Exogetical Essay On Matthew 11:25-30 :: essays research papers

Exogetical Essay on Matthew 1125-30     This passage opens up with the phrase, "I praise you, Father, manufacturer ofheaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned,and revealed them to runty children. This speaks of two kinds of people in hisprayer the "wise" - arrogant in their own knowledge - and the "littlechildren" - humbly open to receive the truth of Gods Word. Are we wise in ourown eyes, or do we seek the truth in childlike faith, realizing that single Godhold all in all the answers? God wants us to be open at all times. When we become too"informed" and "wise" we can sometimes become to sure of our own knowledge, andpossibly miss what God is really telling us.     The next passage says, "All things have been committed to me by myFather. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Fatherexcept the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him." According tomy Life Application Study Guide, in the Old Testament, "know" means more thanknowledge. It implies an intimate relationship. The communion between God theFather and God the Son is the core of their relationship. For anyone else toknow God, God moldiness reveal himself to that person, by the Sons choice. Howfortunate we are that Jesus has clearly revealed to us God, his truth, and howwe can know him.     The last major section of this passage reads, "Come to me, all you whoare weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you andlearn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will mother rest foryour souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." A yoke is a heavywooden harness that fits over the shoulders of an ox or oxen. It is attached toa piece of equipment the oxen are to pull. A person may be carrying heavyburdens of (1) sin, (2) excessive demands of religious leaders, (3) oppressiona nd persecution, (4) weariness in the search for God, or any number of otherproblems we may face day to day. The beautiful thing is that Jesus frees people