As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: “Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ”
--Parallel verses:
Hebrews 4:15
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.
The parallel verses here, in Hebrews, tell us that Jesus has been tempted in every way. In order to be tempted in every way, he had to be fully human. This means he has to rely on God for his strength in challenges in tough situations, just as we did. He prayed to God because he needed his power and help, just like we can do. And he felt real emotions and real pain, just like we do.
Here are a few things that stand out to me right away about this passage in Matthew:
- Jesus knew God’s Word really well.
- He sought to fulfill the prophecies of God.
- He had confidence in God’s plan.
- He challenged his disciples to be bold in obedience to him.
Many people ask: “How do I know God’s will for my life? How do I know what he wants me to do with _________? (You can fill in the blank with lots of topics, like career, children, marriage, investments, money, time, challenging people or situations). And the answer to all of these assortment of questions is primarily — read the Bible and follow its commands.
In the Bible, we find prophecies of God. These prophecies are fulfilled in different times and in different ways. God’s Spirit will prompt us, if a prophecy pertains to us, on how to help fulfill it. Jesus knew about this prophecy, recognized it as applying to his entry into Jerusalem and spoke it forth, calling his disciples to act on it. This shows confidence in God’s ability to fulfill his prophecies and an active faith.
By sending his disciples to act in retaining an unowned donkey, he challenged them to have confidence and act in faith, as well. It challenged the belief system of his disciples to trust God even when the requested action does not seem logical.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for demonstrating how to trust God and act on his prophecies. Help me to follow your lead and demonstrate my faith and trust in you! May I grow in obedience and grace.
