Matthew 11:28 Study Bible: "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest.

◄ Matthew 11:28 ►

Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Come to Me
This phrase is an invitation from Jesus, extending a personal call to all who hear. The Greek word for "come" is "δεῦτε" (deute), which is an imperative, suggesting urgency and importance. In the historical context, rabbis would often invite disciples to follow their teachings, but Jesus uniquely invites individuals to come to Him personally, emphasizing a relationship rather than mere adherence to doctrine. This invitation is open to all, reflecting the inclusive nature of Christ's ministry.

all you who are weary
The word "weary" comes from the Greek "κοπιῶντες" (kopiontes), which implies laboring to the point of exhaustion. In the historical context, the Jewish people were burdened by the heavy yoke of Pharisaic laws and traditions. Jesus acknowledges the physical and spiritual fatigue that comes from trying to earn righteousness through works. This phrase speaks to the universal human condition of striving and struggling under the weight of sin and life's burdens.

and burdened
The Greek word "πεφορτισμένοι" (pephortismenoi) means to be loaded down, as with a heavy load. This term can be understood in the context of the burdens imposed by religious leaders of the time, who added to the Law of Moses with their own traditions. It also speaks to the burdens of sin and guilt that weigh down the soul. Jesus recognizes these burdens and offers a solution, contrasting the heavy loads imposed by others with the relief He provides.

and I will give you rest
The promise of "rest" comes from the Greek "ἀναπαύσω" (anapauso), which means to refresh or to cause to cease. This rest is not merely physical but deeply spiritual, offering peace and restoration to the soul. In the scriptural context, this rest echoes the Sabbath rest God instituted, symbolizing completion and satisfaction in God's provision. Jesus offers a rest that fulfills the deepest needs of the human heart, a rest that can only be found in Him.

Persons / Places / Events

1. Jesus Christ
The speaker of this verse, offering an invitation to those who are weary and burdened.

2. The Weary and Burdened
Represents all individuals who are experiencing physical, emotional, or spiritual exhaustion.

3. Rest
The promise given by Jesus, symbolizing peace, relief, and spiritual renewal.

Teaching Points

Invitation to All
Jesus' call is universal, extending to everyone who feels overwhelmed by life's challenges. This inclusivity reflects God's love and desire for all to find peace in Him.

Understanding 'Rest'
The Greek word for "rest" (anapausis) implies a cessation from labor and a refreshing of the soul. This rest is not merely physical but deeply spiritual, offering renewal and peace.

The Nature of Burdens
Burdens can be sins, worries, or life’s pressures. Recognizing and acknowledging these burdens is the first step toward receiving the rest Jesus offers.

Active Response Required
The invitation "Come to Me" requires an active response. Believers must choose to approach Jesus and lay down their burdens at His feet.

Faith and Trust
Trusting in Jesus to provide rest requires faith. Believers are encouraged to deepen their relationship with Him, trusting in His promises and His ability to provide peace.

Bible Study Questions

1. What does it mean to be "weary and burdened" in your current life situation, and how can you identify these burdens?

2. How does the promise of rest in Matthew 11:28 compare to the concept of rest in Hebrews 4:9-11?

3. In what practical ways can you "come to" Jesus with your burdens today?

4. How does understanding the original Greek word for "rest" enhance your comprehension of what Jesus is offering?

5. Reflect on a time when you experienced God's rest. How can this experience encourage you to trust Him with your current burdens?

Connections to Other Scriptures

Psalm 55:22
This verse encourages believers to cast their burdens on the Lord, who will sustain them, echoing the promise of rest and support.

Hebrews 4:9-11
Discusses the concept of entering God's rest, which is a spiritual rest that believers can experience through faith in Christ.

1 Peter 5:7
Encourages believers to cast all their anxieties on God because He cares for them, aligning with the invitation to bring burdens to Jesus.

Sermons

A Special Invitation	C. H. Spurgeon.	Matthew 11:28
A Word in Season to the Weary	E. Johnson, M. A.	Matthew 11:28
Christ Relieving Us of Natural Burdens	Bishop Simpson.	Matthew 11:28
Christianity Lightens Physical Burdens	Bishop Simpson., Robert Hall, M. A.	Matthew 11:28
Christ's Rest	Stems and Twigs.	Matthew 11:28
Christ's Word to the Weary	W. G. Barrett.	Matthew 11:28
Coming to Christ	W. Jay.	Matthew 11:28
Desire Outruns Faculty Anal Causes Weariness	E. Johnson, M. A.	Matthew 11:28
I Will Give You Rest	Charles Hadden Spurgeon	Matthew 11:28
Invitation Based on Saving Power	Matthew Hole.	Matthew 11:28
Rest for All	Samuel Rutherford.	Matthew 11:28
Rest for the Weary	D. Rees.	Matthew 11:28
Rest for the Weary	J.A. Macdonald	Matthew 11:28
Rest for the Weary	John Newton	Matthew 11:28
Rest in Christ for the Heavy-Laden	C. Bradley.	Matthew 11:28
Rest in Trouble	R. Tuck, B. A.	Matthew 11:28
Rest not Found in Mere Ceremonial Observances	R. A. Bertram.	Matthew 11:28
Rest not Inaction	F. W. Robertson.	Matthew 11:28
Rest Only in God		Matthew 11:28
Rest, Rest	Charles Haddon Spurgeon	Matthew 11:28
Resting on the Bible		Matthew 11:28
The Burdened Directed to Christ	R May.	Matthew 11:28
The Meek and Lowly One	Charles Haddon Spurgeon	Matthew 11:28
The Reality of Rest	Thomas Brooks.	Matthew 11:28
The Rest Giver	Alexander Maclaren	Matthew 11:28
The Way of Coming to Christ	H. W. Beecher.	Matthew 11:28
The Weary Welcome to Rest	The Sunday at Home.	Matthew 11:28
Ways of Coming to Christ	Matthew Hole.	Matthew 11:28
The Forearming Against a Foreseen Unbelief	P.C. Barker	Matthew 11:2-30
Jesus Rejected by the Wise, But Owned by Babes and the Father	Marcus Dods	Matthew 11:20-30
The Knowledge of the Holy	J.A. Macdonald	Matthew 11:25-30
The Yoke of Rest	W.F. Adeney	Matthew 11:28-30

People

Elias, Elijah, Jesus, John

Places

Bethsaida, Capernaum, Chorazin, Galilee, Sidon, Sodom, Tyre

Topics

Burdened, Care, Heavily, Heavy, Heavy-laden, Labor, Labour, Labouring, Laden, Ones, Rest, Toiling, Troubled, Weary, Weighted

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Matthew 11:28

     2426   gospel, responses
     4937   fate, fatalism
     5386   leisure, nature of
     5405   medicine
     5559   stress
     5699   guests
     5901   loneliness
     6705   peace, experience
     7968   spiritual gifts, nature of

Matthew 11:28-29

     2015   Christ, compassion
     5013   heart, divine
     5802   care
     6650   finding
     7622   disciples, characteristics
     8117   discipleship, benefits

Matthew 11:28-30

     2363   Christ, preaching and teaching
     2425   gospel, requirements
     5057   rest, physical
     5058   rest, spiritual
     5127   back
     5355   invitations
     5567   suffering, emotional
     5582   tiredness
     5805   comfort
     5933   restlessness
     6620   calling

Library

The Friend of Publicans and Sinners
'The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children,'--MATT. xi. 19. Jesus very seldom took notice of His enemies' slanders. 'When He was reviled He reviled not again.' If ever He did, it was for the sake of those whom it harmed to distort His beauty. Thus, here He speaks, without the slightest trace of irritation, of the capricious inconsistency of condemning Himself and John …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Sodom, Capernaum, Manchester
'Then began He to upbraid the cities wherein most of His mighty works were done, because they repented not.' --MATT. xi. 20. These words, and the woes which they introduce, are found in another connection in Luke's Gospel. He attaches them to his report of the mission of the seventy disciples. Matthew here introduces them in an order which seems not to depend upon time, but upon identity of subject. It is his method in his Gospel to group together similar events, as we have it exemplified, for instance, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Christ's Strange Thanksgiving
'I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.' --MATT. xi. 25. When Jesus was about to cure one dumb man, He lifted up His eyes to heaven and sighed. Sorrow filled His soul in the act of working deliverance. The thought of the depth of the miseries He had come to heal, and of the ocean of them which He was then diminishing but by one poor drop, saddened Him. When Jesus thought of the woes that had …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

John's Doubts of Jesus, and Jesus' Praise of John
'Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, 3. And said unto Him, Art Thou He that should come, or do we look for another? 4. Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: 5. The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in Me. 7. …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Rest Giver
'Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.'--MATT. xi. 28, 29. One does not know whether tenderness or majesty is predominant in these wonderful words. A divine penetration into man's true condition, and a divine pity, are expressed in them. Jesus looks with clearsighted compassion into the inmost history of all hearts, and sees the toil and the …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Rest for the Weary
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. W hich shall we admire most -- the majesty, or the grace, conspicuous in this invitation? How soon would the greatest earthly monarch be impoverished, and his treasures utterly exhausted, if all, that are poor and miserable, had encouragement to apply freely to him, with a promise of relief, fully answerable to their wants and wishes! But the riches of Christ are unsearchable and inexhaustible. If millions and millions …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1

Messiah's Easy Yoke
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. T hough the influence of education and example, may dispose us to acknowledge the Gospel to be a revelation from God; it can only be rightly understood, or duly prized, by those persons who feel themselves in the circumstances of distress, which it is designed to relieve. No Israelite would think of fleeing to a city of refuge (Joshua 20:2. …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1

The Yoke of Christ.
"Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls; for My yoke is easy, and My burden is light."--Matt. xi. 29, 30. These words, which are brought before us in the Gospel of to-day's festival[1], are also found in the address made to us upon Ash Wednesday, in which we are told that if we "return unto Him who is the merciful Receiver of all true penitent sinners, if we will take His easy yoke and light burden upon us, to follow Him …
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VII

On the Words of the Gospel, Matt. xi. 2, "Now when John Heard in the Prison the Works of the Christ, He Sent by his Disciples,
1. The lesson of the Holy Gospel has set before us a question touching John the Baptist. May the Lord assist me to resolve it to you, as He hath resolved it to us. John was commended, as ye have heard, by the testimony of Christ, and in such terms commended, as that there had not risen a greater among those who were born of women. But a greater than he had been born of a Virgin. How much greater? Let the herald himself declare, how great the difference is between himself and his Judge, whose herald …
Saint Augustine—sermons on selected lessons of the new testament

On the Words of the Gospel, Matt. xi. 25, "I Thank Thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth, that Thou Didst Hide These Things From
1. When the Holy Gospel was being read, we heard that the Lord Jesus exulted in Spirit, and said, "I confess to Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for that Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes." [2252] Thus much to begin [2253] with, we find before we pass on further, if we consider the words of the Lord with due attention, with diligence, and above all with piety, that we ought not invariably to understand when we read of "confession" in …
Saint Augustine—sermons on selected lessons of the new testament

Again on the Words of the Gospel, Matt. xi. 25, "I Thank Thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth," Etc.
1. We have heard the Son of God saying, "I confess to Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth." What doth he confess to Him? Wherein doth he praise Him? "Because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes." [2288] Who are the "wise and prudent"? Who the "babes"? What hath He hid from the wise and prudent, and revealed unto babes? By the "wise and prudent," He signifieth those of whom St. Paul speaks; "Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the …
Saint Augustine—sermons on selected lessons of the new testament

Again on the Words of the Gospel, Matt. xi. 28, "Come unto Me, all Ye that Labour and are Heavy Laden, and I Will Give You
1. It seems strange to some, Brethren, when they hear the Lord say, "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." [2323] And they consider that they who have fearlessly bowed their necks to this yoke, and have with much submission taken this burden upon their shoulders, are tossed about and exercised by so great …
Saint Augustine—sermons on selected lessons of the new testament

The Sinner's Friend
"Savior of sinners they proclaim, Sinners of whom the chief I am." What the invidious Jews said in bitter spleen, has been turned by the Holy Spirit to the most gracious account. Where they poured out vials of hate, odours of sacred incense arise. Troubled consciences have found a sweet balm in the very sound. Jesus, "the friend of publicans and sinners," has proved himself friendly to them, and they have become friends with him; so completely has he justified the very name which his enemies gave …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 10: 1864

Rest, Rest
We will, this morning, if we can, conduct you into the inner chambers of out text, place its words under the microscope, and peer into the recesses of each sentence. We only wish our microscope were of a greater magnifying power, and our ability to expound the text more complete; for there are mines of instruction here. Superficially read, this royal promise has cheered and encouraged tens of thousands, but there is a wealth in it which the diligent digger and miner shall alone discover. Its shallows …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 17: 1871

Holy violence
"But," says one, "do you wish us to understand, that if a man is to be saved he must use violence and vehement earnestness in order to obtain salvation?" I do, most assuredly; that is the doctrine of the text. "But," says one, "I thought it was all the work of God." So it is, from first to last. But when God has begun the work in the soul, the constant effect of God's work in us is to set us working; and where God's Spirit is really striving with us, we shall begin to strive too. This is just a test …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 5: 1859

The Meek and Lowly One
I. First, then, I am to consider THE FIRST QUALITY WHICH JESUS CHRIST CLAIMS. He declares that he is "MEEK." Christ is no egotist; he takes no praise to himself. If ever he utters a word in self-commendation, it is not with that object; it is with another design, namely that he may entice souls to come to him. Here, in order to exhibit this meekness, I shall have to speak of him in several ways. 1. First, Christ is meek, as opposed to the ferocity of spirit manifested by zealots and bigots. Take, …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 5: 1859

Powerful Persuasives
I HAVE preached to you, dear friends, several times from the words, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." There is such sweetness in the precept, such solace in the promise, that I could fain hope to preach from it many times more. But I have no intention just now to repeat what I have said in any former discourse, or to follow the same vein of thought that we have previously explored. This kindly and gracious invitation needs only to be held up in different …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 62: 1916

Sermon for the Sixth Sunday after Epiphany
(From the Gospel for St. Matthias'-day, 24th February) Of the proper marks of true humility. Matt. xi. 29.--"Learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart." CHRIST, our blessed Lord, the true master and teacher of all art and virtue, and a pattern of all perfection, when He came down from Heaven to instruct us poor ignorant men, did not see fit to make use of great subtleties, or mysterious and ingenious statements of truth; but in short, plain, simple words He delivered to us a maxim, and gave us …
Susannah Winkworth—The History and Life of the Reverend Doctor John Tauler

Sermon for the Third Sunday in Advent
(From the Gospel for the day) How that we must wholly come out from ourselves, that we may go into the wilderness and behold God. Matt. xi. 7.--"What went ye out into the wilderness for to see?" OUR Lord Jesus Christ said unto the Jews, "What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind?" In these words let us consider three things: First, the going out; secondly, the wilderness; thirdly, what we are to see there. First, let us consider the going out. This blessed going …
Susannah Winkworth—The History and Life of the Reverend Doctor John Tauler

Sixth Day. Thankfulness.
"I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth."--Matt. xi. 25. A thankful spirit pervaded the entire life of Jesus, and surrounded with a heavenly halo His otherwise darkened path. In moments we least expect to find it, this beauteous ray breaks through the gloom. In instituting the memorial of His death, He "gave thanks!" Even in crossing the Kedron to Gethsemane, "He sang an hymn!" We know in seasons of deep sorrow and trial that every thing wears a gloomy aspect. Dumb Nature herself to …
John R. Macduff—The Mind of Jesus

Fifth Day. Meekness.
"I am meek and lowly in heart."--Matt. xi. 29. There is often a beautiful blending of majesty and humility, magnanimity and lowliness, in great minds. The mightiest and holiest of all Beings that ever trod our world was the meekest of all. The Ancient of Days was as the "infant of days." He who had listened to nothing but angel-melodies from all eternity, found, while on earth, melody in the lispings of an infant's voice, or in an outcast's tears! No wonder an innocent lamb was His emblem, or …
John R. Macduff—The Mind of Jesus

"I Will Give You Rest. "
A COMMUNION ADDRESS AT MENTONE. "I will give you rest."--Matthew xi. 28. "I WILL GIVE YOU REST." WE have a thousand times considered these words as an encouragement to the labouring and the laden; and we may, therefore, have failed to read them as a promise to ourselves. But, beloved friends, we have come to Jesus, and therefore He stands engaged to fufil this priceless pledge to us. We may now enjoy the promise; for we have obeyed the precept. The faithful and true Witness, whose word is truth, …
Charles Hadden Spurgeon—Till He Come

A Devout Exhortation to the Holy Communion the Voice of Christ
Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you,(1) saith the Lord. The bread that I will give is My flesh which I give for the life of the world.(2) Take, eat: this is My Body, which is given for you; this do in remembrance of Me.(3) He that eateth My flesh and drinketh My blood dwelleth in Me and I in him. The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.(4) (1) Matthew xi. 28 (2) John vi. 51. (3) Matthew xxi. 26; Luke xxii. 19. (4) John vi. …
Thomas A Kempis—Imitation of Christ

The Baptist's Inquiry and Jesus' Discourse Suggested Thereby.
(Galilee.) ^A Matt. XI. 2-30; ^C Luke VII. 18-35. ^c 18 And the disciples of John told him of all these things. ^a 2 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent by his disciples ^c 19 And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them unto the Lord [John had been cast into prison about December, a.d. 27, and it was now after the Passover, possibly in May or June, a.d. 28. Herod Antipas had cast John into prison because John had reproved him for taking his brother's wife. …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

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