Though it might seem like an unimportant detail, the donkey is probably the second most important part of the triumphal entry, only superseded by the presence of Jesus himself. Now, I know it sounds strange to give such an exalted place to what is essentially a mode of transportation. But its value is not found in what it did. Rather, the donkey is important because of what Jesus communicated through it.
Donkeys in Jewish History
To understand what Jesus was communicating through the donkey, we first need to analyze early Israelite culture and the law.
Unlike most nations in the Near East, horses don’t appear to have been a big element of pre-Canaan Jewish society. In its passages related to animal ethics, the Mosaic Law does not reference horses. The law does, however, mention other domesticated animals like oxen, donkeys, sheep, and goats. Horses were a very valuable animal in the ancient world. Consequently, if they were commonly owned, then we would expect there to be laws regulating their treatment and use.
A Divine Bias
There also appears to be something of a divine bias against horses, which likely played a big role in the culture. Deuteronomy 17:16 is the only place in the mosaic law that provides any horse-related legislation. In the passage, the future kings of Israel are forbidden from collecting them.
“The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself.”
Deuteronomy 17:16
To be clear, the law did not make it illegal to own horses. The leaders and people could use them for personal, agricultural, and even military purposes. The passage only discourages the king from collecting them in large quantities.
Donkeys in Joshua
During the conquest of Canaan, God continues to discourage Israel from obtaining horses. In the text, he directly commands Joshua to destroy all the chariots and horses they capture.
“Joshua did to them as the Lord had directed: He hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots.”
Joshua 11:9
In the era of the kings, David continued this tradition during his campaigns.
“David captured a thousand of his chariots, seven thousand charioteers and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He hamstrung all but a hundred of the chariot horses.”
1 Chronicles 18:4
Donkeys in Judges
The book of Judges gives us some insight into how effective God’s anti-horse campaign was. The text indicates that donkeys were the cultural gage for wealth and status at that time.
“You who ride on white donkeys, sitting on your saddle blankets, and you who walk along the road, consider.”
Judges 5:10
“He was followed by Jair of Gilead, who led Israel twenty-two years. He had thirty sons, who rode thirty donkeys. They controlled thirty towns in Gilead, which to this day are called Havvoth Jair.”
Judges 10:3-4
“After him, Abdon son of Hillel, from Pirathon, led Israel. He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys. He led Israel eight years.”
Judges 12:13-14
Donkeys in Kings
Donkeys retained their cultural standing all the way up until the time of Solomon, who was the first king to break the prohibition of Deuteronomy 17.
Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from Kue—the royal merchants purchased them from Kue at the current price.
1 Kings 10:28
After his death, horses and chariots became the standard mode of transportation for Israel’s royalty. However, during the golden age (The era of Saul, David, and Solomon), donkeys were the symbol of a king’s authority.
The clearest example is in 1 King 1:33. The story starts with David on his deathbed talking to Solomon. David tells his son that he has decided to give him the kingdom but warns that his other son, Adonijah, is attempting to steal the throne. David instructs Solomon to ride the royal donkey into Gihon where the rebellion was happening.
“He (King David) said to them: “Take your lord’s servants with you and have Solomon my son mount my own mule and take him down to Gihon.”
1 King 1:33
Like Absolom before him, Adonijah rode into the city on a chariot proceeded by fifty men. However, because Solomon arrived on David’s royal mule the people accepted him as king.
What’s The Problem With Horses?
The reason why God forbade the Israelite leaders from collecting horses is found in the law and the Psalms of David.
Only he must not acquire many horses for himself or cause the people to return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses, since the Lord has said to you, ‘You shall never return that way again.’
Deuteronomy 17:16
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
Psalm 20:7
“When you go out to war against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them, for the Lord your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.”
Deuteronomy 20:1
Horses were the most powerful weapon of war at the time, and God did not want Israel to trust in other nations or themselves for power. So, much like Gideon’s army, he intentionally weakened them militarily. After many victories against armies with horses, Israel became accustomed to relying on the power of God. As David poetically confesses, “The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue.” -Psalms 33:17
Reliance on God for their national might was a central idea in Israel’s political philosophy. The concept may be the reason why the donkey became the symbol of leadership for the early Judges and kings. By riding a donkey instead of a horse, the leaders symbolically declared that Israel’s protection came from heaven, not earth.
This context can help us understand why Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem.
The Reason Why Jesus Rode a Donkey
Jesus’ choice to ride a donkey was very intentional. He did not pick the mule because he was tired of walking or the latest Judean transportation trends. On the contrary, it was a very obvious symbolic claim to be the true “king of the Jews.”
Both subtle and blunt contextual evidence for this interpretation can be found throughout the narrative.
Jesus Takes Like a King
At the start of Matthew 21, Jesus, in what feels like an out-of-character moment, tells two of his disciples to enter an unnamed village and take a specific mule. He doesn’t tell them to buy, borrow, or even ask for it nicely. Instead, Jesus commands them to take the donkey in the name of the “Lord.”
“Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.”
Matthew 21:2-3
Now, Jesus being Jesus, it’s probably safe to assume he gave it back. However, returning the donkey was not a part of the agreement. Jesus took it like he had a royal right to it.
Jesus Accepts The Tidal “King”
The next big indicator occurs during his entry. As he rides up to the city, a crowd forms and begins declaring him to be the king of Israel.
Matthew 21:9 records the crowd cheering: “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”
Luke 19:38 says his disciples were yelling: “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
The Pharisees were taken aback by these politically dubious declarations, and so confronted Jesus.
“And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”
Luke 19:39-40
In this moment, Jesus does not reject the disciples’ or the crowd’s claims about him. On the contrary, he endorses them.
A Kingly Prophesy
Christ’s words and actions during the triumphal entry make it clear he wanted people to view him as a king. Consequently, I think it’s safe to say he was leaning into the ancient tradition by choosing to ride into Jerusalem on a donkey. It is even possible he had the story of Solomon’s coronation in mind. However, at the same time, this would have been a very subtle touch. It’s very likely that most of the people there would not have made this connection. After all, the law of Moses didn’t command the kings to ride donkeys, and historically speaking, most of them did not. I think this is one reason why the Apostles approached the symbolism of the donkey from a different angle.
Why Jesus Rode a Donkey According to Zechariah 9:9
The Gospel writers clarify the kingly message presented by the donkey by tying the animal to a prophecy in Zechariah 9:9.
“Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
Zechariah 9:9
Though it is a different method, it effectively makes the same case I have been arguing for. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey because it symbolized his unspoken claim to be the rightful “king of the Jews.”
