This Easter 6: The Colt and the Ass 1

 The Plot

1 And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, 2 Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. 3 And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. 4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. 6 And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, 7 And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. (King James Version)

In the last week of Jesus’ life, in other to fulfill purpose, he had to travel from Jericho to Jerusalem. Along the way, he told two disciples to bring a colt and an ass from the next village; you will find "an ass tied, and a colt loose them, and bring them unto me."

Matthew’s account is slightly different from the widely circulated narrative, however, upon close examination, it would be noticed that they are rather complimentary other than differentiates. The differences are in the details. These details open up a perspective that is usually missed by most people. The disciples in Matthew's gospel are sent to retrieve two animals, the ass and its colt. They untie both.

Matthew quotes scripture to inform us that this act was by the fulfillment of prophecy. Here’s the scripture, Zech 9.9 "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass." Herein the prophet speaks of someone riding upon two animals, the ass and the colt. This is in agreement with what Matthew wrote. Though it is not a word for word translation, the intent is clear. The Messiah, the Christ, must ride upon an ass and its colt.

As they are untying the two animals they are challenged but some men who witness what they are doing. Remember that they are basically following Christ’s lead; "the Lord hath need of them" was their response.  The identity of the men was not revealed. They did however understand the authority for the disciples to take the two animals on behalf of the Lord and they honoured it.

When the disciples show up with the two animals the disciples throw their clothes onto the ass and the colt and Jesus sits upon them both. This is a different picture than what is shown in Sunday school pictures. The other gospels do not say that Jesus sat upon both of them. They write that Jesus sat on the colt. Are we to infer that Jesus sat upon one of the beasts only? And that had to be the colt? Perhaps, but Matthew's gospel is clear and portrays Jesus sitting on both. The passage from Zech 9.9 also says clearly that the Messiah, the Christ, will arrive in Jerusalem riding on both. It doesn't leave much to argue about.

Consider the other parts of the story that have been supplemented by one or more of the synoptic writers.

           Matthew mentioned how Jesus and the disciples went to Bethphage, mark and Luke mentioned both Bethphage and Bethany

·                  Mark and Luke indicated that the colt they acquired for Christ had never been ridden, Matthew omitted this piece of information

·                          Matthew was the only gospel writer to include Zechariah’s prophecy

·                   Mark and Luke included the question that the owners of the colt asked the disciples when they went to get the donkey for Jesus. Matthew excluded this information from his account.   

1.        The inherent lesson today is this: To understand scripture narratives, you must first have a grasp of the PLOT  

In the next post, we shall look into the significance of all these

God bless you