Jacob (Donkey Owner), Matthew 21:1-9
Hosanna to the Son of David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!
I know well the story that you have just told; I know it firsthand; I heard the words of Jesus’ praise shouted on the day of your story. I am Jacob; I lived in the village of Beth’ phage; I was the owner of the donkey and the colt. I was also a follower of Jesus, not a disciple; I didn’t travel around with him, I still worked at my business, but I believed him to be the Messiah of God; I went out to listen to him preach whenever he was near; I also offered my place, my home for Jesus and his disciples to stay. They stayed with me more than a few times. On one such occasion Jesus told me that one day he would have need of my donkey and a colt; I told him then that colts do not always come along; but well, Jesus did not want to hear of this; Jesus simply reminded me that God will provide me with what I need and then he said, that I would provide for him (Jesus) what he needed. I had my doubts, but Jesus was as certain as certain could be; he saw my doubt and said to me, you’ll see.
That day, the day John and James came for the donkey and colt I was busy making a sale: I saw the two of them and nodded to them as they took the animals; after my sale, I quickly closed my shop and followed after them; I did not want to miss whatever it was that Jesus was going to do. It was a beautiful day to be outside; the sun was shining; the air was comfortable and it seemed that many more people than usual were out and about doing their business. I arrived in time to hold the donkeys’ reigns as Jesus sat upon the colt and I was privileged to lead the animals to the gates of Jerusalem.
I’m not sure who started shouting Jesus’ praises, but once they started, they did not stop. They got louder and louder as more people joined in. That was just a part of it; people began gathering fallen branches, palm leaves and such and making a kind of roadway in front of us, even laying down their cloaks. The donkeys were not so sure about it at first, but when they saw that it merely softened their steps they moved without coaxing. The colt had never had anyone sit and ride on him before; I was proud of how he made not the least bit of a fuss. And Jesus, he just sat there; I’m not sure that he had ever ridden on a donkey before; still you wouldn’t know it by his look. And there was something different about Jesus that day; he looked as a person should look in his glory; he wasn’t smug or pompous; he just road along as though he was meant to ride that way. He road, hearing the praises and for the first time, he did not quiet the crowd. This was his time; he knew it, I could see it in his face and the crowd seemed to know it as well. You would call what happened a parade today; everybody we passed simply got in line behind us, singing Jesus’ praises; when we reached the gates to Jerusalem, we were a large and jubilant crowd.
I gather we put the Romans a bit on edge. I heard later that the Temple authorities were themselves a bit uncomfortable and that they had words with Jesus. I did not stay around; this is just the stuff I heard later; but when Jesus got off the donkeys he showed me in his smile his appreciation; I’ll never forget that look; it made everything more than worth it; I then took the donkeys back home; I knew that I would see Jesus later. What I heard was that the Temple authorities blasted Jesus with their words and questions; they were afraid that the Romans might take it out on them; Jesus said something about if the people hadn’t shouted out their praises, the stones themselves would have done so; I’m not so sure about that, but I do know that no one asked those people to shout out Jesus’ praises; they just did it. This is what it was like being around Jesus; people would spontaneously react with joy and praise; it’s just that Jesus, on every other day, silenced the people before it became an event of grand proportions. I went home wondering why this day was different, why Jesus allowed this grand show of praise. At the time I didn’t have an answer. Even later when I saw Jesus and he thanked me for the use of my donkeys, he didn’t make it all clear.
It was all that happened in the week following that made it possible for me to understand. Jesus knew what he was doing. This was all a part of God’s plan. It was not a plan that I liked; I still, even after all was said and done, felt that there could have been a better way. It turned out that Jesus was fulfilling a prophecy; the Messiah of God was foretold to enter Jerusalem in this way; a friend pointed this out to me. So much of Jesus’ life, as I look back on it, at least the parts that I know, seem to be about fulfilling one prophecy after another. Jesus was with us for a reason, God’s reason. I think about how we were all afraid then; it was the Romans and even a little the Temple authorities that we then feared. Jesus did not seem to fear any of this; he just kept moving forward knowing all that was coming. And I’m sure all of you know of the events that happened that week; the clearing of the Temple by Jesus, Jesus’ last supper, his prayers in Gethsemane, his betrayal, Jesus’ arrest, his trials, the abuse he suffered, Peter’s denial of Jesus, the scourging, the people flipflopping against him, Jesus’ long laborious walk to Golgotha, his crucifixion, mistreatment, death, burial, but then also his resurrection. We can celebrate Palm Sunday, as it has come to be called, because we know of the resurrection.
Anyway, it is good to have a reason to sing Jesus’ praises, to celebrate. I think of the fear and worry that is a part of your time; so different from my time; now you have a fear of something too small to see; it seems to me that singing Jesus’ praises might be just what is needed. Singing Jesus’ praises; looking at Jesus life certainly gives to us a reason to celebrate, even with the sickness totals climbing and the death numbers growing, even as we enter the difficult days of Holy Week, commemorating Jesus suffering and death, before his resurrection. Jesus proclaimed his victory over his enemies on Palm Sunday knowing the suffering that still was to come. I, Jacob, having faith in Jesus, now proclaim God’s victory over this pandemic also knowing the suffering still to come for you.
Thank you Pastor Wesemann for giving over your pulpit to me; I pray my words will bring inspiration; may the Lord give all of you his blessings as he did to me.