Ever ride a donkey?

As a child, I tried to ride our Labrador dog. Then I had a pony on a stick until I was old enough to get on a real pony. Since then, I’ve ridden lots of horses, mostly tame but a few wild and crazy. Once I rode our Holstein milk cow, much to my father’s annoyance. I also rode a Brahma bull, but it was a tame one. I’ve never ridden a donkey though. By the look of them, their low withers would make staying on a challenge.

The New Testament book of Matthew describes Jesus entering the main city and being recognized as their Messiah. It was like the entrance of a king, but not — because He chose to ride a donkey, a young one.

Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.”

This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’”

The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21:1–9)

This fulfilled a prophecy made several hundred years prior:

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. (Zechariah 9:9)

Obviously, this was not the normal manner in which kings arrived. They usually came as conquerors riding on horses. Donkeys were more common but a lowly beast of burden. The foal of a donkey has been called a symbol of peace.

The crowd was noisy though. Many were pilgrims from Galilee on their way to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover, familiar with Jesus and the many miracles He had performed in Galilee. Some walked ahead, others behind. They were likely singing some of the pilgrim psalms. Matthew writes that they shouted the words of Psalm 118:26, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”

They also called out, “Hosanna to the Son of David.” Hosanna means “Save us, we pray” and is taken from Psalm 118:25. This is praise as well as a prayer.

The crowd may not have fully understood the significance of this event but they seemed to understand that this was their Messiah and He came to save them, perhaps not from sin but from the Romans. At the very least, their words and actions honored Jesus as He presented Himself as their King, the rightful Son of David.

I try to imagine myself in this crowd. It would be dusty, boisterous and carry an air of hopefulness. The crowds were anxious to be a free nation once again. They were excited. None of them had any idea that this King on whom they pinned their hopes would soon be nailed to a cross and die, nor did they think they might be part of the crowd that later shouted, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

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Lord Jesus, I’d like to think I would not have uttered those awful words, only the “Hosanna” part, but I know without the Holy Spirit I would not have understood either. I’m thankful that whether they understood or not, it was God’s plan to put You to death for our sin and by Your sacrifice I am forgiven and set free.