A king on a donkey
by Pastor Jim Strelan
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Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! (Luke 19:38a)
Read Luke 19:28–38
Can you imagine it? The commander of the Roman legion rides into Jerusalem with all the pomp and pageantry to which they were accustomed – riding on a donkey! The onlookers would have held their stomachs to stifle a collective guffaw, snickering at such a sight. Yet Jesus, whom the crowds praise as ‘king’, does just that. Rides into Jerusalem on a donkey – and a young, little one at that!
It’s curious that the Christian church marks the beginning of this week, Holy Week, with the event we know as Palm Sunday. Even the gospels other than Luke don’t place this event at the beginning of this week. But there’s something significant about marking Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and the welcome he receives at the beginning of this week.
For the rest of the week in our devotions, we will turn to the Gospel of John. One of the themes of his account of the Passion story is that of Jesus as king, especially in his trial before Pilate and his crucifixion. But what kind of king?
Among some Christians today, there is a strong emphasis on Jesus as king. You can see it in a lot of modern Christian songs. Jesus rules, he sits on the throne, and all power belongs to him. For me, personally, that puts him out of reach. The Jesus the crowds proclaim as king is betrayed, ridiculed, beaten, bloodied and crucified. He is the king who comes not on a stallion but on a donkey. As we go into Holy Week and relive the events, here, at the start, we are reminded of who this Jesus really is. He is the king on a donkey, and a donkey was considered a ‘beast of burden’ – a carrier of heavy loads.
A verse from the prophet Isaiah has come to mean a lot to me in recent years. Isaiah 53:4 says, ‘Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows’. That’s my king. Not far off, but right there alongside me in all my experiences. The king, riding on a donkey.
Lord Jesus, you are my king. You sit on the right, ruling side of God. But I thank you that you are not way up there, somewhere away from me and my life – you are alongside me, sharing my burdens, and there for me. Thank you. Amen.
Jim is a retired pastor who lives with his wife, Ruth, on the north side of Brisbane. He is a proud and not very humble Brisbane Lions supporter. Jim likes to read, listen to music and play golf. He and Ruth love being with their young grandchildren and watching them grow. For Jim, grace is everything, and he will share that however and whenever possible.
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