The way - easy or hard?

[Ian]

Jesus said both:

"difficult is the way which leads to life"

and

"my yoke is easy"

How in your opinon would you marry these two statements into a cohesive theology, pragmatically speaking?

[dizerner]

The way I see it, sin is easy on the flesh and hard on the spirit. Christ is hard on the flesh but easy on the spirit. If we don't see that dichotomy I don't think we'll make sense of it. Reminds me of a believer taking an EE course decades ago. They said "why do we tell them it's a free gift when it costs them everything?" There are lot of paradoxes like that in life and Scripture. bless

[robbyyoung]

Jesus said both:

"difficult is the way which leads to life"

and

"my yoke is easy"

How in your opinon would you marry these two statements into a cohesive theology, pragmatically speaking?

Hi Ian,

The NKJV rendered a bad translation. The text is simply contrasting to analogies:

1. A wide gate = having a spacious path through it.
2. A strait gate = having a narrow path through it.

There is no legitimate reason to translate "narrow" as "difficult". The comparison is "broad vs. narrow" or many being deceived vs. a few being deceived (based on the continuing thought in vs.15). In other words, the few who stick to the gospel message will find life while wearing Christ's yoke, the yoke arguably was referring to his teachings, as opposed to the current day man-made laws of the Jews, in which nobody could escape its heavy burden. Therefore, Yeshua gives us rest from the burdensome teachings of man.

God Bless.

[dizerner]

"The NKJV rendered a bad translation."

I think the translation is okay; the word means "hard pressed" like grapes are pressed.

http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons ... hlibo.html

Here is Friberg on it:

13706 strictly press, rub together; hence compress, make narrow; (1) metaphorically and passive (2) press or crowd against, throng; (3) figuratively afflict, oppress, cause trouble to; passive experience hardship, be afflicted

Some examples in Scripture:

Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. (2Co 1:6 NKJ)

For indeed, when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts, inside were fears. (2Co 7:5 NKJ)

Not to mention the point is affirmed in many other places in Holy Scripture anyway, that the way of salvation is difficult, as well as the parallel passage in Luke.

Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. (Luke 13:24)

[Paidion]

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matt 11:28-30 ESV)

This is Jesus' gracious invitation to those who are burdened. He will give them rest from their burdens. To take Jesus' yoke and learn from Him, is to be under his guidance, analogous to an ox being guided by the yoke of a human being. By doing this one learns from Jesus—that is, becomes his disciple (a word that means "learner"). Instead of being under his previous burdens, he finds Jesus' burden to be light, and therefore to carry it is REST compared to what he had to carry previously. And the yoke is easy. When he is a servant of Jesus, he doesn't have to struggle with what Jesus lays upon him.

Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. (Matt 7:13,14)

Unlike the first passage, this is not an invitation to become a disciple of Christ. It is a description of what the disciple is up against in entering the narrow gate and staying on the difficult path. Salvation is a process, and a difficult one for the disciple. He may face persecution or even beatings or death. But that is the way to lasting life. If instead, he would just let it go, and take life easy, he would have an easy and more pleasant life. But to let go of his discipleship and live for himself is the way to destruction.

[Ian]

Thanks to the three of you.

Being outdoor-minded, it shouldn`t have been hard for me to visualize being on a hard, exposed path but with a light rucksack. Duh, Ian...

[Homer]

I would think that Jesus' yoke was a contrast to the Law of Moses with its hundreds of regulations, a great many of them positive commands unrelated to natural (moral) law. It is easy to understand why a law should be obeyed when by its own nature you can see that obeying it is good. It is harder to obey commands when you can not see any good that will come from doing so. Even harder when in an attempt to do something you see as beneficial turns out to be very bad. Think Uzzah.

And then again Jesus' yoke includes the Holy Spirit which is a great help in bearing our load.