My Yoke is Easy: 5 July, 2020

Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30

Jesus is amazed by the reaction of the people to the advent of God’s faithful promise keeping. Just prior to the verses for this week, Jesus has proclaimed that Elijah, forerunner of the reign of God, has come in John. John was rejected. Now they reject the bearer of the reign. Jesus uses the image of children calling to the crowd. Children are a generally positive image throughout Matthew and a way of speaking of followers and the church. The children who played the flute and called for dance refer to the condemnation of Jesus as a “glutton and drunkard.” The children wailing, inviting mourning, refer to the rejection of the austere and ascetic John. No matter how the invitations to the promises come, the people refuse. The rejection of the Messiah as a key narrative element is emerging. . .

After the introduction of the theme of rejection in the preceding verses, Jesus looks around and gives thanks for those who have indeed responded to the flutes and the wailing. They are the “infants” of society, the ones at the margins who know not the prestige and public reward for being seen as righteous, but instead feel only the weight of the law.

The little ones here, the infants, hearken back to those who play the flute and wail in verse 17. Are these the “prisoners of hope” holding fast to the stronghold of God and not to their own righteousness? Perhaps. In any case, the yoke of faith and response to the graciousness and faithfulness of God is a blessing to those who know that they constantly stumble under the weight of sin and are constant slaves to the powers that be. The yoke of Jesus, while cross-shaped and not devoid of suffering, is an easier master than any of the other gods we follow, including our own self-driven plans for righteousness and peace. –– Timothy V. Olson

Zechariah 9:9-12

In our age, where we are likely to be prisoners of fear in the face of terror, or prisoners of our own ability to control our world and solve our problems, being a prisoner of hope is a powerful image that offers an alternative to what is weak and unable to deliver in our world. The prisoners of hope in the text are urged to return to the stronghold—to God. The final promise of double restoration is a promise of justice, not of prosperity. –– Timothy V. Olson

Romans 7:15-25a

For insight into why we reject the advent of God into our lives. . . we can look to the passages from Romans [that] . . . present Paul’s understanding of the power of sin and the power of Christ to free us. The “I” of verses 15 and following are. . . a reference to the problem Israel faces as she tries to live by the law alone. The law is not the problem; it is a gift of God. Sin however, quickly makes the law a god, and leads us away from God. This speaks of the bondage of sin and not the poor choices we make. The announcement of “no condemnation” parallels the easy yoke of Matthew and counters the bondage of sin. –– Timothy V. Olson

Timothy V. Olson is the pastor at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Ankeny, Iowa.

Homily Service 38, no. 8 (2005): 3-12.