1 And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, 2 Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. 3 And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. 4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. 6 And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,
7 And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. 8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. 9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. 10 And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? 11 And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee. (Matthew 21:1-11 KJV)
The Triumphal Entry
All four evangelists record Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem, five days before his death. The Passover was on the fourteenth day of the month, and this was the tenth, the day appointed for selecting the paschal lamb (Ex 12:3). On this day, Christ, our Passover, who was to be sacrificed for us, was publicly shown. This event served as the prelude to his passion. He had stayed at Bethany, near Jerusalem, and the night before, Mary had anointed his feet (John 12:3). As ambassadors often delay their public entry, so did Christ, though he traveled much and usually on foot. Yet, once in his life, he rode in triumph—when he entered Jerusalem to suffer and die, as if that were the honor he sought.
The provision for this event was simple, reflecting that his kingdom was not of this world. There were no heralds, trumpets, or chariots of state, for his present state was one of humility. At his second coming, his glory will be far greater, with angels as his heralds and the clouds as his chariots. But for this public appearance, the preparation was sudden and unplanned. When they reached Bethphage, a suburb of Jerusalem, he sent two disciples—perhaps Peter and John—to fetch an ass and her colt, for he had none ready for him (Mt 21:2).
This choice was humble. Asses were common for travel, while horses were reserved for great men and war. Christ could have summoned a cherub to carry him (Ps 18:10), but instead, he rode an ass, fulfilling Israel’s custom for judges to ride on white asses (Jg 5:10) and their sons on colts (Jg 12:14). Thus, he entered not as a conqueror but as the Judge of Israel (John 9:39). Furthermore, the ass was borrowed, signifying his poverty (2Co 8:9). He had no house or possessions, relying on the kindness of others.
The disciples were instructed to say, “The Lord has need of them” (Mt 21:3). Christ, in his omniscience, knew exactly where the animals were and that their owner would consent. This demonstrated his knowledge of all creation and his power over the hearts of men (1Co 9:9). It also exemplified honesty, as the borrowed animal was to be returned promptly. What we borrow must be restored in due time and good order (Ps 37:21).
This event fulfilled prophecy (Mt 21:4-5), particularly Zechariah 9:9, which foretold the Messiah’s coming: “Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming to you, lowly and sitting on a donkey.’” Christ, the King of the church (Ps 2:6), came to Zion not in wrath but in mercy. His kingdom was marked by humility and peace, not earthly grandeur. He came as a ruler who governs with love, whose laws are written not in the blood of his subjects, but in his own.
His appearance was humble, riding a beast of burden rather than a warhorse. This made access to him easy for all. The colt’s presence ensured the prophecy was completely fulfilled. His disciples obeyed his command, fetched the animals, and placed their garments on them as makeshift saddles (Mt 21:6-7). This simple act demonstrated their willingness to offer what they had for their Master’s service.
His entourage consisted not of nobles or magistrates, but of the common people. The religious leaders who later mocked him on the cross were absent from this moment of honor. Christ is honored more by the devotion of the many than by the pomp of the few. His kingdom values souls over status, preferring the humble and despised of the world (1Co 1:26-28).