In his book Gentle and Lowly, Dane Ortlund mentions a sermon by Charles Spurgeon opening up Jesus’ promise recorded in Matthew 11:29, “I am meek.” From Spurgeon’s sermon, we read:

Our Saviour, who never sought the praise of man, says of himself, “I am meek,” because he desired to remove the fears of those who trembled to approach him…

But why would anyone listening to Him be trembling to approach Him?

This question is clarified by looking at this “gentle and lowly” text’s context, so let’s examine what Jesus did and said earlier in Matthew 11, just before His tender entreaty to sinners.