The King on a Donkey

“Hosanna to the Son of David! ... Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” — Matthew 21:9

The next day, Jesus and His disciples set off for Jerusalem. It was nearly time for the Passover festival, and the roads were crowded with people going up to the city.

When they came near Jerusalem, Jesus sent two of His disciples ahead. “Go into the village in front of you,” He said. “As soon as you go in, you’ll find a donkey tied there, with her colt beside her. Untie them and bring them to Me. If anyone asks what you’re doing, just say, ‘The Lord needs them.’”

The disciples went, and found everything just as Jesus had said. They brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them.

Then Jesus rode towards Jerusalem.

A huge crowd gathered. People spread their cloaks on the road in front of Him, like a carpet for a king. Others cut branches from the palm trees and laid them on the road and waved them in the air.

And the crowds in front of Jesus and behind Him were shouting:

“Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest!”

“Hosanna” means “Save us now!” The people were welcoming Jesus as the King from David’s family, the Saviour they had been waiting for.

When Jesus rode into Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up. “Who is this?” people asked.

“This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee,” the crowds answered.

Kings usually rode into cities on great war horses, with soldiers marching behind them. But Jesus came on a donkey, a humble animal, the kind ordinary people rode. He wasn’t coming to fight the Romans. He was a different kind of King, a gentle King, coming in peace.

The crowds cheered for Jesus that day. But many of them wanted Him to be a King who would fight their enemies and make them powerful. They didn’t understand what kind of King He really was. And in just a few days, some of the same people would be shouting something very different.

We remember this day every year. It’s called Palm Sunday, because of the palm branches the people waved.

The promise kept: Matthew tells us this happened to keep the promise God gave through the prophet Zechariah: “See, your King comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Matthew 21:5).

Read it in your Bible: Matthew 21:1–11; John 12:12–16

Hosanna! Thank you, Jesus, that you are the King who came in peace. You are my King. Please help me to welcome you and follow you every day. Amen.