Matthew 21:1-11
The Donkey
Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday. And of course, the animal that draws our
notice on that day is the donkey. The
animal chosen by our Lord as a means of transportation when he came into
Jerusalem.
Now, this is not the first donkey mentioned in
Scripture. There was the donkey that
Abraham used to carry Issac to Moriah when God tested his faith – we heard that
story Sunday.
There was Balaam’s donkey, the one who made a donkey out of
Balaam. When Balaam was riding that
donkey on his way to curse God’s people, the pre-incarnate Christ barred his
way, and the donkey spoke to Balaam.
The story of Saul’s ascent to the throne began with him
looking for his father’s wandering donkey’s, when he met Samuel, who anointed
him as king.
David brings a donkey-load full of supplies to his brothers
who are at war with the Phillistines.
And as King David’s death drew near, and questions of
succession swirled, Solomon is established as his heir when he comes riding
into Jerusalem on King David’s own donkey.
While it’s usually pictured on greeting cards, Luke doesn’t
mention a donkey at all when Mary and Joseph go to Bethlehem in the nativity
account. But it’s not a stretch to
imagine that Joseph would have provided a donkey for Mary, being great with
child.
We seem to hear about the donkey most often in our Palm
Sunday sermons, where the animal receives at least a passing mention. Then the donkey appears again on the first
Sunday in Advent, which also recalls the Palm Sunday triumphal entry. It makes sense to hear it also in Advent,
because that is the season of Christ’s “coming”, and his notable coming, or
advent into Jerusalem is loaded with meaning.
For starters, there is the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9. This is loosely quoted by Matthew in our
reading, but here it is more directly from Zechariah:
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
zBehold, ayour
king is coming to you;
righteous and having salvation is he,
bhumble
and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
The colt was unbroken, according to Mark. Therefore, it would have been difficult to
ride. But not for Jesus. Creation always submits to the Creator. He who walks on water has no problems riding
an unbroken donkey.
Also, animals that had not been used were set aside for holy
purposes (perhaps for a special sacrifice).
Here the holy purpose of the donkey is to serve Jesus. Even so, Jesus himself is set aside for a
holy purpose, the high priest come to make the high sacrifice of himself. The Holy One of Israel.
And so while he needs only one animal to ride, Jesus has the
disciples bring both, with Zechariah’s prophecy in mind. Jesus fulfills prophecy, here doing
everything according detail, every last part of an age-old plan. Zechariah’s prophecy of some 500 years prior
is now fulfilled.
And Jesus’ own prophecy to his two disciples about finding
this mother donkey and her colt is also fulfilled. Luke tells us that the owners did question
the disciples who took the donkeys, but that when they said, “The Lord has need
of it” they let them go, just as Jesus said.
Things are always just as Jesus says they will be, aren’t they?
So what else does the donkey teach us about Christ?
It is often said that the donkey stands in contrast to a horse. A horse is a steed of war, a donkey a beast
of burden. A horse bears a conqueror, a
donkey bears one in humility.
The donkey assists Jesus in confessing his true nature and
true purpose in arriving at Jerusalem.
He came not to overthrow Pilate and Caesar. He came not to depose the Sanhedron and make
himself the new big dog in town. Had he
come to conquer, his Father would have sent legions of angels. He would barely have to lift a finger, even
say a word.
He therefore also helps us to remember Jesus’ true mission
for us. For we also look for Jesus to
come in triumph, but not in suffering.
We want Jesus to serve us in might and success, not in weakness. We look for a savior who will impress the
world, bring honor and glory, not a savior who is stricken, smitten and
afflicted. We, like the disciples, like
the ancient Jews, like so many worldly pundits and observers ever since, want a
Jesus who is anything other than the man of sorrows who goes to the cross.
The donkey bears not a victorious conqueror, but a humble
sacrifice. No war-horse in military
regalia. A beast of burden with only a
peasant’s coat for a saddle. And the
donkey bears him ever closer to the cross.
For Jesus to Hosanna us, that is, to save us now – he must
go to the cross. He cannot turn
away.
But the real burden was on Jesus. He carried with him the awful load of
sin. Surely he has borne our griefs and
carried our sorrows. And what a good for
us that he did! Who would want to bear
his own sin, who could? The crushing
weight of just a small portion of my sin is too much for me. It crushes conscience and weighs down the
heart with guilt. And that’s just the
sin we know. We can’t comprehend the
true depth or breadth of our sin. Who
can know his errors? Who can enumerate
all his iniquity?
But Jesus bears it all.
And he doesn’t just carry sin, he becomes it. God made him who knew no sin to become sin
for us. He becomes it, only to destroy
it. So when Jesus dies – sin – it is
finished.
What does Jesus say to those who are weak and heavy
laden? He says, “Come to me and
rest. For my yoke is easy, and my burden
is light. I’m gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls”
The Christian life is not one in which we are loaded up and
encumbered again with the burden of law and a load of necessary works. Jesus doesn’t take our sins with one hand and
give us other burdens with the other. He
gives rest. He gives reprieve. He doesn’t demand of us, but gives to
us. He doesn’t pile on – he relieves the
burdened soul.
And perhaps one more aspect of a donkey that we do well to
consider. Of all the beasts, the donkey
is perhaps best known for its stubbornness.
A mostly annoying quality, I’d imagine, if you’re trying to get the
donkey to go somewhere. It sort of
reminds me of the stubbornness of sin.
By nature, opposed to God’s will.
But perhaps there’s another comparison, and that to the stubbornness of
faith. That in Christ, we are steadfast
and immovable. That by the Spirit, we
may be ever planted and rooted in the promises of Jesus, holding firm to
everything he does and is for us. Never
wavering, never veering from fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter
of that faith. May your faith be ever as
stubborn, unmoving from Christ and his gifts.
The lowly donkey. The
beast of burden who bears the kings of Israel, and especially the Son of
David. The donkey bears the Christ to
Jerusalem, the Son of David, ever closer to the cross. But Christ bears the burden of our
transgressions, freeing us from stubborn sin, and calling us to steadfast faith
in him. Glory be to Jesus. Amen.
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