Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you”. What is a yoke?

It is a wooden crosspiece that is fastened over the necks of two animals and attached to a plow or cart that they are to pull. It is normally used between a pair of oxen to enable them to pull together on a load when working in pairs, as oxen usually do.

It is used to describe any burden or bondage. (Acts 15:10, Galatians 5:1) It describes servants or slaves. (1Timothy 6:1)

Jesus is our Lord and we are His servants. Yet, Jesus desires a relationship with us that is reflected in the closest relationships we have in life – a friend relationship, a father-son relationship, a husband-wife relationship.

John 15:15 KJV - Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

Galatians 4:7 KJV - Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

2 Corinthians 11:2 KJV - For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

When God gave His commandments to the Jewish people on Mount Sinai, He considered their relationship to be as a husband and wife. (Jeremiah 31:32, Jeremiah 3:14, Isaiah 54:5)

In His New Covenant of the Gospel, He likewise considers Himself as a husband and the church as His wife, the bride of Christ. (Romans 7:4, John 3:29, 2 Corinthians 11:2, Ephesians 5:22-32)

When Jesus said, take My yoke upon you, it had additional meaning.

When a Jewish boy comes of age and assumes the spiritual responsibilities of an adult, it is said that he “takes on the yoke of the commandments.” He becomes a “Bar Mitzvah,” which means, a “Son of the Commandments.”

Taking on the yoke of the commandments means committing to obey the 613 commandments. This is a burden that is heavy to bear. (Acts 15:10, Galatians 5:1)

The yoke that Jesus brought with the new covenant is a yoke that is easy and the burden is light.

Matthew 11:28-30 KJV - Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

When we take the yoke of Jesus, we find rest for our souls. (Isaiah 11:10, Isaiah 28:11-12, John 7:37-39)

We take the yoke of Jesus by repenting of our sins and being baptized in Jesus name for the remission of sins. Baptism in Jesus name is a covenant with Him. We are joined together with Jesus. (Acts 2:38)

When we have taken His yoke upon us, He promises rest unto our souls. This promise is the gift of His Holy Ghost. His Spirit is a strength to us that gets us through life. (Acts 2:39)

We become laborers together with Jesus, accomplishing His will in our life and in this world. We walk with Jesus through this life and with Him into life everlasting. (1Corinthians 3:9, Matthew 9:37, 2Corinthians 6:1)