Matthew 21:5

5 Tell Zion's daughter, "Look, your king's on his way, poised and ready, mounted On a donkey, on a colt, foal of a pack animal."

Matthew 21:5 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 21:5

Tell ye the daughter of Zion
These words seem to be taken out of ( Isaiah 62:11 ) where it is said, "say ye to the daughter of Zion, behold thy salvation cometh", or "thy Saviour cometh"; meaning, without doubt, the Messiah: by the daughter of Zion is meant, not the city of Jerusalem, but the inhabitants thereof, the Jewish synagogue; or as the Targum renders it, (Nwyud atvynk) , "the congregation of Zion", the people of the Jews; particularly the elect of God among them, those that embraced the true Messiah, and believed in him:

behold, thy king cometh unto thee:
this, and what follow, are cited from ( Zechariah 9:9 ) and to be understood of the king Messiah, who, in a little time after this prophecy was given out, was to come to Zion, and redeem Jacob from all his iniquities, and was now come. One of the Jewish commentators says F24, that interpreters are divided about the sense of this prophecy; but observes, that there are some that say this is the Messiah: and another F25 of them affirms, that it is impossible to explain it of any other than the king Messiah; and that it can be understood of no other, I have elsewhere F26 shown. "Meek"; in the prophecy of Zechariah it is, (yne) , "poor", as the Messiah Jesus was, in a temporal sense; but the word, both by the Septuagint, and our evangelist, is rendered

meek;
as it is by the Targum, Jarchi, and Kimchi, who all explain it by (Ntwne) , "lowly, humble, or meek": and a character it is, that well agrees with Jesus, who, in the whole of his deportment, both in life and in death, was a pattern of meekness and lowliness of mind: and

sitting upon an ass, and a colt, the foal of an ass.
This is applied to the Messiah by the Jews, both ancient F1 and modern F22, who consider this as an instance and evidence of his humility: they suppose, this ass to be a very uncommon one, having an hundred spots on it; and say, that it was the foal of that which was created on the eve of the sabbath F23; and is the same that Abraham and Moses rode upon: and they own, as before observed, that Jesus of Nazareth rode on one to Jerusalem, as is here related. Their ancient governors, patriarchs, princes, and judges, used to ride on asses, before the introduction and multiplication of horses in Solomon's time, forbidden by the law of God: wherefore, though this might seem mean and despicable at this present time, yet was suitable enough to Christ's character as a king, and as the son of David, and king of Israel; strictly observing the law given to the kings of Israel, and riding in such manner as they formerly did.


FOOTNOTES:

F24 Aben Ezra in Zech. ix. 9.
F25 Jarchi in ib.
F26 Prophecies of the Messiah literally fulfilled in Jesus, c. 9. p. 151
F1 T. Bab. Sanhedrim, fol. 98. 1. & 99. 1. Bereshit Rabba, fol. 66. 2. & 85. 3. Midrash Kohelet, fol. 63. 2. Zohar in Gen. fol. 127. 3. & in Num. fol. 83. 4. & in Deut. fol. 117. 1. & 118. 3. Raya Mehimna in Zohar. in Lev. fol. 38. 3. & in Num. fol. 97. 2.
F22 Jarchi in Isa. xxvi 6. Baal Hatturim in Exod. fol. 88. 2. Abarbimel, Mashmia Jeshua, fol. 15. 4.
F23 Pirke Eliezer, c. 31. Caphtor, fol. 81. 2.

Matthew 21:5 In-Context

3 If anyone asks what you're doing, say, 'The Master needs them!' He will send them with you."
4 This is the full story of what was sketched earlier by the prophet:
5 Tell Zion's daughter, "Look, your king's on his way, poised and ready, mounted On a donkey, on a colt, foal of a pack animal."
6 The disciples went and did exactly what Jesus told them to do.
7 They led the donkey and colt out, laid some of their clothes on them, and Jesus mounted.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.