MAN’S UNLIKELIEST BEST FRIEND (LUKE 19:28-40)
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English author G. K. Chesterton, renowned for his detective crime-fighting writing “Father Brown” has this poem entitled “The Donkey”:
When fishes flew and forests walked
And figs grew upon thorn,
Some moment when the moon was blood
Then surely I was born.
With monstrous head and sickening cry
And ears like errant wings,
The devil’s walking parody
On all four-footed things.
The tattered outlaw of the earth,
Of ancient crooked will;
Starve, scourge, deride me: I am dumb,
I keep my secret still.
Fools! For I also had my hour;
One far fierce hour and sweet:
There was a shout about my ears,
And palms before my feet.
Source: The Collected Poems of G. K. Chesterton (Dodd Mead & Company, 1927)
Jesus’ triumphant entry riding on a donkey into Jerusalem appears in all the four gospels, its importance rivaled only by the feeding of the 5,000. The animal kingdom looms large in Jesus’ colorful vocabulary and world. From birds to foxes (Matt 8:20), fish to serpent (Luke 11:11), fly (gnat) to camel (Matt 23:24), ox (Luke 14:5) to fatted calf (Luke 15:30), swine to dogs (Matt 7:6), sheep and goats (Matt 25:32) to wolves and doves (Matt 10:16), locust (Matt 3:4) to worm (Mark 9:46), turtledoves to pigeons (Luke 2:24), rooster (Matt 26:34) and sparrow (Matt 10:31) to scorpion (Luke 10:19). No animal, however, is as heralded, as honored or as hardworking as the donkey in Jesus’ ministry – the unsung, unsophisticated and unselfish animal of the Bible.
What can you do for Jesus, no matter if you are popular or not, prized or not, picked or not? What attitude and approach do we need to have? Why do we need to praise, worship and glorify God in all that we do?
Submit Heartily to His Will
28 After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, 30 “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’” 32 Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. 33 As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34 They replied, “The Lord needs it.” (Luke 19:28-34)
President Eisenhower once admitted to the National Press Club audience that he was not a great speaker.
Eisenhower once said: It reminds me of my boyhood days on a Kansas farm. An old farmer had a cow that we wanted to buy. We went over to visit the farmer and asked him about the cow’s pedigree.
The old farmer didn’t know what pedigree meant, so we asked him about the cow’s butterfat production, He told us he didn’t have any idea what it was. Finally we asked him if he knew how many pounds of milk the cow produced each year.
The farmer said, ‘I don’t know. But she’s an honest cow, and she’ll give you all the milk she has.’”
Eisenhower concluded, “I’m like the cow, I’ll give you everything I have.”
When Jesus was in Bethany, about fifteen furlongs (KJV) or two miles (NASB) from Jerusalem (John 11:18), he sent his disciples to the next village to fetch a colt for his grand entrance into Jerusalem, the city of God. It was an unclear, unusual and unwanted task. A colt is a young donkey. Why did Jesus request for a young donkey? First, Jesus did not owe anything on earth. He had nowhere to lay his head (Luke 9:58), no place to call home, largely depending on the generosity of women who ministered to Him (Mark 15:41). Jesus said, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man.” Even then Jesus’ headquarters were in Capernaum, 85 miles from Jerusalem.
Second, Jesus had His people, mostly anonymous, everywhere ready to do His bidding. All four gospels remember the deed but not the city, person or residence. Mark says “certain of them” (Mark 21:3) and Luke calls them “owners” (Luke 19:33). In Elijah’s time there were seven thousand in Israel whose knees would not bow to Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him (1 Kings 19:18). On Paul’s second missionary journey the Lord said to him, “For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.” (Acts 18:10) The owners are plural, so it was from shared expenses. It was an opportunity for service. In his human form He would not do all for all. It was an experience to help us grow.
Third, the Lord’s directions were vague. Go and bring are imperatives, that much was clear, but the village was not named (v 30). Further, how would the disciples know if anyone has rode on the colt (v 30) –unused, unspoiled and unproven? Lastly, they were supposed to unloose the colt before the owners asked (v 33). Thus two people were needed to do the job, for company and courage. True enough, they found the colt tied by the door outside in a place where two ways met (Mark 11:4).
Serve Humbly on His Watch
35 They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. 36 As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. 37 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: 38 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (Luke 19:35-38)
The donkey’s status in the Bible is not unlike that of Rudolph the red nose reindeer, who was rejected before respected:
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer had a very shiny nose
And if you ever saw it you would even say it glows
All of the other reindeer used to laugh and call him names
They never let poor Rudolph join in any reindeer games
Then one foggy Christmas Eve, Santa came to say,
Rudolph with your nose so bright, won't you guide my sleigh tonight
Then how all the reindeer loved him, as they shouted out with glee,
Rudolph the red-nose Reindeer, you'll go down in history
What would a king ride to show his majesty, might and muscle? A horse or camel, and not a colt or an ass. Coffman said, “The donkey was always ridden by a king who was going upon a mission of peace; in war, he rode a horse.”
The disciples did two actions for Jesus: they sat Jesus on the colt, while the crowd spread their garments. What does riding on a colt mean? According to the original reference from the Old Testament, riding on a colt means to be lowly (Zech 9:9), also translated as poor (Ex 22:25) or afflicted (2 Sam 22:28). There is no better analogy than a donkey, which has been characterized in many books as an ugly-looking animal, a beast of burden, a means of transport. It’s been said, “The horse works smart while the donkey works hard.” The now-famous Democratic donkey was first associated with Democrat Andrew Jackson's 1828 presidential campaign. His opponents called him a jackass (a donkey), and Jackson decided to use the image of the strong-willed animal on his campaign posters. Democrats today say the donkey is smart and brave.
Unlike horses, which in general flee from any sensed danger, donkeys and mules tend to be cautious and steadfast. Donkeys may also be ridden, or used for threshing, raising water, milling, mines and other work, and are thought to have a calming effect on nervous horses. Most donkeys and mules are gentle and affectionate, and their intelligence proves beneficial. Donkeys have a notorious reputation for stubbornness, but this has been attributed to a much stronger sense of self-preservation than exhibited by horses. Likely based on a stronger prey instinct and a weaker connection with man, it is considerably more difficult to force or frighten a donkey into doing something it perceives to be dangerous for whatever reason. Once a person has earned their confidence they can be willing and companionable partners and very dependable in work. Although formal studies of their behavior and cognition are rather limited, donkeys appear to be quite intelligent, cautious, friendly, playful, and eager to learn. (Wikipedia)
The donkey is a figure of companionship and cordiality, cool and calm, not cautious or crafty, cranky or catty. After all, that much noise on that day would get to a horse but not the colt. The garments would be in the way of horses and camels. Matthew and Mark says “others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way” (Matt 21:8, Mark 11:8). It was a loud voice, enough to startle horses. The people who turned out that day were described as a “very great multitude” (Matt 21:8) “many” (Mark 11:8), a “whole multitude” (Luke 19:37) and “much people” (John 12:12). In Matthew the same “very great multitude” describes a “great multitude” who came to listen to Jesus by the sea on the land (Mark 4:1).
Speak Highly of His Worth
39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” 40 “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” (Luke 19:39-40)
A Hasidic story tells of a tailor who approaches his rabbi and says, “I have a problem with my prayers. I am a tailor, and from time to time people compliment me on my skills. It is very satisfying to hear their praise. One kind word can keep me going for a week. But if people came to me all day every day saying, “Mendel, you are a wonderful tailor”, “Mendel, you are a wonderful tailor”, “Mendel, you are a wonderful tailor” it would drive me crazy. It would get to the point I wouldn’t want to hear another compliment every again! I would tell everyone to go away and leave me to work in peace. And this is what bothers me about prayer. If just once a week we told God how wonderful he is, and just a couple of us did this each week, that is all God would need. Is God really so insecure that he needs us all to praise him morning, noon and night? Hundreds, thousands, millions of people praying, all praising him. Surely this would drive God crazy?!”
The rabbi smiled and said, “Mendel, you are absolutely right. You have no idea how difficult it is for God to listen to all our praises, day in, day out, 24 hours a day. But God knows how important it is for us to offer our praise, and so, because of God’s great love God tolerates all of our prayers” (Source: H Kushner, Who Needs God, Fireside, 1989)
The Pharisees called Jesus Teacher and commanded Jesus to rebuke the disciples, with “rebuke” as an imperative – it can also mean charge (Matt 12:16). There are only two other instances of “rebuke” (Luke 17:3, 2 Tim 4:2) in the Bible, including “rebuke” a brother who sins against you (Luke 17:3), so we can see the chiding, critical, chilly and condemning attitude of the Pharisees, who were seldom cordial, compassionate, caring or credible in the Bible.
Matthew Mark Luke John
Matt 21:9
Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
Mark 11:10
Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.
Luke 19:38
Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.
John 12:13
Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.
The King we have is the son of David (Jewish), the Son of God (divine) and the Son of man (mankind), but His peace on earth and praise in the highest is from the salvation or hosanna he brings, because the Lord came as a servant king, a suffering Messiah, and a selfless individual. A lowly and lonely Savior, He is regal and reverential in reign, holy and humble, compassionate and comforting.
Keep quiet (v 40) is to hold one’s peace (Matt 20:31) or to be dumb (Luke 1:20) – meaning never speak His name, sing His glory, or serve His purpose. Stones are inanimate, inorganic and irresponsive, even icy. Cry out (v 40) is not the same as cry; it is to sound out, call aloud, make noise or increase volume. It means He is not reliant on man’s praise, nor restless for our praise or revived by our praise. The reverse is true. The blessings and benefits, riches and returns are all ours.
Conclusion: Meekness is not weakness but strength under cover and under control. It is the perfect antidote to arrogance, anger and aggravations. The Lord can use a donkey, a stone or a child to serve His purpose or speak His name. Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matt 11:29), “Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 18:4) and “Whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all” (Mark 10:44). Have you disowned your sense of superiority, success and strife before God? Are your acquisitions, achievements and ambitions surrendered and submitted to God?
