The Greek verb desmeuō means 'to bind,' 'to tie up,' or 'to put in chains.' It appears in Matthew's condemnation of the Pharisees who 'bind heavy burdens' on people, and in Acts where the young man Eutychus falls from a window.
Jesus' condemnation of the scribes and Pharisees for binding heavy burdens on people (Matthew 23:4) stands in stark contrast to His own invitation: 'Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest' (Matthew 11:28). The religious leaders used their authority to bind, to constrain, to burden — while Jesus came to loose the captives. This contrast between binding legalism and liberating grace is a central New Testament theme.