Purposing to ride into Jerusalem, Jesus had sent two of His disciples to bring to Him an ass and its colt. At His birth the Saviour was dependent upon the hospitality of strangers. The manger in which He lay was a borrowed resting place. Now, although the cattle on a thousand hills are His, He is dependent on a stranger's kindness for an animal on 570 which to enter Jerusalem as its King. But again His divinity is revealed, even in the minute directions given His disciples for this errand. As He foretold, the plea, "The Lord hath need of them," was readily granted. Jesus chose for His use the colt on which never man had sat. The disciples, with glad enthusiasm, spread their garments on the beast, and seated their Master upon it. Heretofore Jesus had always traveled on foot, and the disciples had at first wondered that He should now choose to ride. But hope brightened in their hearts with the joyous thought that He was about to enter the capital, proclaim Himself King, and assert His royal power. While on their errand they communicated their glowing expectations to the friends of Jesus, and the excitement spread far and near, raising the expectations of the people to the highest pitch.

Jesus havde besluttet at ride ind i Jerusalem og havde sendt to af sine disciple i forvejen for at bringe ham et æsel og dets føl. Ved sin fødsel var Frelseren afhængig af fremmedes gæstfrihed. Den krybbe, hvori han lå, var et lånt hvilested. Skønt alle dyrene på de tusinde bjerge tilhører ham, er han afhængig af en fremmeds venlighed for at få et dyr, hvorpå han kan ride ind i Jerusalem som byens konge. Men atter åbenbares hans guddomsmagt, selv i de nøjagtige anvisninger, hans disciple får for at udføre dette ærinde. Som han forud sagde dem, blev deres påberåbelse af, at "Herren har brug for dem!" straks imødekommet. Jesus udvalgte til dette formål føllet, som endnu intet menneske havde siddet på. I glad begejstring lagde disciplene deres klæder på dyret og lod deres Mester sætte sig på det. Hidtil var Jesus altid rejst til fods, og i begyndelsen havde disciplene undret sig over, at han nu valgte at ride. Men håbet blussede op i deres hjerter ved den glædelige tanke, at han ville drage ind i hovedstaden, lade sig udråbe til konge og hævde sin magt. Medens de udrettede deres ærinde, meddelte de Jesu venner deres glødende forventning, og begejstringen bredte sig fjernt og nær og fik folkets forventninger til at stige til de højeste tinder.