Texts in Conversation
Sirach invites the uneducated to take on the “yoke” of wisdom, promising rest and fulfillment through teaching. In Matthew, Jesus uses similar language about taking on the “yoke” of his teaching that brings rest.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Sirach 51:23
Ben Sira, Ecclesiasticus
Deuterocanon
23 Draw near to me, all you who are uneducated, and live in the house of instruction. 24 Why therefore are you all lacking in these things, and your souls are very thirsty? 25 I opened my mouth and spoke, “Get her for yourselves without money.” 26 Put your neck under the yoke, and let your soul receive instruction. She is near to find. 27 See with your eyes how I labored just a little and found for myself much rest. 28 Get instruction with a great sum of silver, and gain much gold by her. 29 May your soul rejoice in his mercy, and may you all not be put to shame in praising him.
Date: 195–180 BCE (based on scholarly estimates)
Matthew 11:28
New Testament
27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son decides to reveal him. 28 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke on you and learn from me because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry.”
Date: 70–90 CE (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... This identification of Jesus with wisdom is implicitly shown in Matthew 11:19; 23:34 as well. Jesus’ prayer reminds us of the portrayal of Wisdom in the Old Testament and later Jewish literature as God’s firstborn and only associate in creation (Proverbs 8:22–31) and as the one who alone mediates God’s truth and instruction for living (Proverbs 8:1–21, 32–36 and passim). In Matthew 11:28–30, the parallel between wisdom and yoke is suggested, which is shown in Sirach. It should be noted that the juxtaposition of wording is similar to Sirach 51:23–27: the invitation in the first person to come “to me”, the reference to needy “persons”, the call to take the “yoke” of instruction, the reference to a light “labour”, as well as the promise of rest that is to be “found”. Sirach knows the invitation of wisdom for those who desire and those who are unknowledgeable (Sirach 24:19; 51:23) and presents that those who will find rest to come to her (Sirach 6:28; 22:13; 51:27). Moreover, the other evidence from Sirach could be used to prove that Jesus identifies himself as a sage and as the embodiment of Wisdom (compare Sirach 24:9; 6:19–31) ..."
Juheon Kim, “Christology of Q and Wisdom: The Case Study on the Johannine Thunderbolt Pericope” (diss., Chongshin University, 2015), 53.
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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Clearly said by sirach no explanation
Clearly said by sirach no explanation