Take … upon you: in place of the one verb of the Greek text, some languages will require a double verb: “Take … put it on you” (Good News Translation).

Jesus here uses yoke as a symbol of submission, and the most appropriate commentary is perhaps to be found in Jeremiah, chapters 27–28; there the prophet wears an ox yoke as a symbol of the nation’s submission to the king of Babylonia. In cultures where the yoke does not convey this significance, it may be dropped: “Submit yourself to me,” or “Be obedient to me,” or “Accept the task that I give you.”

A yoke is a heavy wooden bar that fits over the neck of an ox so that it can pull a cart or a plow. Some translators have misunderstood Take my yoke upon you to refer to the yoke Jesus is carrying. But as we have pointed out above, Jesus is inviting people to submit themselves to him. Some translators keep the form and meaning by saying “Submit yourselves to me as an ox might take a yoke” or “Take the yoke of my leadership (or, Lordship) on you.” However, if yokes are not known, trying to introduce them by saying “take the wooden bars on your shoulders so you can pull a cart” will result in an awkward sentence that will detract from the meaning. As we said, the form may be dropped, as in “Accept me as the one who directs you.”

Learn from me indicates the nature of the obedience which Jesus demands. It is that of discipleship, for the verb learn is made from the same root as “disciple.” The invitation of Jesus is, then, “Obey me (Take my yoke on you, or Take my task) and be my disciple.” In fact Take my yoke … and learn from me may be understood as the same kind of construction discussed in verse 28, in which and connects two thoughts that are equivalent. One can then translate the two commands as one: “Learn what it means to be my disciple.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch effectively retains the two verbs, though doing away with the symbol of the yoke: “Place yourself under my direction and learn from me.” Learn from me can also be rendered “accept my teachings,” “learn the truths I teach,” or “become my disciple.”

Jesus invites people to accept him as their Lord because they will find him humble and gentle. Thus the relationship shown by for in the text should be shown clearly.

I am gentle and lowly in heart: lowly is used only here in the Gospel; a related verb is used in 18.4; 23.12 (twice). Most English translations are fairly consistent in retaining the form in heart or “in spirit” (Good News Translation), though An American Translation has “humble-minded.” One may translate the two adjectives as “I am gentle and humble”; Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “I will not trouble you, and I despise no one.” If gentle and lowly are believed to have the same meaning, they may be combined so that one strengthens the other: “I am very humble” or “I am very gentle.”

In heart is actually not needed in English. If someone is described as humble and gentle, one can perhaps add “by nature,” or one can say “my heart is humble,” but otherwise “I am humble and gentle” will suffice.

And you will find rest for your souls may be misleading, implying that eternal rest is intended. For your souls is merely a Semitic way of saying “for yourselves,” a phrase which may be unnecessary to carry over into translation. Good News Translation telescopes: “and you will find rest.” The rest to which Jesus refers is that of a proper fellowship with God; Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “then your life will find fulfillment.”

You will find rest is tied to the invitations to come to Jesus: “Submit to me,” Jesus says, “and you will find rest in me,” or “… then you will experience relief.” Both “in me” and “then” make this relationship clear. Such explicit markers may not be necessary in all languages, depending on the structure of the passage.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .