Who said to them as Jesus had commanded them. And they let him go with them.
οι δε ειπον αυτοις καθως ενετειλατο ο ιησους και αφηκαν αυτους
4 Church Fathers comment on this verse
In an allegorical sense, further exploring the meaning of verse 4, who possessed the donkey that the apostles were barred from taking? It was certainly under the influence of demons. However, the apostles held greater strength than these adversaries.
As the Sabbath came to a close, individuals began to travel from Jerusalem to Bethany. A large assembly had already congregated in Jerusalem for the festival, eager to engage in the familiar rites and purifications. Their purpose for coming was not only to witness Jesus but also to see Lazarus and confirm his resurrection. The next morning, further crowds emerged from Jerusalem. Under these circumstances, Jesus’ entry into the city was bound to be distinct from previous occasions. The people were overjoyed to hear about the one who had raised Lazarus and were determined to accompany Him in a manner befitting the Messiah as they understood Him. However, if the Lord had wished otherwise, He could have easily avoided such a grand entrance.
He had the option to enter Jerusalem in secret, either alone or with only His disciples, or to forgo the trip altogether given the precarious situation. Yet, He deemed this public display necessary, and it wasn’t merely a matter of taking advantage of coincidental circumstances. Rather, it was aligned with His earlier actions. A similar intent had been shown in Jericho. His purpose became even clearer when, despite Bethany's proximity to Jerusalem, He instructed two disciples to go ahead to the village of Bethphage on the slopes of the Mount of Olives to secure a donkey and her colt for Him. The disciples placed their garments on the animals, and Jesus mounted the young donkey that had not been used for labor, fulfilling prophecy that depicted the Messiah's arrival in Jerusalem. This choice illustrated Him as a peaceful and gentle king, having intentionally selected this beast of burden rather than a warhorse (Zechariah 9:9-10). In this manner, He became visible to all, further igniting the people's enthusiasm.
Jesus instructed them to proceed to the closest village. Upon entering the village directly ahead, they would immediately encounter a donkey tethered, along with its colt. They were to untie them and bring them to Him, and if anyone inquired, they were to reply that the Lord had need of them (Matthew 21:2-3). The disciples went forth and discovered the donkey and the colt bound at the entrance. As they began to untie the donkey, the owners questioned their actions. They responded according to the words Jesus had shared with them. They then brought the donkey and its colt to Him, covered them with their garments, and placed Jesus upon the young donkey.
Jesus did not arrive in the capital city of the Jewish kingdom in a majestic chariot drawn by horses; rather, He rode in on a young donkey, draped with the humble clothing of His poor apostles instead of fine garments. In this manner, as detailed by the Gospel writers Matthew and John, the prophecy was fulfilled, which declared, "Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’"
The pivotal moment in the life of Christ was approaching. The animosity of His adversaries was escalating, and they were plotting to diminish His impact among the people and even to take His life. This was no longer the time for subtlety in affirming His Messiahship. Until now, Christ had revealed Himself as the awaited Messiah through mostly private and personal means; it was now time for Him to assert this truth publicly and with great solemnity as the genuine Messiah-King, the true Son of David. He made this proclamation through His intentional entry into Jerusalem (Mt. 21:1-11, Mk. 11:1-11, Lk. 19:29-44, Jn. 12:12-19). During major feasts, it was customary for large crowds of worshipers from various regions to enter the holy city joyfully and ceremoniously.
As a recognized prophet and esteemed teacher, Christ aimed to make a notable entrance to reveal His glory one last time. Historically, He had entered Jerusalem on foot; however, this time He chose to enter as His ancestor David had, riding on a donkey. This gentle and valuable creature was revered in the East, and the Jewish people cherished many historical associations with it that rendered it even more honorable than the proud horses imported from Egypt. The significance of the donkey was heightened by the prophet's profound declaration that the Messiah-King would enter Jerusalem in this manner (Zechariah 9:9). Thus, the Savior's entrance into the holy city served as a powerful and vivid declaration of His Messiahship. Early on the ninth of Nisan, the Savior departed from His peaceful and welcoming lodging in Bethany and, following tradition, walked with His disciples toward Jerusalem. After descending into a small valley adorned with fig trees and olive trees, they approached the village of Bethphage, which, like Bethany, was close enough to Jerusalem to be considered part of it by rabbinical law. At this time, secret disciples and followers of Christ were situated in many areas, and He likely sent two of His disciples to one of His followers residing in Bethphage to acquire a donkey for His significant entrance into Jerusalem. The disciples faithfully obeyed and returned with a donkey and its colt.
Greek text, 11 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS