“I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:25-30)

“I will give you rest”

[Matthew 11:25-30]

French scientist and mathematician known as Blaise Pascal reportedly said: ‘All of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone" (Internet). ‘Rest is absolutely essential for those living in our fast-paced modern society. In a culture where work and productivity dominate life, and an individual's worth is often evaluated based on productivity or achievements, interrupting labor for rest is not an easy task. However, for the sake of the quality of life, a decisive commitment to rest is necessary, putting an end to the perpetual cycle of efforts for continuous productivity. To overcome the constant positive and negative challenges and temptations of life, such as strategy, planning, worry, tension, effort, desire, violence, immorality, pleasure, bold resting is necessary. Spiritual rest, intellectual rest, emotional rest, physical rest, and social rest are absolutely essential’ (Internet). ‘Rest is a principle of the order of creation. After creating the world for six days, God rested. And He desires humans to join in that rest. The Sabbath is a day to cease the cruel struggles waged for survival. It is a day to stop all conflict and enjoy the peace of Shalom. It is a day for God and people, people and people, people and nature to enjoy peace together. It is a day to be liberated from all worries, fears, and anxieties and enjoy inner peace. It is a day for the tired soul to gain strength through God's word like refreshing water and for the weary body to recover through rest. It is a day to gain independence from the ultimate idol, money, to escape tension, and to taste eternal rest from the weary world. It is a day to break free from the bondage of plans and time, to reflect on oneself, to obtain rest from labor and to distance oneself from the impure. It is a day to entrust oneself to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, stepping out of formal obligations, not worshipping the idols of technological civilization, not becoming a slave to profit, and opening one's eyes of love toward neighbors. It is a day to restore true repentance and peace through worship, rising with joy and hope’ (Internet).

This day is the Sabbath, the day in which we find rest in the Lord. This Sabbath is the day of rest for us in the Lord. On this Sabbath, Jesus, who is the Lord of this day, says in today's passage, Matthew 11:28: "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." Today, under the title "I will give you rest," I want to meditate on today's passage in three aspects, focusing on the grace that the Lord gives us.

Firstly, let's consider what Jesus meant when He said, "I will give you rest," and who the "you" refers to.

Here, Jesus explains who "you" are in three ways:

"You" are "infants."

Look at Matthew 11:25: "At that time Jesus said, 'I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants.'" The term "infants" is translated from the Greek word "νηπίοις" (nēpiois), which means childlike, innocent, or simple people (Friberg). These childlike, innocent people, mentioned by Jesus in verse 25, contrast with the "wise and intelligent" spoken of by Jesus. In other words, when Jesus promises the comforting words, "I will give you rest," He is inviting those who are not wise and intelligent by the world's standards but are like innocent children. It brings to mind 1 Corinthians 1:21, which states, "For since in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe." This passage clearly states that the wisdom of this world cannot lead to the knowledge of God. Therefore, when Jesus says, "I will give you rest," He is not addressing those considered wise and intelligent by worldly standards. Instead, Jesus is inviting those who, from the world's perspective, are saved by the message that the world deems foolish (1 Cor. 1:21). These believers are the childlike, innocent people who have experienced the Lord's graciousness (v. 25). And these believers are like innocent and simple people. To them, Jesus said, "I will give you rest." So, who are these innocent and simple people? They are like newborn infants seeking pure, spiritual milk (1 Pet. 2:2). In other words, they are individuals who long for the uncontaminated, pure Word of God, specifically the gospel of Jesus Christ, and believe in Jesus (His death and resurrection). These believers are the ones who have experienced the Lord's kindness (v. 3). Therefore, these individuals confess and dedicate themselves, declaring, "Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips will praise You" (Ps. 63:3). To such people, Jesus affirms, "I will give you rest."

"You" refers to those who have received revelation.

Look at Matthew 11:27 - "All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him." Here, the "ones to whom the Son wills to reveal Him" are those who know God the Father (v. 27). So, how did they come to know God the Father? It is because, according to the will of Jesus, the Son of God, they received revelation. What does it mean to have received revelation? Refer to Matthew 10:26: "So do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known." In other words, the gospel, which was previously unknown to the world, has now been revealed and proclaimed according to God's determined will or by His power (Park). Therefore, when thinking about those who "have received revelation," based on Matthew 10:26, they are the ones who have become aware of hidden things as the concealed truth is unveiled, namely, those who have heard and believed in the proclaimed gospel of Jesus. They are the ones who believe in Jesus, embracing the pure gospel of Christ, like innocent infants (11:25). Among these "receivers of revelation," one notable figure is the apostle Peter. Look at Matthew 16:17 - "Jesus said to him, 'Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.'" The context of this statement is when Jesus asked His disciples, "But who do you say that I am?" (v. 15). Peter confessed, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (v. 16). At that moment, Jesus said to Peter, "Blessed are you" and clarified that the Father in heaven had revealed this truth to him (v. 17). In summary, when Jesus said in today's passage, "I will give you rest," the "you" are those who, by the will of God, confess Jesus as "the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus promises rest to those who, through God's revelation, believe in Him.

"You" refers to those who are weary and burdened.

Look at Matthew 11:28 - "Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Here, when Jesus speaks of those who are "weary and burdened," He is referring to those who bear the burden of their sins and the consequences of those sins (Walvoord). Regarding those carrying such burdens, Dr. Yoon-seon Park stated, ‘The condition of bearing such heavy burdens is like that of a prisoner confined in prison, unable to be free and carrying a heavy load. This person is one who has received condemnation in everything he does’ (Park). While we may have many burdens of worries and concerns during our time on this earth, among them, the heaviest burden that weighs on our hearts is the burden of sin. When we violate God's commands, act according to our own desires, and engage in disobedience, our hearts inevitably become heavy with the burden of sin. Psalms 38:4 captures this sentiment, where the psalmist confesses, "My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear." The lyrics of the hymn “I Must Tell Jesus,” also come to mind: (v. 1) I must tell Jesus all of my trials, I cannot bear these burdens alone; In my distress He kindly will help me, He ever loves and cares for His own. (v. 2) I must tell Jesus all of my troubles, He is a kind, compassion-ate Friend; If I but ask Him, He will deliver, Make of my troubles quickly and end. (v. 3) Tempted and tried I need a great Savior, One who can help my burdens to bear; I must tell Jesus, I must tell Jesus, He all my cares and sorrows will share. (Chorus) I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus! I cannot bear my burdens alone; I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus! Jesus can help me, Jesus alone. When all our trials, the heavy burdens of our hearts, and the terrifying sins we face cause the load on our hearts to become increasingly heavy, there are times when we bear that burden alone and cannot endure, leading to a collapse. Therefore, in Psalms 38:4, the psalmist confesses, "My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear." Can you sense the pressure of sin in the cry of the psalmist?

Second, what we want to consider is when Jesus said, "I will give you rest," who is the "I" here?

Who is it that promised to come to those who are like children, those who have received revelation, and those who are weary and burdened, saying, "Come to me, and I will give you rest"? Of course, as we already know, the "I" here is none other than Jesus. Then, in today's passage, who does Jesus say He is? He mentions it in three ways.

Jesus is one who gives thanks to God the Father.

Look at Matthew 11:25 - "At that time Jesus said, 'I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.'" Jesus praises God the Father because He has hidden the wisdom of the kingdom from the wise and learned of the world and revealed it to those who are like little children. He gives thanks to the Father for this. Jesus, filled with joy by the Holy Spirit, thanked God (Lk. 10:21). What made Jesus so joyfully thankful to the point of being filled with the Holy Spirit? The reason is that God the Father revealed Himself to those who received revelation according to the will of the Son, Jesus (Mt. 11:27). Reflecting on this gratitude of Jesus, I thought of the words in the first half of John 11:41-42. When Jesus went to the tomb of Lazarus, who had died, He prayed in this way: "Take away the stone," and then, looking up to heaven, He said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me." The reason Jesus thanked God the Father was that He always heard the words of the Son, Jesus. With assurance of the answer to that prayer and calling Lazarus with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" he came back to life (Jn. 11:43-44). Not only that, but looking at the miracle of Jesus feeding the 5,000 men with five loaves and two fish in John 6, Jesus took the bread, gave thanks to God, and then distributed it (6:11-12). After giving thanks, Jesus divided the bread and fish, and more than 5,000 men were satisfied (vv. 11-12). In addition, in the story of the feeding of the 4,000 in Mark 8, Jesus took the seven loaves, gave thanks, and broke them before distributing them to the crowd (Mk. 8:6-8). By doing so, Jesus multiplied the loaves, and a large crowd was fed (vv. 6-8). In the same way, giving thanks to God, who is the source of life, Jesus, who became the living Word, preached the words of life. At that time, the wise and learned of the world rejected his words (for example, religious leaders), but those who received revelation according to the will of the Son, Jesus, accepted the words of life. Therefore, Jesus thanked God the Father (Mt. 11:25). In this way, Jesus, who gave thanks to God the Father, says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

Jesus is the one who said "yes" and obeyed the will of God the Father.

In today's passage, Matthew 11:26 states, "Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do." Jesus believed that hiding things from the wise and revealing them to little children was the good will of God the Father. In other words, Jesus knew that it was the Father's will to hide Himself and His gospel from those who considered themselves wise in the eyes of the world and to reveal it to humble ones who, like infants, long for pure spiritual milk. Jesus earnestly desired that the Father's will be done on earth as it is in heaven. To what extent did Jesus desire the Father's will? He prayed on the night before His crucifixion on the Mount of Olives, saying, "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done" (26:39). Jesus, obedient to the will of God the Father, lowered Himself and died on the cross, praying, "Yet not as I will, but as you will" (v. 39). Why did Jesus, the only begotten Son, obey the will of God the Father to the point of dying on the cross? The reason is that God the Father desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:4). Therefore, Jesus, in obedience to the Father's will, died on the cross to bear our sins, offering salvation to all people. In this context, the term "everyone" refers to those who, like children (Mt. 11:25), long for the gospel of Jesus Christ and believe in Jesus according to the will of God the Father (v. 27). These are not merely those who call Jesus "Lord, Lord" but those who do the will of the Father in heaven (7:21; see also 12:50). Who are those who do the will of God the Father? It is those who believe in Jesus, whom God sent to this earth, as the work and will of God (Jn. 6:30). Jesus, the one who said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Mt. 11:28), is the fulfillment of God the Father's will.

Jesus is gentle and humble in heart.

Look at Matthew 11:29 - "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." The heart of Jesus, who said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (v. 28), is gentle and humble. He is gentle and humble in the context of saving us, emptying Himself, and obeying until death (Phil. 2:8) (Park). In other words, Jesus' gentleness and humility involve lowering Himself and obeying the Father's will to the point of death on the cross, taking on the form of a servant, becoming like human beings, and humbling Himself (Phil. 2:7-8), all for our salvation. This is what Jesus desired, namely, to humble Himself and die on the cross for our salvation. In today's passage, Matthew 11:27, those who have received the revelation according to the will of the Son, Jesus Christ, confess that they know God the Father. Do you know what Jesus' desire is? Jesus' desire was to die on the cross for the sins of you and me who received the revelation. Today's passage says, "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" (Mt. 11:27). Jesus' desire was to die on the cross for our salvation. Therefore, God forgave all our sins and saved us. This is the gentle and humble heart of our Lord. The heart of our Lord is to obey the Father's will until death, saving you and me. Our salvation is the earnest desire of Jesus, who is gentle and humble. Jesus speaks to us today: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (v. 28).

Third and the last point is that Jesus said, "I will give you rest" (v. 28).

What does "give you rest" mean in this context? Here, when Jesus says, "I will give you rest," it refers to the rest of the heart, as mentioned in the latter part of Matthew 11:29, where Jesus says, "and you will find rest for your souls." The rest of the heart in this context signifies the rest of the soul. Why did Jesus mention the rest of the soul? Why did Jesus say, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (v. 28)? The reason is that Jesus desires to give us rest for our souls from the heavy burden of sin. In other words, the promise Jesus is making with the rest of the soul is to liberate us from the heavy burden of sin. As we have already contemplated, the psalmist in Psalms 38:4 confesses, "My iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me." In the cry of the psalmist, we feel the oppression of sin. Sin presses down on our souls to such an extent that it becomes a heavy burden. Therefore, our souls inevitably bear a heavy burden. Not only the psalmist but also the Apostle Paul said, "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" (Rom. 7:24). However, in the next verse, Paul says, "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (v. 25). Why did Paul give thanks? Why did the Apostle Paul thank God? The reason is stated in Romans 8:1-2: "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death." The reason is that Paul, through Jesus Christ, was set free from the law of sin and death. In other words, he obtained freedom from sin and the eternal death that results from it, and that is why he thanked God. This brings to mind the hymn “Would You be Free You’re your Buden of Sin”: (v. 1) Would you be free from your burden of sin? There's pow'r in the Blood, pow'r in the Blood. Would you o'er evil a victory win? There's wonderful pow'r in the Blood. (v. 2) Would you be free from your passion and pride? There's pow'r in the Blood, pow'r in the Blood. Come for a cleansing to Calvary's tide. There's wonderful pow'r in the Blood. (v. 3) Would you be whiter, much whiter than snow? There's pow'r in the Blood, pow'r in the Blood. Sin stains are lost in its life-giving flow. There's wonderful pow'r in the Blood. (v. 4) Would you do service for Jesus your King? There's pow'r in the Blood, pow'r in the Blood. Would you live daily His praises to sing? There's wonderful pow'r in the Blood. (Chorus) There is pow'r, pow'r, wonder-working pow'r In the blood of the Lamb. There is pow'r pow'r wonder-working pow'r In the precious blood of the Lamb.

The scene of cows wearing yokes and plowing fields in the Middle East is said to be very interesting (Internet). The yoke is actually hung only around the mother cow's neck, and the calf is simply guided with its neck inserted into the yoke. Since the mother cow is the only one wearing the yoke, it has no choice but to plow the field with difficulty. However, the calf just needs to follow along. Perhaps the calf might think, ‘This yoke is so easy and light, why is Mom sweating so much for nothing?’ To onlookers, it may appear that the calf is carrying the heavy yoke along with the mother cow. However, in reality, the mother cow wears the yoke alone, and the calf simply follows. Similarly, gentle and humble Jesus instructs us to take up His yoke and learn from Him. He promises to be a companion to those who obediently carry the yoke with Him. We are like the young calf, just needing to follow. The heavy burden is carried by Jesus. In times of difficulty and hardship, we must remember Jesus' words, urging us to bear the yoke with Him, and simply follow when it feels burdensome. Jesus says to us, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Mt. 11:28). May the Lord grant you true rest.