Read | Matthew 11:25–30
At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, because this was your good pleasure. All things have been entrusted to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son desires to reveal him.
“Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
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Notice Christ’s willing submission to the Father’s will. What can Christ’s submission teach us about control?
Focus
View this work of art, Christ Carrying the Cross, connected to Sunday’s sermon passage.
Observe what you see in the image, from colors to composition to recognizable elements, without trying to understand what it is supposed to mean. Then read about the work, using these details to help you interpret the work of art. Ask God what he might be saying through the image and listen for his insight in your thoughts and feelings; then take a moment to respond through prayer to what God showed you in this image. How might what God is showing you connect to the concept of obedience?
Commentary:
Titian (c. 1488-1576) was one of the most influential painters of the Venetian school of the Italian Renaissance. He painted up to four versions of this subject.
The image of the yoke is present in relatively few religious works of art, though it is not difficult to find in other places, even on coinage from the Roman Empire. The image itself is a powerful one: two oxen are yoked together, one dominant and one submissive, and only by working together are they able to accomplish their goal. Elsewhere in Scripture, the yoke is used as an image of bondage. Jesus promises rest, freedom, and a lighter burden if we will agree to yoke ourselves to him. However, this freedom he promises us does not come without a cost.
Later in the gospels, we are shown how Jesus provides his followers with a light burden. He bears all the weight of sin, having submitted himself to the cross in order to display his ultimate glory, freeing us from the bondage of sin and death for all time.
Though the image of the yoke is uncommon in religious art, the image of Christ carrying his cross has frequently been depicted. In Titian’s emotional, powerful rendition, Jesus looks the viewer in the eye, and we are not shielded from his misery. Though Simon of Cyrene has come alongside him, attempting to help him bear his weight, this affliction, humiliation, and separation from God is something that Jesus carries alone, all because of his unending love for each precious human soul.
Art Source: Christ Carrying the Cross, Tiziano Vecellio (Titian), c. 1565. Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
Pray
Pray for insight into following God’s will in your work setting.
Going Deeper
If you are also following the BibleProject’s One Story That Leads to Jesus reading plan, complete today’s reading.