John 12:14 “And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written, 15 Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass’s colt.”
The implication is that Jesus rode into Jerusalem upon “a young ass”, “sitting on an ass’s colt”. This is exactly as prophesied in Zechariah 9:9. Zechariah includes the mother “ass” in the account which is confirmed in Matthew 21:5. Both Zechariah and Matthew indicate that our Lord rode on both the she “ass” and the “colt”. It is reasonable to conclude that He rode the she “ass” to the gate of the city and then rode the colt on into the city. Anyone who knows the slightest thing about such animals, knows that you just do not walk up and throw your leg over “a young ass”, a “colt” for they are untrained and undisciplined. That would have been nothing but a hilarious comedy show; for, as our Lord tried to stay seated, that raucous “young ass” would have bucked and danced all over town and its mother would not have been happy either. It would not have gone well, except that it was The Creator, the Lord God Almighty that was being seated upon the “young” animal, His very presence tamed and subdued it, rendered it gentle as a lamb. If my suspicion is correct, and He rode the mother “ass” to the gate, and then rode the “colt” into the city, then the prophecy would be perfectly fulfilled and our Lord would be painting another lovely picture of Him bringing His Beloved Church (the “daughter of Sion”) out of the Old Testament and taming her, and teaching, and conforming her to His will to be His Bride. To the world, she might seem to be awfully coarse and rough around the edges like the “ass”, sort of like the “unlearned and ignorant” fishermen (Acts 4:13) and publicans and folks caught in the act of sin and such sort of folks; “And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” (I Corinthians 6:11). But, thanks be to the Lord our merciful God, that same subduing and calming loving power is still with us today; somewhat like “the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:13)!!!