Matthew 11:30

[nekocat]

Come to me, ye that are weary and carry burdens, that I may give you rest; and learn of me, for I am meek and humble of heart, that ye may receive rest for your souls; and bear my yoke upon you, for my yoke is light and my burden is good.

This is from Matthew 11:30 (and you can also hear it from listening to Haendel's Messiah.

Question 1: I don't think "being meek and humble" is a good trait, but is it the case for Christianity?

Question 2: If "my yoke is light and my burden is good," isn't it something we don't usually expect from a saint?

 

[frostyg02uk]

Hmm as a catholic i have no idea what that means haha. But being humble is a good trait yes.
If someone says you are cute a humble person might say "im not so cute just average" even when actually they know they are cute.
But the opposite of humble is someone who tells others "I am cute" even when sometimes actually...they are not haha. Of course everyone is different in opinion but most people dislike someone who constantly boosts and probably for their own comfort reasons prefer a humble person.

 

[nekocat]

Thanks frosty, that's one point clear, then.
That leaves me only this: if "my yoke is light" then my job would be trivial. Wouldn't it? What's the logic of the Bible?

 

[frostyg02uk]

hmmm <---bad habbit when im thinking haha

Number 2 has shot me down. Sometimes the bible has no logic haha but often its a hidden meaning. If you think it was made 2000 years ago so often its hard to understand their meanings. Ahh maybe i understand now.
Yoke - Wikipedia

Because the yoke is light its not heavy. so maybe if i accept God my burdens will be lighter?

 

[Sarapva]

Since the Bible has been translated so many times since it was written, the meaning of the original words could be way off in some cases. Also, the wording is different in different versions, which makes the meaning slightly different. In the King James version this same passage reads, "For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." In the first part it reads "....I am meek and lowly in heart..."

You've hit on one of the biggest criticisms of Christianity, nekocat - the accusation that there are a lot of hypocrisies in it. The one about being meek and humble is a big one. Jesus was meek and humble, and Christians usually say they think this is a good trait but don't practice it. The opposite is usually practiced and admired - being pushy and loud. If people truly followed Christianity, they wouldn't kill others, wouldn't go to war, etc. But this is a topic for a religion forum!

People interpret the Bible in different ways - I would think that by saying "my yoke is light", Jesus was saying that he has the capacity and willingness to take on more burdens (of the people).

 

[nekocat]

People interpret the Bible in different ways - I would think that by saying "my yoke is light", Jesus was saying that he has the capacity and willingness to take on more burdens (of the people).

Aha, that makes sense!

Thanks to you I understood this part of the Bible. To think about difficult parts in the Bible for me is the passage...

Jesus scolds a fig tree for not bearing fruit.
Jesus screams "Eli, eli." in Olive Mountain, even though he had anticipated his fate that he would be murdered.​

But this may be only my problem, others seem have no problem

 

[Sarapva]

Nekocat - I've heard that when Jesus screams "Eli, Eli .....", translated "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" that since he was human, like the rest of us, during his worst trial he felt that God had forsaken him like anyone would who was going through a tortuous experience.

I've seen the passage about Jesus scolding a tree for not bearing fruit, but can't find it now. Do you know which one it is?

 

[nekocat]

It's found in Matthew, but is also in Luke and Mark

18Early in the morning, as he was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 19Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, "May you never bear fruit again!" Immediately the tree withered.
20When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. "How did the fig tree wither so quickly?" they asked.

21Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. 22If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

This is from Matthew 11:30 (and you can also hear it from listening to Haendel's Messiah.
Question 1: I don't think "being meek and humble" is a good trait, but is it the case for Christianity?
Question 2: If "my yoke is light and my burden is good," isn't it something we don't usually expect from a saint?

Being meek and humble towards the "God Almighty" is not only a good trait; it's expected. I believe that not doing so is considered a sin. Being unrepentant about it leads to being cast into the Lake of Fire.

"My yoke is light and my burden is good" is not to be taken litterally. First off, the yoke is light because he is gladly willing to bear it. The burden is good because it is the right thing to do.

 

[Sarapva]

Thanks, nekocat - I found it. It sounds like Jesus is trying to show that anyone can do what he does if they believe strongly. It looks like Jesus withered the tree because it didn't have fruit and he was mad and wanted to get revenge, but this is inconsistent with what he taught. Maybe it just looks that way to us who aren't looking further or higher than mere revenge.

 

[Masamune_74]

I think that he withered the tree to deliver the message to his disciples...that is that threw Him all things were possible.

 

[Anohito]

All displays of humility are false.

 

[Kinsao]

I was under the impression from reading that passage that when Jesus speaks of "my" (his) yoke/burden, he is meaning the yoke/burden that I will give you, and not the yoke/burden that I am carrying. In other words... if you cut out the middle bit you get... "Come to me, ye that are weary and carry burdens, that I may give you rest; [. . . ] and bear my yoke upon you, for my yoke is light and my burden is good." --> in other words, "if you come to me, I won't give you such a heavy burden to carry".

Anyone else see it that way? :?