O Lord, who has said – “My crossbeam is easy and my burden light” – grant that I may be so enabled to carry it as to follow after your grace. Amen.
This, of course, is from Matthew 11, 30. ζυγός, correctly translated as iugum, which is correctly translated as crossbeam.
Imagine that, gentlemen! A crossbeam, an instrument of torture and death, carried in torture to one’s death, is here called easy, a burden that is light. If we take a look at the Shroud of Turin, one might get the idea that such a crossbeam was heavy enough to mash our Lord’s face right into the pavement. So, what’s going on here?
Not yoke? Crossbeam? Can this be right? I can imagine a crossbeam between two oxen, but the crossbeam – the patibulum – of the cross? I’ve looked at several translations. No footnotes that I have found suggest it. I’m awaiting word from experts and hope to be able to comment soon. In the meantime, anyone?