The Teaching Christ

Extract

In the eleventh chapter of St. Matthew, Our Lord says (v. 29):

‘Take up my yoke upon you, and learn of me, because I am meek, and humble of heart: And you will find rest for your souls.’

These words are patient of a threefold interpretation:

First, Christ might be pointing to himself as the exemplar, and mean: Learn meekness and humility of me. This is the usual and popular interpretation of the text; though there can be little doubt that so understood it was not intended by Christ and is an accommodated sense. The correct translation of the conjunction, in the Greek original of St. Matthew, is ‘because’ or ‘by reason of.’ Père Lagrange renders the passage: ‘Recevez mes leçons par ce que je suis doux et humble de cceur.’ ‘Embrace my teaching, because I am meek and humble of heart.’