Untie the Donkey

by DanWolgemuth on March 27, 2015

As Jesus and his disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. “Go into that village over there,” he told them. “As soon as you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. ~ Mark 11:1, 2

Untie the donkey and bring it here.

One of the final instructions Jesus gave to His closest friends was as simple as that. Untie the donkey.

I have no doubt that it was embarrassing, awkward, and maybe even a bit humiliating. “Umm… our Lord, the one we think is the Messiah, needs to borrow the foal of your donkey. Oh, don’t worry, we’ll bring it back soon.”

Just imagine the dialog between the two disciples that had been selected for the scavenger hunt on their way back to Jesus. They had no clue what the errand was for; they didn’t know that they had just provided the most significant prop for the opening ceremonies of Holy Week. They didn’t know that history would notate this event as the Triumphal Entry… they only knew that they were told to untie the donkey.

I’m convinced that Jesus often keeps me in the dark in relation to His master plan because I’m quite certain I could come up with another, more appropriate option.

I’m thinking white stallion. I’m thinking a handcrafted saddle. Maybe a monogrammed cloak. After all, He’s the King.

Ah yes. A king. The King. King of kings. And Jesus opts for humility. He opts for austerity. He opts for borrowed transportation, and borrowed lodging, and borrowed dining quarters, and a borrowed tomb. All this to make it clear that His Kingdom is not “of this world.”

A donkey will do. Cloaks for a saddle will do.

Kings need stuff, don’t they? Kings have a license to spend, and waste, and live in excess. It was King Solomon that had set the bar high. 1,400 chariots, 12,000 horsemen…

Not Jesus. The bar goes up not down.

A beast of burden as a limousine. And an untested ride at that.

The uncluttered life of Jesus and the invitation to participate. To live simply. To worship authentically.

Untie it. Bring it to Jesus. Now, as then… our minds can’t comprehend our Creator King. Our humble hero.

Untie the donkey.

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