The King who rode on a Donkey

“Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Luke 19:38)

I wrote in an earlier post about how Jesus turned the world upside-down, especially in relation to power. And there are few incidents in his earthly ministry which portray this like his triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

Here was the King of the Jews about to make an entrance into the capital city of his nation. His preferred vehicle? A donkey. Kings in the ancient world don’t ride on donkeys; they ride on stout, well-maintained horses. Their vehicle was a symbol of their glory, power, and prestige. Just imagine a modern president riding a bicycle to a state function.

The procession of Jesus into the city was no doubt as subversive as his entire teaching was. He was going against established customs and traditions which were contrary to God’s revelation. And one such area was in the use…