As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: “Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’” Matthew 21:1-5
“As He enters Jerusalem, Jesus is proclaimed as the Messia; but He enters humbly, riding on a donkey. Matthew specifies that Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem upon a colt fulfills the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9: “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” Jesus’ action was an open declaration that He is the righteous David Messiah, for the prophecy says, “your king is coming.”…
Our King came on a donkey humbly before the world and the world knew Him not…In today’s day and age when people are driving around in expensive cars, it’s amazing to think that Jesus ride on a donkey…Jesus wanted people to know that the wealth He offered was from above and not of this world. The world could not produce the inheritance that Jesus Christ has given us by dying on the cross. God himself chose to ride on a donkey! This is a powerful statement to us all.”
Gregg Joseph Kretschmer and Jason Christian Ravizza in The Waging War Within-A Devotional For Winning The Daily War (Bloomington: WestBow, 2011) 209.
It’s moving to read the Palm Sunday account of Jesus humbly entering the city while sitting in the Philippines, a land filled with palm trees. Yesterday my host, Angelito “Anjji” Gabriel, and I saw a girl walking on the road carrying a huge stack of palm branches. We determined that she was undoubtedly preparing to help many people welcome our King who came humbly into the city. Do we generously invite others to join us in welcoming Jesus as our King?
With Kretschmer and Ravizza, I concur that how Jesus entered sent a “powerful statement” to all people. It reminds me that wherever I go, how I enter sends a message. Do I enter humbly? Jesus was the King but He came humbly. Because we serve the King of Kings, we have confidence, for sure, but let’s ask God to help us exhibit humility in all things and at all times so that all people, even the poor, will feel welcome to partake of the riches of heaven that we have to offer!