After telling this story, Jesus went on toward Jerusalem, walking ahead of his disciples. As he came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives, he sent two disciples ahead. “Go into that village over there,” he told them. “As you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks, ‘Why are you untying that colt?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it.’” So they went and found the colt, just as Jesus had said. And sure enough, as they were untying it, the owners asked them, “Why are you untying that colt?” And the disciples simply replied, “The Lord needs it.” So they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it for him to ride on (Luke 19:28-35, NLT).
I’ve owned four pickup trucks. Not that I have ever really needed one, I just enjoy having one. And every now and then, they’re handy. The first one I purchased was a used Chevy Silverado. I had only owned it a few weeks when a friend asked if he could borrow it for a few days to do a landscaping project at his home. I said, “sure!” He offered his wife’s car for me to drive while he used my truck. To make a long story short, two or three days turned into 11, and by the time he was finished with his project I was frustrated to say the least. As I drove to make the vehicle exchange, I uttered promises and oaths that I would never lend my truck to anyone again! When I arrived, I was totally embarrassed, because my friend had taken the truck and had the oil changed and professionally detailed. He even topped off the gas! He actually returned it in far better condition than he received it.
In Jesus’ day the most common form of transportation was the donkey. Donkey’s were ridden by people of every socio-economic class. Like a pickup, donkey’s were utilitarian animals that could be ridden or used to haul heavy items. Some were even used in the fields of agriculture for plowing or for grinding grain into meal. Because they were gentle in spirit, the donkey was viewed as a symbol of peace.
The donkey in the Palm Sunday narrative is usually overlooked. But if you read the passage carefully, the text mentions that the donkey was tied and must be untied five times! That much repetition calls for the reader to pay attention to what is going on.
Let me make four quick observations about the exchange in the aforementioned text. First, the owners gave out of their poverty. In Bible times some people were too poor to own their own individual donkeys, so they would pool their resources and own one jointly. Jesus didn’t send for a donkey from a man that had a stable full of them. His opportunity was extended to those who would have recognized the cost and potential risk of allowing it to be untied and entrusted to the disciples.
Second, the owners exercised faith. Some scholars believe that Jesus prearranged this exchange, but I like the story more as a blind invitation. The only thing they knew was “the Lord needs it.” Faith is nothing more than our positive response to the word(s) of God. They untied the donkey because the Lord had a need that they could fulfill. While we assume the donkey is returned, it is important to note that the Scripture never gives us that answer.
Next, the owners didn’t fully understand the purposes of Jesus. Were they well versed in the Old Testament prophesies of Psalm 118 or Zechariah 9:9? Even if the disciples would have explained that Jesus needed the donkey to ride into Jerusalem to symbolically proclaim his Messiahship, they may not have comprehended the coming events headed into Good Friday and Easter morning. Sometimes God extends opportunities and invitations to us that we may not fully grasp or understand.
Finally, their contribution made a difference. A kingdom sized difference. When we are willing to untie our blessings and gifts for the Lord’s needs we make a lasting impact. The kind that allows people like me to blog and preach their story 2,000 years later!
What does the Lord need that you need to untie?