We might have expected today’s reading from Zechariah to appear on Palm Sunday when Jesus entered Jerusalem. In fact, it was quoted that day in the passage from Matthew (21:1-11) which was proclaimed at the entrance procession. “Behold, your king shall come to you, meek and riding on and ass, the foal of a beast of burden .”
Zechariah wasn’t being ambiguous. He was quite specific about what the Davidic Messiah would be like. Zechariah expected the Messiah to be a ruler without violence. Just a brief glance at today’s headlines reveals the violent suppression of demonstrations in Syria and Libya. But even democratic countries do not have hands free of violence. In contrast to our usual experience. Zechariah invites his hearers to envision a savior who is meek, riding on a donkey, the beast of burden of the poor, not the battle horse of kings.
Zechariah’s awaited Messiah will end the self–seeking of powerful nations. He will not be a warrior, but will cast aside the tools of violence, the chariot, horse and the warrior’s bow and announce peace. To be lead by one who is not after lands and vassals, who does not want to be ruler of a war machine — now that would be a completely different leadership! We are already hearing speeches by potential presidential candidates getting ready to make the run for the presidency. Zechariah’s vision certainly challenges the present and potential leadership of our nation, as well as our individual perception of leadership, as we celebrate this 4th of July.
In Jesus we meet the ruler and savior Zechariah anticipated and, in the Sermon on the Mount, we hear him proclaim his rule of life for those who would accept him. Today we are invited into Jesus’ prayer in which he thanks his Father for giving him disciples after his own heart–the meek, gentle and humble.
Our world and society don’t expound gentle and meek ways of living. In fact, it’s the “little ones” who get pushed aside by the world’s powerful. The meek are not only victimized, they are also ridiculed and taken advantage of and even killed. So, strength and determination are required to oppose the exploitation of the powerless so that they can have access to full human life. How do we balance being “the little ones” Jesus praises God for with our need at times to use strength and force to prevent people being violated? That’s a hard question to answer. How can the strong also be meek and gentle, one of Jesus’ “little ones?” Strength and having influence don’t cancel out meekness, gentleness and reliance on God.
Just prior to today’s passage Jesus was rejected by the Pharisees and those in the towns where he had preached (11: 20-24). Even at a time of rejection, Jesus praises his Father for giving wisdom to “little ones.” In today’s passage he once again elaborates for his disciples the characteristics of those who will be members in the kingdom of heaven.
The “yoke” of Jewish law was considered a privilege enjoyed by devout Jews, for it revealed God’s gift of wisdom for daily life. Now Jesus takes on for himself the identity as God’s wisdom and offers his yoke to those who would accept him. People might be learned in religious rules, customs and teachings, but our primary source for understanding God’s ways doesn’t come from that knowledge. It comes from receiving Jesus and his message. In fact, scrupulous observance of the law can make one blind to the Spirit’s freedom Jesus is offering us. Jesus claimed a fuller knowledge of God than can be attained by mere human pursuits–even with the most well-intentioned religious efforts. He says, “All things have been handed over to me by my Father.” “All things” — the fullest revelation of God which we find in Jesus. He is ready to reveal “all things” about God to us.
Jesus was speaking to the poor, illiterate and often oppressed. They were preoccupied, struggling to make it from one day to the next. They didn’t have the luxury of time and education to study the laws and traditions of their faith the way the Pharisees did. Jesus accused the Pharisees of putting heavy burdens on the poor and not lifting a finger to lighten their load. Those struggling to survive from one day to the next couldn’t read or study the laws, hence they would unconsciously break them and, as a result, be condemned by the more religious elite.
Jesus invites those considered “lawbreakers” to, “Come to me.” He offers them his yoke, the acceptance of the God of forgiveness and love he preached. Wouldn’t they have a “light load” if they knew they weren’t the sinners and outsiders they were accused of being? Now, through Jesus, they would know God’s forgiveness and learn Jesus’ way of life. The question could be asked of us as well: doesn’t Jesus’ message about God’s love and readiness to forgive give us a lighter load to bear and a sense of access to God in times of need?
In this section of Matthew we are given two choices–faith or unbelief. But having faith in God is not a matter of our own effort. Rather, to believe is a gift of God and disbelief is due to the arrogance and pride of those who refuse God’s offer made in Jesus Christ. Jesus says today that he is the one who reveals God and God’s will to us. He invites those who are oppressed to believe in him. For them, the “little ones,” there will be no heavy religious burdens and obligations beyond their capacity to fulfill. These “little ones” are the people throughout the gospel, like tax collectors, prostitutes and sinners, who have heard and accepted Jesus’ preaching. The weekly Sabbath was a day of rest for the Jewish people. Now Jesus is offering the long-anticipated and permanent rest of the messianic age, which his coming has brought.
Isn’t it strange to think both of rest and taking on a yoke? A yoke is a tool for work, both for animals and humans. A yolk is for doing a task. For us it is the task of serving Christ. So, shall we accept the yoke Jesus is offering? One thing we sense from Jesus is that his yoke is not meant to be oppressive; Paul says it will lead us to freedom. When we accept Jesus’ yoke we also receive him as our full-time helper, our “yoke partner.” Which explains how Christians were able to accomplish enormously difficult and seeming impossible tasks, even martyrdom, in Jesus’ name.
We have done our best to get the education or training we need to help us through life. We want to have security for ourselves and our family. We may have also added to our knowledge and skills by going on for more education, requiring great effort and costs. We have had good reason to acquire as much knowledge as we could. That’s not what Jesus is criticizing when he names the “wise and learned” — unless being “wise and learned” disguises our vulnerability and gives us a false sense of security apart from God. We can be “wise and learned” and still be among the “little ones” for whom Jesus offers his prayer of thanksgiving today.
Earlier in Matthew Jesus blessed to “poor in spirit” (5:3) as already possessing the kingdom of heaven. Biblical readers recognize that when Jesus is speaking of the “little ones” he is drawing from a familiar image from the Hebrew Scriptures, the “anawim” –the lowly and humble. They were those who had no prestige, power, rank or high office. They had nothing about which to boast to the world. So, they could admit with no pretense or false pride, their dependence on God.
At our Eucharist we, like the anawim, admit our hunger for God and humbly pray, “I can claim no boast before you, most Holy God. I am completely dependent on your grace.” God sees our emptiness and feeds us the choicest food, the flesh and blood of the one who invites us today, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am meek and humble of heart.”
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Jesus says that his yoke is easy and his burden is light, but this may not be entirely true. The burden Jesus alludes to are the demands of the law, and instead of preaching permissiveness, Jesus usually intensifies the demands. So it may not be that his burden actually is lighter; rather, it feels lighter once we have put on his yoke. Remember, oxen are usually yoked together to pull a load. The yoke Jesus offers us is one he also wears. Side by side we are to walk, watching and doing as Jesus does. Side by side we are to learn by his grace the way of gentle humility until one day we too may soar the celestial heights.