Back to Today
Matthew 11:28-30
Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. 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.
Permalink Verse page
Interpretation

Jesus teaches a rest that is worked out in relationships and commitments in Matthew 11:28-30—look for "rest" and "yoke". Choose rest in how we make amends—let wisdom become a road.

Context

Matthew speaks here as gospel narrative writing, developing rest. Read in Matthew 11, its force becomes clearer. Listen for “rest” alongside “yoke”.

Authorship & Historical Background

Long‑standing tradition credits Matthew to the disciple Matthew (formerly a tax collector). Modern scholarship on Matthew sees Early witnesses preserve anonymity; later ascription to Matthew; reflects Mark and a sayings source.. Date: AD 80–90. Matthew seems aimed at Jewish‑Christian community.. Fulfillment citations stitch promise to practice. Catechetical structure appears in the discourse blocks.

More details
Traditional:Matthew the tax collector
Modern scholarship:Anonymous; attributed to Matthew; uses Mark + Q source.
Date:AD 80–90
Audience:Jewish‑Christian community.
Manuscripts & Textual Witnesses
The Greek text is preserved in over 5,800 manuscripts, more than any other ancient document. Early papyri (2nd–3rd century) like P46, P66, P75 provide text within 100–150 years of composition. Major uncial codices (Sinaiticus, Vaticanus, 4th century) contain complete or near–complete texts. The Byzantine text family represents the majority of later manuscripts. Textual variants exist but are mostly minor: word order, articles, spelling. No central Christian doctrine depends on any disputed text. Modern critical editions compare all manuscript families to determine the most likely original reading.
Sources & witness notes
SinaiticusVaticanusP46
Cross References1
  • Psalms 55:22
    Cast your burden on Yahweh and he will sustain you. He will never allow the righteous to be moved.
    CuratedCast your burden on the LORD (Ps 55:22)