a simple desire

“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.”  (Matthew 11: 29-30)

It’s a bit surprising to me that the word “learn” isn’t used very much in the gospels–at least in English translation. Three of the four uses come from Matthew: “learn from me,” here, ” Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’” from Matthew 9: 13, and “From the fig tree learn its lesson,” in Matthew 24: 32 (the last also in Mark 13:28).

If these were the only verses used to describe Jesus as a rabbi, a teacher, who had disciples, students, what would we know about his teaching?

• The goal of his teaching is to provide rest for the souls of his students.
• The style of his teaching is gentle and humble.
• The content of his teaching is about mercy from God to people who sin.
• The content of his teaching is also about correctly discernment of the signs of the age.
• The method of his teaching includes concrete images, such as yokes and trees.
• The method of his teaching also includes having his students reflect on what they think they already know (Learn what this means…)
• Jesus is willing to be yoked together with his students as they learn.