What is the significance of Jesus riding on a donkey into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday?

Answer 1

Besides fulfilling prophecy it was to show that He was humble and a different sort of king unlike the ones that enjoy a lot of pomp and ceremony. Two men painted a picture of Jesus on the donkey and another with the Pope with all of his finery, servants, and gold. They put the paintings at the entrance to the town. I don't know if anyone remembers the history about those two paintings but I believe the people got imprisoned for doing it and perhaps killed. It caused people to begin questioning their religious beliefs rather than following along blindly. Mmm

Answer 2

It was actually an act of humility and obedience. Jesus was a very humble man, even though if he had wanted to boast, he most certainly had a Father worth boasting about. He obeyed God, even to his own death.

You see, Jesus had been talked about for centuries as the Messiah, or savior of the Jews. He was going to come into their midst and be their king!

The thing is, the Jews developed some high and mighty expectations of just what a Messiah, Savior, and King was going to look like and be like. God had other ideas. Jesus is indeed our King, but not our Earthly king -- Our Heavenly King. He is not an Earthly Savior, but our permanent Savior. He is indeed our Messiah, for the long haul, not just our brief Earthly existance.

Jesus was exactly the opposite of what the Jewish Leaders were expecting, which is why they did not believe him even when he spoke the truth. But the prophecies from hundreds of years before came true and were fulfilled in Jesus. Even his very death had been predicted, and Jesus died just so. None of his bones were broken, even though that was the custom in that day. When you crucified someone, you broke his legs near the end of the ordeal.

The common people, however, understood truth when they heard it. If not, then how did Christianity survive this long?

Answer 3

It was a common custom in many lands in the ancient Near East to cover, in some way, the path of someone thought worthy of the highest honour.

Both the Synoptic Gospels and the Gospel of John report that people gave Jesus this form of honour.

The palm branch was a symbol of triumph and of victory, in Jewish tradition, and is treated in other parts of the bible as such (Leviticus 23:40 and Revelation 7:9).

The song that the people are described as singing, Psalm 118, happens to be the benediction song for the passover meal, and hence is seen as foreshadowing Jesus' Passion as a symbolic passover sacrifice.

Answer 4

Don't forget, this is also the season to kill a fig tree unjustly for Jesus... I wonder what the signifigance of that is? God hates figs?

Matthew 21:17-19
And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there. Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered. And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.

Answer 5

Horse is mounted by soldiers and killers. Donkey is not for combat.
Jesus, allegorically went into His Kingdom, He built without weaponry, but with love eternal. Donkey mounted King does not go to war!

Answer 6

I think it is a way of showing him as a common man. Also, His mother rode to Bethlehem on a donkey before he was born.

Answer 7

First off it fulfilled this prophecy.

Zechariah 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Secondly, a King riding a donkey was coming in peace for a visit. A King riding a horse was usually coming for war.
Jesus came the first time to offer peace with God to mankind. The second time that He comes those who have not accepted God's offer will see Him as the conquering King.

Revelation 19:11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.

14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, "Come, gather for the great supper of God, 18 to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great."

19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. 20 And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. 21 And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.

Answer 8

Was he showing his support for the Democratic party?

Answer 9

It was part of a prophecy told many years before he was born .

Answer 10

He is expressing humility!