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Maybe Jesus rode in on a donkey because He needed to die a vicious death on the cross.
Not just any death. Not a quiet one. Not a dignified one. But one that would be so brutal, so humiliating, that it would shake both heaven and earth. And in order to get to that kind of death, Jesus had to make certain decisions—decisions that would never lead to honor in the eyes of the religious elite, but would lead Him straight to Golgotha.
Jesus was not naive. He was a strategist.
When we build companies, ministries, or movements, we tend to recruit the best talent. We seek out degrees, résumés, polish, and presentation.
But when Jesus began building His community, he did not do that. He didn’t follow the expected rules. No, when He began establishing the greatest Kingdom the world has ever known, He did it differently.
Think about the parable of the talents — He celebrated multiplication, great stewardship, and risk. Or the moment the woman poured her most expensive perfume on His feet — an act of extravagant worship. The people around Him protested, saying it should have been sold and given to the poor. But Jesus replied, “The poor you will always have with you.”
Or take the great Centurion—he said, 'I too am a man under authority,' recognizing Jesus’ power with just a word. And Jesus responded, 'I haven’t found such great faith in all of Israel.
Yet, on earth with a mission to save the world. He did the opposite.
“Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him.”
— Mark 3:13
He called fishermen. A tax collector. A zealot. A thief. Men with calloused hands, tempers, and issues. Why?
Because Jesus didn’t come to live in a palace. He came to hang on a cross.
Had He chosen scholars, dignitaries, or religious leaders, they might’ve shielded Him. Protected His reputation. Helped Him posture Himself in a way that gained acceptance. They may have taught Him how to “tone it down.” But Jesus didn’t want to be accepted. He wanted to be sacrificed.
“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
— Mark 10:45
Did He Chose the Rejected to Ensure His Rejection?
Jesus had to ensure He would be rejected. That’s why He surrounded Himself with people who wouldn’t protect Him. He knew Judas would betray Him. He knew Peter would deny Him. He knew the crowds would turn on Him. But that was the plan.
“He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain… He was pierced for our transgressions.”
— Isaiah 53:3–5
If He had been adored, He might not have been crucified. If He had been politically correct, He wouldn’t have been arrested. And if He had walked in with prestige, the crown on His head would’ve been golden—not made of thorns.
Jesus orchestrated His own rejection.
He chose the donkey, not the war horse.
He chose Galilee, not Jerusalem’s inner courts.
He chose tax collectors and sinners, not Pharisees and scholars.
Because had He been embraced by the elite, He would’ve never been nailed to the cross—and that cross was the whole reason He came.
“The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again.”
— John 10:17
Jesus Moved With Intentions
We often speak of Jesus' death as something that happened to Him. But Jesus wasn’t a victim of circumstance. He was the author of it.
“No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.”
— John 10:18
He intentionally rejected worldly acceptance. He didn’t run from the cross; He ran toward it. Every disciple He chose, every message He preached, every confrontation He allowed—it was all leading to one destination: Calvary.
He didn't need a dignified death.
He needed one that could absorb every sin, every wound, every betrayal, every shameful thing mankind would ever do.
And to get there, He needed to be despised.
So yes, maybe Jesus rode in on a donkey because He knew what was waiting for Him. And He chose it.
Because His death was not accidental.
It was strategic.
The question then is: can you build a legacy off of rejection?
While Jesus’ name lives on forever, we don’t see a third Adam.
Maybe Jesus came in such a way that He would be the last Adam.
