Wednesday 29th March
Read John 12:14-15
“Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written:
15 ‘Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion;
see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.’” (NIVUK)
John truncates the narrative of the donkey considerably from the other gospels, which all make clear that Jesus deliberately sought a donkey upon which to enter Jerusalem. Why would Jesus go to such lengths? To fulfil Scripture, but also, given the acclamation of the crowds that he is the ‘King of Israel’ to make it incredibly clear just what kind of king he will be. He will not be the triumphant king that will raise the yoke of Roman oppression – he will be a gentle king approaching Jerusalem on a donkey.
Having not only shortened the narrative of donkey procurement, John also shortens the passage from Zechariah! The full context of Zechariah though is plainly alluded to by the context surrounding Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem.
“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.
10 I will take away the chariots from Ephraim
and the war-horses from Jerusalem,
and the battle-bow will be broken.
He will proclaim peace to the nations.
His rule will extend from sea to sea
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
11 As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you,
I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit.” (Zechariah 9:9-11) (NIVUK)
The gentle king arrives and war ceases. No powerful war-horses for this entry – for this king brings peace with him. It is not just peace for Jerusalem though, it is peace for the nations. A different kind of peace, won through covenant blood resulting in escape from slavery – a clear allusion to the original Passover of Israel escaping from Egypt. It is an equally clear allusion to the approaching Passover where the blood of the new covenant, establishing the kingdom of peace, will be shed.
Jesus chose a donkey not simply because he was humble, not because he was too lazy to walk, but to communicate to the crowds, but perhaps more importantly to his disciples, the nature of his kingship. A kingship that confused them then, confused the religious leaders and political leaders later, but became clear only after the cross and resurrection. We live in this kingdom now, lead by a gentle king who has freed us through his blood.
