Today is Palm Sunday.  It’s the first day of Holy Week, and Christians all over the world are celebrating with Palm branches and shouts of “Hosanna!”  You know the story; Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey to celebrate Passover.  Wait, a donkey?  Why a donkey?  And in Mark, doesn’t it say Jesus rides a colt?  If Jesus is going to go through all the trouble of having his disciples go ahead of him to untie an animal and bring it to him to ride into Jerusalem why a donkey?  Why not a horse?  A visual of Jesus riding a donkey might seem almost humorous to us, whereas riding a horse… well that’s majestic! 

But, in the first century a horse was a symbol of war, so a conquering king would enter a city on a horse, but a king coming in peace would ride in on a donkey.  Jesus came in peace.

Mark tells the story with Jesus riding a colt into Jerusalem.  Why a colt?  Kings rode a horse or donkey that was solely theirs- one that no one else rode.  By calling it a colt, Mark is telling us this donkey was never before ridden.  So, in riding this donkey into Jerusalem, Jesus is not only showing that he comes in peace, but is also signifying that he is indeed King.  And Jesus is not only a king, but the King of kings.

Read Mark 11:1-10, and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Annie