Matthew 11

Jesus issued an invitation for all those who are weary and burdened to come to Him.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

Weary and burdened?  Check.  Come to Jesus? Check.

What else am I to do besides come?

Take my yoke.  What does that mean?  The Greek word for “yoke” is zygos, and it was often used metaphorically to refer to a set of imposing laws, such as the ones the Pharisees used to rein in the people.  Jesus is making a distinction here between HIS yoke and the yoke set out by those who are under the law.

Learn of me.  I like this translation because it is more accurate to the words Jesus said.  The little preposition “of” is important!  It is the Greek word “apo,” and it means “of the place whence anything is, comes, befalls, or is taken.”  Jesus tells us to learn OF Him…to come near him and learn of the place where He originated.  Where did He originate?  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  So, when we come to learn OF Jesus, we come to learn of the Father, which is precisely what he said in the previous verse:

²⁷“All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

Jesus could have told us to learn…

…from Him

….about Him

…because of Him

…after Him

….below Him

….concerning Him

….like Him

….near Him

…..regarding Him

….with Him

Instead, He tells us to learn OF Him…of His amazing origin…of Who he is. Amazing what a little preposition will do to our comprehension!