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remained to the present time instead of being destroyed. Again, Sodom, in the future
great judgment day will fare better than Capernaum (verse 24). It is very evident that
God's standards of judgment are very different to man's, and they are the verdict of One
Who is absolutely righteous.
The sins of Tyre, Sidon, and Capernaum were not those of hostility or ridicule. They
were just indifferent. His mighty works made no impression on them. And this is the
great sin of the present day--indifference. There is little or no spiritual need and
therefore few care. One can be enthusiastic about anything except the things of Christ.
People are prepared to suffer and put themselves to any lengths for their pleasures.
They indeed are "lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God" (II Tim. 3: 4). They
become worshippers of pleasure and their own interests. It is not that they are violently
anti-Christian. They just have no need of Christ and so they ignore Him and His claims.
The conditions were much the same during the earthly life of the Saviour. How
wonderful that, in the following verses, He turns away from it all and makes the sublime
statement recorded in verses 25-30 in His communion with the Father:
"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.
Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure. 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.
Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, 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" (11: 25-30, N.I.V.).
What matchless words! And they have been precious to God's people all down the
centuries. A. B. Bruce calls them "at once prayer, praise and self-communing in a devout
spirit". Some expositors have felt that these words are manifestly Johanine in spirit and
should have been found in John's Gospel. But we are wise if we do not try to correct the
real Author, the Holy Spirit, Who, at this point in Matthew's writing, brought to his mind
these wonderful words of the Lord Jesus. We should note the verb epiginoskei twice,
which means "fully know". No one fully knows Christ except the Father. To hear some
Christians talk one would think that they have no problems with His tremendous
personality. They imagine they know all there is to know about Him, but they should
reflect on verse 27 and also remember that Col. 2: 2 designates Him as the Mystery of
God in Whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
The Lord calls us to take His yoke upon us and learn from Him. This yoke is "easy"
because, being appointed and made by Him, it fits us perfectly and does not chafe. In this
way we can be linked with Him and walk together. The "burden" then becomes light.
He becomes the burden-bearer, and as a consequence we can find rest and peace, and not
only that but refreshment too for the word used (anapausis) includes this. It means more
than just rest; it is rather rejuvenation.
The Lord Jesus is a meek and humble Teacher (verse 29). How vastly different from
the world around us. Humility was not a virtue among the ancients. It was ranked with