Chapters 11 and 12 narrate the beginnings of Jesus’ rejection by his own people, foreshadowed in John the Baptist (vv 2-11), and coming to a head in the attitudes and actions of the leaders and intellectuals (chapter 12). In contrast, today’s reading (vv 25-30) concentrates on the qualities of those who accept Jesus and become part of the kingdom of God.

The Hebrew background to Jesus’ words helps our understanding of them. The contrast of the "children" with the "learned and clever" has its roots in Daniel 2, where the young men, in answer to their prayer, are granted greater wisdom than the sages of Babylon. Jesus compares his followers, in their gifted simplicity, with the intellectuals and legalists of his day who had made the law such a complicated affair no one could observe it. In the disciples’ childlike poverty, which was really openness to God, they had the key to the wisdom that had eluded the professional "wise men."

In the Hebrew Scriptures, wisdom is always identified with full observance of the law of God, and is often referred to as a "yoke" (see Sir 51:26; Jer 2:2-9; 5:5; also Gal 5:1). Jesus cuts through the burden of legalism, and as the new Lawgiver, imposes the yoke of the new law of God’s kingdom. But Jesus himself is one with the poor, a member of the poor remnant who take refuge in the Lord alone (see Zeph 3:12-13). Never forget, however, that this "easy yoke" and "light burden" is the way of the cross. Carried in union with him, the cross is indeed light because it is borne with his power. V 27 has its roots in Dn 7:13-14 — the vision of the Son of Man who receives "dominion, glory, and kingship" from the Ancient One.

This brief passage looks forward to the restoration of the kingdom of Israel by the Messiah. The prophet, writing very shortly after the return from the Babylonian exile around 520 B.C.E., compares the anticipated Messiah to both the meekness of David (v 9) and the majesty of Solomon (v 10). Further, his rule will embrace the whole world, as did Solomon’s (almost!), and it will be characterized by true and lasting peace.

This is an alphabetic psalm, in which each subsequent verse begins with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet. (They enjoyed word games in those days too.) It is simply a song of praise for the goodness of God shown in his works. Response: "I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God."

After having contrasted the impossibility of depending on observance of the law of Moses for salvation (chapter 7), with the true salvation made possible by depending on Jesus Christ in faith, Paul in chapter 8 contrasts the "flesh" and the "spirit." For Paul, "flesh" stands for the way a person goes when he or she depends totally on the self, without reference to God’s gift of the Spirit. Even observance of the God-given law of Moses is of the "flesh" because the law itself does not have the power to raise humanity out of its natural and sinful condition, and because legalistic tendencies of some Jewish schools of thought sought to make the law a key to manipulate God around to their own style of salvation. "To live in the Spirit" means to be open to God’s initiative in our lives, so that he may lead us in his way. This life in the Spirit is closely associated with the resurrection of Christ. The Spirit brings forth new life in the one who is dead to the "flesh" (self-centeredness), and this life witnesses to the resurrection of Christ and the promise of our own rising from the dead.

Vv 8-11 are read on the Fifth Sunday of Lent, Year A; and vv 14-17, which unfold the implications of the life in the Spirit, appear on Trinity Sunday, Year B.

1. Do you experience the burden of Jesus’ cross as "easy" and "light" or as difficult and heavy? Why?

2. Do "meekness" and "gentleness" mean passively letting everyone walk all over you and take advantage of you? If not, what do these qualities mean?