The Lord Needs a Colt
It is Sunday, the first day of the last week of the Lord’s life on earth before the cross. At the end of this week will happen what He spoke to His disciples about three times: His deliverance, rejection, suffering and death. In one breath He also spoke about His resurrection. It will take place on the first day of the next, the new, week.
Before He surrenders Himself into the hands of men for this abuse, God makes sure that a wonderful testimony of Him is given. This happens as they approach Jerusalem and are near Bethphage and Bethany near the Mount of Olives. Both villages are connected to the Mount of Olives, the high mountain that is connected to some of the great events of His life.
The names of the villages give us in their meaning the characteristics of the faithful remnant. Bethphage means ‘house of immature figs’ and Bethany means ‘house of misery’. These characteristics contrast with the apostate Jerusalem. From the vicinity of these two villages, the Lord sends two of His disciples with a commission. He is always the Commander, Who knows what has to be done.
The disciples are given a precisely described command concerning the place and what they will find and what they will have to do there. We see here that Christ as God has perfect knowledge of the event, as He has of everything that is going to happen. To Him the future is present, and He is omnipresent in every place with perfect knowledge of circumstances. At the same time we see in this Gospel a Servant Who fulfills His commission with conviction and in obedience. We can say that His Father, His heavenly Commissioner, has told Him what He must do and He is doing it.
He needs a colt on which no man has ever sat. He will be the first to ride it. It is the picture of the new He brings that no other human being has ever shown: a spirit of complete obedience to death. Nor can He use anything that has already been in the service of sinful man, for that means shows the traces of sin. The colt is ready for Him. It is tied up for Him. The disciples must untie it and bring it with them. We are by nature colts that had to be untied and then are meant to carry the Lord Jesus around.
The Lord knows that there is someone who will ask why they are doing this. He also gives the disciples the answer in their mouths. They must answer that “the Lord” has need of it. “The Lord” can refer to both the Lord Jesus and Yahweh. Faith knows it is one and the same Person. As soon as they give this answer, the owner will not only let the colt go, but will ‘send’ it. In this we see the reigning hand of God. He controls the feelings of the owner, just as He controls the feelings of the crowds.
It has sometimes been said that the Lord needs nothing or no one for His work. Therefore, it is all the more remarkable that the only time it is mentioned that He needs something, it concerns a colt. If He wants to use us for His work, as He used this colt, the equation is clear that we don’t need to imagine anything regarding the work we are allowed to do for Him. What matters is that He can use us for His glorification, as the colt carried Him, through which people applauded Him. The colt was not given any honor. It only did what it was born to do.
The disciples go obediently on their way. And just as the Lord told them, they find the colt. It’s easy to take it with them, they don’t have to catch it. It’s ready for service. They just have to untie it from the old environment to serve in a new service. In this way we are all chosen by God to serve the Lord and He takes us from where we are at the moment He wants to use us. We have a good example of this in Saul, later Paul.
There are several people who see what is happening. Normally this would cause a stir because a colt was stolen. But it’s as if people only want to know what the disciples are doing. God has worked in their hearts the conviction that this is not theft, but the taking of an order. The only thing they need to know is that these are the right people coming to pick up the colt.
The disciples speak as the Lord has told them. That works resignation to the company that asks questions. We see that there are more than one – and not just the owner – who are satisfied with the answer and no longer make any objections.
Before He surrenders Himself into the hands of men for this abuse, God makes sure that a wonderful testimony of Him is given. This happens as they approach Jerusalem and are near Bethphage and Bethany near the Mount of Olives. Both villages are connected to the Mount of Olives, the high mountain that is connected to some of the great events of His life.
The names of the villages give us in their meaning the characteristics of the faithful remnant. Bethphage means ‘house of immature figs’ and Bethany means ‘house of misery’. These characteristics contrast with the apostate Jerusalem. From the vicinity of these two villages, the Lord sends two of His disciples with a commission. He is always the Commander, Who knows what has to be done.
The disciples are given a precisely described command concerning the place and what they will find and what they will have to do there. We see here that Christ as God has perfect knowledge of the event, as He has of everything that is going to happen. To Him the future is present, and He is omnipresent in every place with perfect knowledge of circumstances. At the same time we see in this Gospel a Servant Who fulfills His commission with conviction and in obedience. We can say that His Father, His heavenly Commissioner, has told Him what He must do and He is doing it.
He needs a colt on which no man has ever sat. He will be the first to ride it. It is the picture of the new He brings that no other human being has ever shown: a spirit of complete obedience to death. Nor can He use anything that has already been in the service of sinful man, for that means shows the traces of sin. The colt is ready for Him. It is tied up for Him. The disciples must untie it and bring it with them. We are by nature colts that had to be untied and then are meant to carry the Lord Jesus around.
The Lord knows that there is someone who will ask why they are doing this. He also gives the disciples the answer in their mouths. They must answer that “the Lord” has need of it. “The Lord” can refer to both the Lord Jesus and Yahweh. Faith knows it is one and the same Person. As soon as they give this answer, the owner will not only let the colt go, but will ‘send’ it. In this we see the reigning hand of God. He controls the feelings of the owner, just as He controls the feelings of the crowds.
It has sometimes been said that the Lord needs nothing or no one for His work. Therefore, it is all the more remarkable that the only time it is mentioned that He needs something, it concerns a colt. If He wants to use us for His work, as He used this colt, the equation is clear that we don’t need to imagine anything regarding the work we are allowed to do for Him. What matters is that He can use us for His glorification, as the colt carried Him, through which people applauded Him. The colt was not given any honor. It only did what it was born to do.
The disciples go obediently on their way. And just as the Lord told them, they find the colt. It’s easy to take it with them, they don’t have to catch it. It’s ready for service. They just have to untie it from the old environment to serve in a new service. In this way we are all chosen by God to serve the Lord and He takes us from where we are at the moment He wants to use us. We have a good example of this in Saul, later Paul.
There are several people who see what is happening. Normally this would cause a stir because a colt was stolen. But it’s as if people only want to know what the disciples are doing. God has worked in their hearts the conviction that this is not theft, but the taking of an order. The only thing they need to know is that these are the right people coming to pick up the colt.
The disciples speak as the Lord has told them. That works resignation to the company that asks questions. We see that there are more than one – and not just the owner – who are satisfied with the answer and no longer make any objections.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-6
1 And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples, 2 And saith unto them, ‹Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring› [him]. 3 ‹And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither.› 4 And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him. 5 And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt? 6 And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go.
 | Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2023-12-21 Source: Title: Mark Author: Ger de Koning |
Christ’s coming into Jerusalem thus remarkably, shows that he was not afraid of the power and malice of his enemies. This would encourage his disciples who were full of fear. Also, that he was not disquieted at the thoughts of his approaching sufferings. But all marked his humiliation; and these matters teach us not to mind high things, but to condescend to those of low estate. How ill it becomes Christians to take state, when Christ was so far from claiming it! They welcomed his person; Blessed is he that cometh, the “He that should come,” so often promised, so long expected; he comes in the name of the Lord. Let him have our best affection; he is a blessed Savior, and brings blessings to us, and blessed be He that sent him. Praises be to our God, who is in the highest heavens, over all, God blessed for ever.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-11
1 And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples, 2 And saith unto them, ‹Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring› [him]. 3 ‹And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither.› 4 And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him. 5 And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt? 6 And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go. 7 And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him. 8 And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed [them] in the way. 9 And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed [is] he that cometh in the name of the Lord: 10 Blessed [be] the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest. 11 And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.
 | Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source: Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry |
The listed verse explanations of the individual persons have nothing to do with the explanations of the other persons. This also applies to the Bible translations.
