BIBLICAL DONKEYS

 

My friend teaches people how to ride horses. If you want to learn how to ride a horse, I can tell you who to call. I have met other people who know how to ride and train horses, but I have never met anyone who knows how to ride and train donkeys. No one ever says, “I own a donkey!” or “I train donkeys for a living!”

The reason I mention that is because in our reading from Zechariah (9:9-12), we heard, “Behold, your king is coming to you; … humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” Have you ever wondered why Jesus rode a donkey and not a horse?

The horse was thought to be a war animal. When soldiers went into battle, their leaders rode horses so they could see above everyone else, and because horses are strong enough to pull chariots and wagons. The donkey was seen as a peace animal. Anyone who rode it was not coming to make war on you.

When we set up our manger scenes under our trees and in our church at Christmas, there is usually a donkey. We read in Isaiah, “The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s crib” (1:3). Isaiah saw that at the place where Jesus was going to be born there would be a donkey.

In all four Gospels we read that when Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. He did this to fulfill the prophecy we heard in Zechariah today. As our King, Jesus brings us peace.

With that, let us pray. Heavenly Father, from whom all fatherhood in heaven and earth is named: Bless these and all children, and give their parents the spirit of wisdom and love, so that the homes in which they grow up may be to them an image of Your Kingdom, and the care of their parents a likeness of Your love. We pray in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.