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“Tell the daughter of Zion, saying, Look! Your meek King is coming to you mounted on a donkey and a colt, foal of a beast of burden.” [Zechariah 9:9]
Dear Friends of the Nazarene,
We choose Matthew 21:5 as the theme verse of chapter twenty-one – A King and A Donkey. The chapter begins with the Master sending his disciples to search out a donkey. [1-3] Jesus coming on a donkey was foretold by Zechariah 9:9. [4, 5] The “great crowd” of disciples hails the One ‘coming in the Name of God’. [6-9] People ask, ‘Who is this?’ [10, 11] Christ ‘cleanses’ the Jewish Temple a second time. [12-14] Answering the objection of the praise of the crowd, Jesus tells the Jewish hierarchy, “Out of the mouth of babes You ordained praise.” [15-17]
A fig tree is cursed as an object lesson in faith. [18-22] The Jewish hierarchy asks the source of the Nazarene’s authority. [23-27] He teaches a parable about two different children. [28-32] He then relates the parable of the vineyard and his impending execution. [33-41] Jesus quotes Psalm 118:22, 23 regarding the ‘rejected cornerstone’. [42-44] The religious leadership becomes fearful of the crowd. [45, 46]
Abba our Father bless those ‘babes’ who offer praise.
[12 November 2002]
