Matthew 11:28

Come unto me. In effect, Christ says: “Do not expect to find the way of life, the way to true wisdom and ‘rest,’ by going to the so-called ‘wise’ and ‘prudent’ [v. 25], They are no better than ‘blind leaders of the blind’ [see ch. 15:14].” “Instead, come to Me.” Christ alone knows the Father; therefore Christ alone can reveal the Father (see on ch. 6:9). In these gracious words Christ extended to the multitude (DA 328) an invitation to become His disciples. The invitation to discipleship includes taking the “yoke” of Jesus (ch. 11:29).

Ye that labour. It is not of physical labor that Christ here speaks. He speaks rather of “labour” of soul and mind, which truly causes one to be burdened with care. This invitation would come with special force to the listening multitude, for the religion of Israel had degenerated into a meaningless round of “labour” in an attempt to find salvation by works.

Heavy laden. All mankind bear many heavy burdens, the heaviest of which is sin. However, in addition to the usual “burdens” home in common by all humanity, the scribes and Pharisees had bound many other “heavy burdens” on the backs of the Jewish people, burdens “grievous to be borne” (ch. 23:4). The people were “heavy laden” with so many rabbinical requirements that an entire lifetime was ordinarily too short to learn them all. Instead of giving “rest” of soul to those who already bore a heavy burden of sin (DA 328), these rabbinical requirements served only to crush out of the people any spark of life and hope that might remain. The people who sought to be conscientious groaned beneath the burden, while many — the “publicans and sinners” — gave up hope completely. The latter were outside the pale of religious respectability, and no longer made a profession of religion. These unfortunate and discouraging results were the very ills Jesus came to alleviate.

Rest. Gr. anapausis, “intermission,” “cessation,” “rest,” “respite,” “recreation.” Anapausis is the word commonly used in the LXX to refer to the “rest” of the Sabbath.

Anapausis refers to a temporary cessation of labor, not to permanent inactivity. Those who come to Christ do not cease to work, but instead of laboring “for the meat which perisheth,” and becoming utterly weary in the attempt, they labour “for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life” (see on John 6:27). Those who think they earn salvation by going about with heavy burdens “grievous to be borne” are mournfully ignorant of the fact that Christ’s “yoke is easy” and His “burden is light” (Matt. 11:30).