Remembering the context of the times and His location and the customs and lifestyle of those to whom He was speaking he used things that they were familiar with and which they understood in context with His teaching.
He was also speaking in Hebrew/Aramaic using the alefbet which would have been commonly understood and with reference to the original pictograph for this letter which is a picture of an ox head
This represented strength and power from the work performed by the animal.
This pictograph also represents a chief or other leader.
When two oxen are yoked together for pulling a wagon or plow, one is the older and more experienced one who leads the other.
Within the clan, tribe or family the chief or father is seen as the elder who is yoked to the others as the leader and teacher.
Yoke – co:
Ox – ab – Strength
The pictograph for a letter A, is a picture of an ox head and also represents its strength.
The L is a picture of a shepherd staff and also represents the authority of the shepherd.
Combined these two pictographs mean “the strong authority” and can be anyone or anything of strong authority.
The yoke is understood as a “staff on the shoulders” (see Isaiah 9:4) in order to harness their power for pulling loads such as a wagon or plow.
Hence, the two pictographs can also represent “the ox in the yoke”.
Often two oxen were yoked together. An older, more experienced ox would be teamed up (yoked) with a younger, less experienced ox. The older ox in the yoke is the “strong authority” who, through the yoke, teaches the younger ox.
This ties in with the previous point about the clan/family/tribe and also points to Yeshua/Jesus in the context of us being yoked with Him.
The Modern name for this letter is aleph and corresponds to the Greek name alpha and the Arabic name aleph. The various meanings of this root are oxen, yoke and learn.
Each of these meanings is related to the meanings of the pictograph
The root אלף
is an adopted root from the
parent root אל (AL)
meaning: strength, power and chief
and is the probable original name of the pictograph
The
is a shepherd staff and represents authority as well as a yoke (see chart below). Combining these two pictographs mean strong authority.
The chief/leader is the strong authority.
The
can also be understood as
the ox in the yoke.
Many Near Eastern cultures worshipped the god
EL/ AL, most commonly pronounced as EL and depicted as a bull in carvings and statues. Israel chose the form of a calf (young bull) as an image of God at Mount Sinai showing their association between the word
and the ox or bull. The word EL is also commonly used in the Hebrew Bible for God or any god.
The concept of the ox and the shepherd staff in the word
has been carried over into modern times as the scepter and crown of a monarch, the leader of a nation.
These modern items are representative of the shepherd staff, an ancient sign of authority, and the horns of the ox, an ancient sign of strength.
In Modern Hebrew this letter is silent but was originally used as the vowel “a” as well as a glottal stop. The Greek letter “alpha” derived from the “aleph” is also used for the “a” sound.
The Early Semitic pictograph
was simplified to
and
in the Middle Hebrew script and continued to evolve into the in the Late Hebrew script.
A Yoke: a curved piece of wood called ‘ol .
ol: a yoke
Original Word: עֹל Part of Speech: Noun Masculine Transliteration: ol Phonetic Spelling: (ole) Definition: a yoke
Entry for Strong’s #5923 Yoke – עוֹל
‛ôl `ol (pronounced ole) or mowl {ole}; from 5953; a yoke (as imposed on the neck), literally or figuratively:–yoke.
phonetic ole,
My Yoke is Easy (לע)
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:30
Was He referring just to the weight of the burden ,or, as God is light, the element of light itself? Or both?
I. Branch: The bent bar of the yoke that goes around the neck, also a branch that is used as pole; (or rod!)
(Branch/Netser! see previous post.)
2. Wavering: A slipping or wavering of the foot.
Found in:
Eze. 34:27 – And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands H4133 of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them.
Leviticus 26:13: “out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bands of your yoke,” 1 Chronicles 15:15: “the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded”
The yoke was a symbol of servitude in the Bible.
The word for yoke in Hebrew is OL, and it means burden and is used both literally and metaphorically.
OL MALKHUT SHAMAYIM = burden of the kingdom of heaven, which is a reference to the burden of keeping Torah laws; many of which were added by the Pharisees and Scribes and made it impossible for a person to keep.
This was a picture of an unequal yoke one that was unbalanced and was therefore ineffective to do the job it was meant to do, and the outcome was hopeless.
The solution to not seeing the writing on the wall, and to not being found wanting/empty (see previous post); is being yoked to God through Messiah Jesus/Yeshua.
In being yoked to Jesus/Yeshua we are in Complete Surrender to His Holy Spirit/Ruach HaKodesh.
However, if the answer is the yoke,
is a yoke bondage, or freedom?
How can it be both?
The Early Hebrew pictograph is, a shepherd’s staff. The shepherd staff was used to direct sheep by pushing or pulling them. It was also used as a weapon against predators to defend and protect the sheep.
The meaning of this letter is “toward” as moving something in a different direction. This letter also means “authority,” as it is a sign of the shepherd, the leader of the flock. It also means “yoke,” which is a staff on the shoulders, “tie” or “bind” from idea of the yoke that is bound to the animal.
This letter is used as a prefix to nouns meaning “to” or “toward.”
The Modern Hebrew name of this letter is lamed and is carried over into the Greek name lamda. The Arabic name however is lam, retaining an older two letter root name for the letter and the probable original name. The phonetic sound for this letter is “l.”
The original pictograph for this letter is and has remained virtually unchanged through Middle Hebrew as well as the Greek and Roman scripts.
The yoke is understood as a
STAFF ON THE SHOULDERS
in order to harness their power for pulling loads such as a wagon or plow.
(Emphasizes the power of the Ox’s muscles to perform the work). (Is. 9:4)
Hence, the two pictographs can also represent
the ox in the yoke.
Again, two oxen were yoked together, an older, more experienced ox would be teamed up (yoked) with a younger, less experienced ox. The older ox in the yoke is the strong authority, who, through the yoke, teaches the younger ox.
Here Messiah uses the Yoke as a picture knowing that the farmer of biblical times when plowing his field with a team of oxen had to ensure that the yoke was not ill-fitting, but that it fit comfortably on the necks of the animals pulling the plow.
An ill shaped and a heavy yoke would irritate the oxen making the task of plowing difficult for both the animals and the operator, while a comfortable, well-fitting yoke made the task much easier.
The Real meaning of My yoke
It is understandable since it is the cultural heritage of the West, that such readers of the gospels tend to interpret the teachings of Jesus/Yeshua as if He were a pulpit preacher or Sunday school teacher. However these images do not fit anyof the 1st century historical and cultural situations. Jesus/Yeshua, teaches like a rabbi because He was considered to be a rabbi, so, to be able to understand what He is saying, we need to read his remarks as rabbinic in style, not as if they were western Christian seminary exegesis.
As we read this verse, consider how those hearing would have responded to the picture of a yoke, and not how we have typically understood it.
Again our western culture tells us to read this verse as if Messiah is talking about freedom, that is the freedom they will have when their sins are forgiven.
Due to Luther and others, western culture thinks of yoke as the Law, and they imagine that Jesus/Yeshua is removing that horrible burden from them so that they can just be set free from sin and death.
In truth, this is not what the people listening to Jesus/Yeshua’s heard.
His yoke
refers to His oral Torah,
which were His teachings and as a rabbinic teacher.
His commentary on Moses Torah,
the explanation for His disciples,
was a divinely authorized revealing/apocalypse.
He achieved this by amplifying and expounding upon the basic Torah of Moses in such a WAY that it could be followed and lived out in their routine day to day lives.
He was showing them that by following His Way, His Yoke was easy, light, compared to the Yoke of the Pharisees and their laws which were impossible to keep.
Jesus/Yeshua explained to His followers what Moses meant for them. He did not remove their obligation to the Torah of Moses but rather explained it. For those who followed Him then and now, Messiahs teachings are the final authority.
Recall the concept of bond servant looked in a previous post.
Rabbis used similar teaching techniques like the use of parables. More than 3,500 parables from first century rabbis still exist and Jesus’ are among the very best. He uses similar themes (landowner, king, and farmer) as well. (Matt. 13:3,34)
Jesus/Yeshua seems to be a type of rabbi believed to have s’mikhah or authority to make new interpretations.
The majority of the teachers in His day were Torah teachers, (meaning they were teachers of the law), they could only teach accepted interpretations. Those with authority, (the term we use today is ordination); could make new interpretations and pass legal judgments.
Crowds were amazed because Jesus/Yeshua
taught with authority
(Hebrew s’mikhah, Greek exousia)
not as their Torah teachers! (Matt. 7:28-29).
He was questioned about His authority (Matt. 21:23-27).
Although this makes Him one of a small group of teachers He was not the only one with authority.
When Rabbis/teachers invited people to learn to keep the Torah.
This was called taking the yoke of Torah
or the yoke of the kingdom of heaven.
Rabbi’s with s’mikhah would have a new interpretation or yoke. Torah teachers would teach the accepted interpretations or yokeof their community.
Jesus/Yeshua’s invitation to those who listened to many teachers and interpretations, helps establish Him as a Rabbi who presented an interpretation that was easy and light, (to understand that it was not necessary to comply with the laws of the Pharisees, Scribes and Sadducees,) (Matt. 13:11-30). It’s possible that, He was not always speaking to unsaved people burdened with sin, but to people who had become confused and unsure with the many interpretations they heard.
Here is an important observation:
The task of a first century rabbi/teacher, was
fulfilling the Torah.
So again in the Hebrew thought, we now understand that the technical term for interpreting the Scripture so it would be obeyed correctly was, to fulfill!
And to incorrectly interpret Scripture so it would not be obeyed as God intended, was, to destroy the Torah!
Yeshua/Jesus uses these terms to describe that this too was His task. (Matt. 5:17-19).
For many of us, it’s hard to read scripture without the preconceived ideas from that which we have been given before.
However, while God does direct our thoughts according to ourunderstanding of the text, we must take into consideration the meaning the author was trying to convey and the understanding that the original listeners had and because of this fact, we are not to simply read as if the words were speaking exclusively to us and only here and now.
Ignoring this means we can read/interpret the scriptures however we please and ignore the original context.
The truth is that if we really want to know what Jesus/Yeshua wants us to understand, we have to receive it according to the meanings of the words He used, as and how He used them. Everything in context.
To His listeners, Yoke meant oral teaching,
This means that we cannot ignore/dismiss the idea of obligation to that which is already established in scripture.
Scriptural standards for behavior are unchangeable and Jesus/Yeshua’s yoke is the pattern of His standards. As His talmidim/disciples, we are expected to follow them.
Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 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. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 NASB
Interesting look at the letter
from the Hebrew Alef bet.
When a man /vav 6 /
is bowed down before the crowned man/ zayin,
taking upon himself His Yoke/Chet, then his soul is subject to the discipline of the Lord and 9 fold fruit of the spirit will grow in his life! Gal 5:22 23.
This man will die to himself and all that is outside the yoke of Messiah. Luke 9:23.
The Yoke of bondage or freedom?
Yoke – it seems to be a paradox that Our Heavenly fathers view of freedom is always in the context of being bound to Him, and the image of a yoke reinforces our confusion. How is it possible to really be free when we are strapped into a Yoke/collar that controls the direction we are to go in?
It only appears like a paradox because we really don’t understand the true meaning of freedom. Our confusion is because of our perspective/how we see it.
In our humanness we have many weaknesses and vulnerabilities, which we don’t make allowances for. Fortunately for us, our Heavenly Father doesn’t forget that fact even when we do!
He knows how vulnerable and scatty we are prone to be, and that the only way to really
make us free
is for us to connect/Yolk together with One who knows what true freedom is.
Freedom is not our ability to make any decision we want to.
If we have so called freedom to make any choice we want to, then theres a 99% chance that we will make choices that will ensure our demise…(already proven or we would not be reading this!)
So that is not freedom as God intended; furthermore He has no interest in aiding our abilities to make choices that in the end will damage and destroy us.
He cares about us too much to let us do that to ourselves.
Our Father’s view of freedom is very different than ours.
Our view of it is we think freedom is about having uninhibited and unlimited options to choose from, and then do what we want to.
In His WAY His perspective of viewing freedom,
it is about
alignment with purpose.
To better understand that concept we should ask the question…
What is the purpose of a yoke (zugos in Greek)?
The answers will paint a new picture for us…
because
Yokes are instruments of intention.
A yoke guides both animals in the same direction.
A yoke joins two animals into a single effort.
A yoke prevents one animal from falling.
A yoke causes two animals to rely on each other,
and most of all,
A yoke brings purpose,
A united goal.
Freedom is completely useless without purpose and our Father knows that true freedom has a purpose.
However we try to make it appear, freedom is not liberty to do whatever we choose. It’s just like saying we are under Grace not the Law and think we can just get forgiven any time we want and continue to live life like the world.
In God’s world/kingdom of the Heavens,
Freedom has specific purpose and direction and the direction of the freedom He gives is toward Him.
Yeshua/Jesus invites us to Yoke/bind ourselves to Him in order to achieve the freedom we desire.
True freedom is being what God intended and made us to be and knowing He takes pleasure in us as we fulfill the plans and purposes He designed for each of us to walk in.
The opposite of the western thinking of be whatever you want to and then attempt to Christianize it.
God’s freedom tool is His yoke…
and it is designed to let us feel and know He is pleased with us.
Again this is all about relationship, when we truly love someone we want to please them first, before ourselves!
“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me“ Matthew 11:29
Yoke – So now, how can we enter into the second rest that Yeshua/Jesus promises?
Yeshua/Jesus says that rest comes when we are bound to Him.
Just think about that picture for a minute.
Most of us would never consider being yoked to someone else as a means of finding rest.
The picture looks more like we are pulling the load in tandem which is the picture of the Greek word used there which is zugos, meaning: something that binds together, which still gives the image of work.
As we now know that the point of view is Hebraic from Jesus/Yeshua’s perspective, then Rest is not ceasing from activity.
It is relaxing under restraint.
Being yoked/bound to Jesus/Yeshua means that He does exactly what His name means.
Yeshua = Salvation/rescue
He saves/rescues us from the middle of our burdens, it’s the Hebraic view of yasha. Rescue/salvation comes to us where we are. Its not a quick fix, a get out clause, or an escape hatch, rather it is partnering/ sharing the load.
When it comes to responsibilities and obligations, there are 2 points of view.
The 1st view is that of the individual.
The individual is responsible for their own destiny. It has the I of prIde, the ego is involved as in, I carry the load. I shoulder my own responsibilities, I am accountable for the consequences. I make choices based on what I deem good for me. This view is a reflection of and dominates the way the world operates and in one way or another, it’s been in evidence since Eden.
This load inevitably becomes a burden…
God’s perspective is the 2nd one, and His perspective is that of shared obligation and responsibility.
We are who we are because we belong to a community which has many names, children of God, the elect, the ecclesia, the house of Israel, God’s family, or the bride of Messiah/His kallah..
Many names however the picture is the same.
We are intricately and inseparably linked to His family/mishpacah. None of us stands alone in that what happens to one, happens to others and vise versa. Individuality is superseded by community/family.
We become who we are in relationship with others all our brothers and sisters in His Family/Mishpachah
משפחה
Mish-pa-KHa
When Yeshua/Jesus invites us to join Him, the yoke that we take is bound/fixed to Him, as well as being bound to every other sibling in the kingdom of the heavens.
The rest that He speaks of that is shared life as a family, not in isolated individualism for we are One in Messiah. We gain our enduring strength when we are connected to others, so, whenever we pursue activities that separate us from His family, we will discover that we are also moving away from rest.
Our deepest sense of purpose and greatest enjoyment in work is not in isolation because we were designed to be in relationship with God and with others, giving and receiving. If all members are giving then by default all will receive!
Take the yoke that Jesus/Yeshua offers, puts us into community with everyone who belongs to Him. We are co-burden-bearers. In this position we are able to find our purpose because what we do, will be of benefit to all those other people who lift us up, and vice-versa.
Rest needs restraint.
It is not in achieving an independent dream but in fact the exact opposite because we are dependent on Messiah and connected to His family.
To Hebrew readers, yoke is an expression of a rabbi’s way of living.
In other words, it is the summary of all that a rabbi teaches about how to apply Torah today.
To take the yoke of Yeshua/Jesus is to accept what He teaches about how to live.
His teaching has its foundation in family, community, in servant hood/bondservant, and in the expression of
the Fathers divine will,
in forgiveness,
in compassion
and in responsibility,
so without this yoke there is no rest
because Shalom/Rest
is the by-product
of living life according to His instructions
Yoked with Him.
Part 3 is coming and will bring the conclusion.
Jesus/Yeshua is Risen
and
because He’s alive
we live!
Shalom, shalom, mishpachah!
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SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…
Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.
I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name. Amen.
in the Late Hebrew script.
So again in the Hebrew thought, we now understand that the technical term for interpreting the Scripture so it would be obeyed correctly was, to fulfill!
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