Matthew 21:5

“See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

Jesus came preaching or announcing the coming of the Kingdom of God among men.  The Gospels are full of his descriptions of the kingdom he is establishing. His many stories and parables about the kingdom were so different from what might be expected of the reign of the Messiah that few understood what he was talking about, even among the disciples who it seems envisioned an earthly kingdom. They had no alternate view. In fact, as we have seen, leading up to his death, the disciples and some family members of the disciples wondered who among them would fill the offices of the King’s court.

Imagine their shock when Jesus, about to establish his kingdom, rode into Jerusalem, not on the usual mighty horse but on the back of an ordinary donkey, probably not used to carrying anything but loads.  I lived among people who kept donkeys in East Africa. Never did I see an adult person ride on a lowly donkey!  Donkeys carried loads, not people.

What earthly ruler would establish his kingdom while riding a donkey? I do not want to disparage Muhammad but I recall that he entered Mecca as commander of over 10,000 soldiers, fully armed!  Mighty to conquer! He rode no donkey, I am sure of that.

The way Jesus entered Jerusalem to establish his kingdom is the way all of his followers will take – “gentle, riding on a donkey,” a domestic one.