Take My Yoke by J. H. Hartog

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Aug 10, 1915

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 42, No. 31.

“Take My Yoke”

By J. H. Hartog

ANY one familiar with Europe knows that the peasants and the peddlers carry their burden on a yoke — a piece of wood hollowed to fit around the neck and rest on the shoulders, a rope at each end, ending in a hook — and in this way the burden bearer can carry two loads, either of which would be impossible to carry by hand.

Even the ancient Egyptians knew this yoke; and among the pictures in the back of most Bibles is shown a scene of Egyptians carrying brick by means of a yoke.

The words from Matthew, “Take My yoke upon you,” evidently refer to that kind of yoke; for if the yoke used for oxen were meant, the Master would have said, Come into the yoke with Me, and not, Take it on you. As the heaviest burden is the burden of sin, and as the Master had our iniquity laid upon Him, He offers to us, in exchange, His yoke, which is easy, and in the same text tells us how to carry it — namely, meekly and lowly.

J. H. HARTOG.