and all of the other problems of the world.

Jesus wasn't saying "Come to Me and life will be easy."; He was saying, "Come to me and I will give you rest." Spiritual Rest. This is so much different from physical rest. Jesus was speaking of a spiritual comfort, the kind that only comes when you surrender to Him. By giving Jesus the burden of your sin, you (we) are able to take upon us the easy yoke and "burden" of His righteousness while He becomes our unrighteousness.

If we were to truly take His words in the physical context (as we so often choose to when speaking of this passage) how could we possibly believe His burden was light; that His yoke is easy? Being born knowing that your people would reject you isn't easy. Knowing all your life that you would be taken before the Romans and skinned alive before being nailed to a cross isn't easy. Hanging in total agony and accepting the full wrath of God the Father, being the Atonement for the entire human race IS NOT an easy burden! The only "rest" that Jesus got from His burden, from His yoke, was when He offered up His Spirit to the Father and finally had a place to lay His head. (Matthew 8:20)

So let's be spiritual about this. Surrendering your burden of SIN to Jesus and accepting His yoke of righteousness and redemption for the burden of being heir to all of the Kingdom of Heaven is in fact EASY! If, however, you choose to read this passage and wish to live it out in the physical interpretation, then accept the cross of Christ. Accept His burden of being a reject, even among your own family and friends. (Luke 9:23-24) Accept the harsh reality that the world HATES you, but the Father loves you. Be crucified, daily. When the problems of this physical existence come, welcome them with arms stretched wide and hands open.