John 12:14
And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written,
Original Language Analysis
ὁ
G3588
ὁ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
3 of 11
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
Ἰησοῦς
Jesus
G2424
Ἰησοῦς
Jesus
Strong's:
G2424
Word #:
4 of 11
jesus (i.e., jehoshua), the name of our lord and two (three) other israelites
ἐκάθισεν
sat
G2523
ἐκάθισεν
sat
Strong's:
G2523
Word #:
6 of 11
to seat down, i.e., set (figuratively, appoint); intransitively, to sit (down); figuratively, to settle (hover, dwell)
ἐπ'
thereon
G1909
ἐπ'
thereon
Strong's:
G1909
Word #:
7 of 11
properly, meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution (with the genitive case), i.e., over, upon, etc.; of re
αὐτό
G846
αὐτό
Strong's:
G846
Word #:
8 of 11
the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
Historical Context
Matthew and Mark record that Jesus arranged the donkey beforehand (Matt 21:2-3). Kings rode horses for war, donkeys for peace. Solomon rode David's mule at his coronation (1 Kings 1:33).
Questions for Reflection
- How does Jesus' choice of mount correct misguided messianic expectations?
- What does this prophetic fulfillment teach about Jesus' deliberate self-revelation?
- In what ways does humble obedience better demonstrate kingdom power than military might?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
Jesus finds a young donkey and sits on it, deliberately fulfilling Zechariah 9:9. The humble mount contrasts warrior kings' war horses, demonstrating the kingdom's spiritual nature. Jesus orchestrates this prophetic fulfillment, showing sovereignty over messianic revelation's timing and manner. The donkey represents peace, not war; humility, not pride. This dramatizes the first advent's purpose: not conquering Rome but conquering sin. The act rebukes the crowd's militaristic expectations while affirming genuine messiahship.