How often this verse has been quoted from this very familiar passage. When I started preparing for this week's study, little did I know that this would not be as simple a passage to study as I expected, and the common application of the verse is actually not the main point being made. Even the title included in my original outline, "Encouragement for the Discouraged", didn't seem to be so accurately relevant anymore. A more apropos title might have been "Rest for the Weary".
On top of that, I was still dealing with the struggles associated with being thrown for a loop from the last study, when opposed for applying the Isaiah 61 passage to a broader audience and in a broader sense. I am typically very careful in how a passage is applied; but, I do still stand by the broader application since it involves the ministry of the Messiah, and the blessings and promises related to salvation and restoration, which would be the same for both Gentile believers as well as the Remnant during the Millennium. However, the benefit of encountering that challenge is to remind me to be more alert about application, which helped with this passage.
I initially thought to approach this as encouragement from Jesus to a discouraged John the Baptist in prison. However, the passage never clearly says what John is going through. He could be discouraged, doubting, or even confused since Christ's ministry isn't what he maybe expected (e.g. judgment and deliverance politically). All we can say for sure is that he was seeking confirmation that Jesus was the Messiah; and Christ did give him that verification by showing evidence of His ministry as the Messiah (as prophesied in Isaiah 61). Jesus went on to speak well of John and affirm his ministry as a prophet and fulfillment of the prophecy as the one who would prepare the way for the Messiah.
He denounced the unbelieving generation and critics, as well as the cities that did not repent despite the signs. He then prays about God's sovereignty in choosing who to reveal Himself to. This all then leads to the familiar verse. In this context, this clearly refers to salvation rest for souls burdened by sin, and maybe even weary from trying to "work" for it by following the Law. In relation to the "hidden" vs "revealed", it is important to remember that God is always Just, and none of us deserve salvation. He chooses to reveal because of His Grace; and there is a balance between God choosing and our choosing to accept. Similarly, our sin plays a part in unbelief and not being able to see the truth, as indicated by the references to the "wise and learned" vs the "little children".
Overall, with the theme of this series being "Beauty for Ashes", which is that Christians can have hope in the midst of devastation and tears; the passages studied so far show that this hope is rooted in the eternal perspective embodied in our salvation through Christ.
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