Daily Writing

Sunday, 28 June 2026

“Tell the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, your King is coming to you,
Lowly, and sitting on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey.’” Matthew 21:5

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“You say to the ‘daughter, Zion’,
‘You behold! The ‘King, yours’, He comes to you,
Benignant and having been upon-stepped upon a donkey,
Even upon ‘colt, son under-yoked’.’” (CG)

In the previous verse, it was noted that all of the things concerning the donkey were done to fulfill prophecy. The specific prophecy is from Zechariah 9:9, with an introductory note more closely aligned with Isaiah 62:11. That introductory note is, “You say to the ‘daughter, Zion’.”

The whole verse from Isaiah says –

“Indeed the LORD has proclaimed
To the end of the world:
‘Say to the daughter of Zion,
“Surely your salvation is coming;
Behold, His reward is with Him,
And His work before Him.”’” Isaiah 62:11

In Zechariah, the opening note reads –

“You must whirl, vehemently, ‘daughter, Zion’,
You must cause to acclaim, ‘daughter, Jerusalem’.” (CG)

With the introductory words given, the specific prophecy from Zechariah is cited, beginning with, “You behold! The ‘King, yours’, He comes to you.” In the Hebrew, the verb was in the imperfect aspect, “Behold, your King, He will come to you.” With the advent of Christ, there was no need to continue with that. Thus, Matthew’s words are present tense. Matthew continues, saying, “Benignant.”

The word, already seen twice in Matthew, signifies mild, such as a humble or gentle person. The word in Hebrew signifies depressed in mind or circumstances. Thus, it can signify poor, afflicted, needy, humble, etc. The context will provide the meaning. Matthew continues with, “and having been upon-stepped upon a donkey.”

This is a new word, epibainó, coming from epi, upon, and basis, a step. Thus, it literally means to “upon-step.” A donkey is stepped over in order to mount. The word exactingly describes the action. As noted in a previous commentary, the general word onus, donkey, is more specific in the Hebrew. There it is a khamor, a male donkey. Matthew finishes the citation, saying, “Even upon ‘colt, son under-yoked’.”

Another new word is seen here, hupozugion. It is from hupo, under, and zugos, a yoke. Thus, under-yoked is an exact translation. Also noted previously was that the colt in Hebrew is the word ayir, an animal just being broken in. It is from ur, to awaken. One can sense the connection as the colt is “awakened” to its new role as a bearer of burdens.

Also in the Hebrew is the athon, a female donkey, known as a jenny. That word signifies permanence. Taking these animals with the Hebrew and Greek meanings, one can more fully understand the significance of the intent of Jesus’ actions.

The khamor, jack, gives the sense of redness. In Old Testament typology, it signifies humanity derived from Adam, the red man taken from the red soil (adam is from adom, to be red). However, this donkey had never been yoked, a picture of the burden of sin, despite being the son of a jenny that was under a yoke. The jenny is from athon, enduring or perennial. The enduring burden of sin remained unbroken in man until the coming of Christ.

Jesus riding on this previously unyoked donkey is telling us that He is the Messiah, unstained by Adam’s sin, despite having come from the line of humanity. How is that possible? Because His father is God, not a human male. As sin passes from father to child, and because Jesus’ Father is God, no sin passed to Him.

A new yoke is now available for humanity. The burden of law was coming to an end. This is something being pictured in Jesus’ fulfillment of this Old Testament prophecy. Placing the two verses side by side, a comparison can be made between the future prophecy and the fulfilled prophecy –

“You must whirl, vehemently, ‘daughter, Zion’,
You must cause to acclaim, ‘daughter, Jerusalem’,
Behold, your King, He will come to you,
Righteous and being saved, He,
Lowly, and riding upon jack, and colt ‘son, jenny’.”

“You say to the ‘daughter, Zion’,
‘You behold! The ‘King, yours’, He comes to you,
Benignant and having been upon-stepped upon a donkey,
Even upon ‘colt, son under-yoked’.’”

The words of Jesus from earlier in Matthew explain the typology –

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Life application: Pay attention to the details. Great nuggets of treasure are to be found in God’s majestic word.

Lord God, thank You for the unlimited amount of treasure found in Your superior, magnificent word. You have given us one life to live before we stand before You. May we diligently strive to know You and what You have done more fully as we read and consider this beautiful word. Amen.

Saturday, 27 June 2026

All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: Matthew 21:4

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“This also, all, it having become that it should be fulfilled, the ‘having been spoken through the prophet,’ saying.” (CG)

In the previous verse, Jesus gave instructions to the disciples concerning what to say if anyone challenged them while untying the donkeys. Matthew next shows that what occurred took place in accordance with prophecy, saying, “This, also, it having become.”

As in Matthew 1:22 concerning the fulfillment of prophecy, Matthew uses a perfect participle to indicate that what had happened wasn’t just an event that took place, but that it has a resulting ongoing state.

Matthew indicates that the prophecy was intended to be fulfilled by the Messiah and that, in fact, it occurred. His fulfillment of the prophecy is the final and forever fulfillment of it. That is seen in his next words, “that it should be fulfilled.”

In other words, there was nothing random or unplanned about the event. Rather, the prophecy had been made, and Jesus’ directions to these men brought about the fulfillment of what had been recorded in Scripture. Of this, the Pulpit Commentary states, “Not only the will of the Father, but the words of Scripture, had delineated the life of Christ, and in obeying that will he purposed to show that he fulfilled the prophecies which spake of him.”

This is correct as long as one understands that Scripture is the will of the Father. There should be no separation of thought between the two, as they are harmoniously realized in the life and actions of Christ. And what has been fulfilled is “the ‘having been spoken through the prophet,’ saying…”

Prophecy is inspired by God. The writing prophet is the instrument through whom the prophecy is given, the scroll receives the words that flow from divine revelation expressed through the prophet’s mind to the quill and ink that writes out the words. In the case of the life of Christ, everything was anticipating His coming to fulfill the divine will that had become the written will of recorded prophecy.

Life application: Understanding the way in which prophecy is received is important. God did not write the words of Scripture on the scrolls maintained by Israel. Rather, God is Spirit, having no parts and not working within the stream of time. He created time and is outside of it.

What God does is to inspire a person through a process that uses the person’s own personal characteristics and circumstances. Thus, the prophet is not a tool, like a pen, that is wielded apart from any meaningful input. Rather, for example, the prophet’s personal writing style will come through.

Paul’s handwriting was clearly distinguishable, as he himself notes in Galatians 6:11. The prophet’s experiences, emotions, etc., are revealed in what he writes. And yet, what is written is clearly the word of God, as is seen in Matthew 21:4 (and elsewhere throughout Scripture).

God’s will, being expressed in the writings, will come to pass. Nothing can thwart it as the moment set by Him approaches. Thus, the writings in Scripture are a testimony to what God has determined. They stand as a witness that God’s will is, in fact, being worked out in the world.

This is why we can confidently claim what the Bible says as our own surety in doctrine and in hope. This is not a claim as if saying, “God’s word says someone can be rich and thus I claim wealth.” That is a misuse of the word.

Rather, our claim is based on the reality behind the substance of the words. “God’s word says that we are saved by grace through faith with nothing added. I stand on that. I believe it and have 100% confidence that it is true.”

This is why it is so important to know what the Bible actually says, and in its proper context. If God’s word says that Israel will be brought into the New Covenant as a nation and that they will be the head of the nations during the millennium, we should confidently avow that it will be so.

Understanding what Scripture says about the future and then standing on it is a demonstration of faith in the Lord’s sovereignty over all things. When we waffle in our convictions about a doctrinal matter, we demonstrate either a lack of faith in what is said or a lack of surety in our understanding of what is said. Either way, we should get that corrected. God’s word is written, it is authoritative, and it will come to pass. Trust this.

Lord God Almighty, help us to have surety and confidence in Your word. It is written, it makes claims and proclamations, and we should understand them and have trust in them. May our walk with You be established and grounded in Your precious word. Amen.

Friday, 26 June 2026

And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.” Matthew 21:3

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“And if anyone, to you, he says anything, you will say that the Lord, these – need, He has. Immediately, also, he will send them.” (CG)

In the previous verse, Jesus instructed two of His disciples to go to the village opposite them, where they would find a donkey tied and with her colt. He instructed them to loosen them and bring them to Him. He continues this instruction, saying, “And if anyone, to you, he says anything.”

It is something one would expect. Imagine being told to go to the nearest village, and when you find a silver Toyota Corolla parked by a bank, you are to get in it and bring it back to your boss. You would expect someone to say something as you got into it. This is the same general sense.

Donkeys were personal property. They were used for transportation, and they were generally parked somewhere accessible for the owner to load them up with goods or himself and move along.

Therefore, one would expect to be challenged when two unknown people came up and started untying donkeys that didn’t belong to them. If such were the case, Jesus continues, “you will say that the Lord, these – need, He has.”

The meaning of “Lord” is not easily discernible. The word can mean the Lord, Yehovah. If this is the intent, it does not mean that the disciples thought Jesus was Yehovah. That will only be understood later. However, it could be a way of saying, “Yehovah has a need for this,” just as we might say, “I am doing this on behalf of God.”

It could also mean Lord in the sense of the Messiah. The word “Lord” is preceded by the definite article. It doesn’t say “our Lord,” but “the Lord.” Lazarus has been raised. People at this time, who lived in this area, would have come to believe Jesus was the promised Messiah. The events of the triumphal entry certainly indicate this. That is seen in John’s gospel –

“Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him. ⁴⁶ But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did. ⁴⁷ Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, “What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. ⁴⁸ If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.” John 11:45-48

The term Lord can also mean “master” when spoken by any given person. Thus, the disciples could have been saying, “Our master needs it, and it will be returned in due time.” The second option seems the most likely.

They are in the area where Lazarus was raised. Jesus had many disciples who thought He was the Messiah. The local people were already believing this as well. And so, saying the Lord needed the donkey would be sufficiently understood that the owners would agree. This is debated, and the true intent can only be speculated. No matter which is correct, Jesus confidently says, “Immediately, also, he will send them.”

This almost gives the sense that Jesus had talked with these people and told them that in a day (or a few days), He would send men to come borrow their donkeys. If so, then it would resolve any hint of questioning, apart from the initial encounter. “Oh, you are Jesus’ disciples. Yes, go ahead and take them.”

Life application: As you can see, any of the three options for what is occurring is possible. The word kurios, lord, is used to describe Yehovah in Matthew 1:20. In Matthew 20, the blind men called out to Jesus, calling Him Lord while asking for healing. They probably meant “Lord” as in Messiah.

In 1 Peter 3:6, the term is used of Abraham being called lord by Sarah. He is the master of the house. One can see that care needs to be taken when trying to determine who is being referred to when such a word is used.

If there is this much difficulty over a single word, it shows us that we should be attentive to what is going on in Scripture, considering all possibilities. Reading commentaries can help clarify such difficulties, or they can further muddy the waters, especially when two sound theologians come to differing conclusions.

As the proverb says –

“The first one to plead his cause seems right,
Until his neighbor comes and examines him.” Proverb 18:17

Don’t just jump on the first explanation of a matter without considering that there may be better options to explain it.

O God, Your word is big and often complicated, but it is not impossible to understand. It gives us many challenges to consider and many options we can explore before grasping what is being said. What a treat this is for us! Thank You for Your wonderful word. Amen.

Thursday, 25 June 2026

saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. Matthew 21:2

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“Saying to them, ‘You go into the village, the ‘opposite you,’ and immediately you will find ‘donkey, having been bound’, and ‘colt, with her’. Having loosened, you bring to Me.’” (CG)

The previous verse noted that Jesus and those with Him drew near to Jerusalem, coming to Bethphage by the Mount of Olives. At this point, it needs to be understood that Matthew is giving details categorically, not necessarily chronologically.

John’s gospel includes the death and the raising of Lazarus, coming before the triumphal entry. Therefore, there is time and there are events between leaving Jericho and the events that will take place that occurred while Jesus was in this area. Understanding that, when there, He sent two disciples. Matthew next records, “Saying to them, ‘You go into the village, the ‘opposite you,’.’”

The village is not identified. Some argue it is Bethphage, the city just mentioned in verse 1. Others, because of the term “opposite you,” think it refers to Bethany. John Gill, with lively defense, suggests it is Nob, a city of the priests mentioned first in 1 Samuel 21.

Regardless, because the name is not given, it has purposefully been left out to keep the narrative typology untarnished. Once in this city, Jesus continues, saying, “and immediately you will find ‘donkey, having been bound’.”

The onus, donkey, is introduced here. It is a primary word. Donkeys are found in both testaments. The Topical Lexicon says it is “a symbol of humble service, patient endurance, and covenant blessing.” This word is found five times in the New Testament in Matthew, Luke, and John. Although onomastic scholars don’t generally tie this word onus to our modern word onus, signifying a burden, it is a likely candidate for its etymological root.

This is a female donkey, a jenny. That makes her comparable to the Hebrew word athon, coming from ethan, permanence or enduring. As such, the idea of “patient endurance” noted above is written right into the Hebrew naming of this animal. Jesus continues with, “and ‘colt, with her’.”

Another new word, pólos, a foal or filly, especially a young donkey, is seen. This word is found twelve times, only in all four gospels. In Zechariah 9:9, it says of the coming Messiah that He would be “riding upon jack (khamor, a male donkey), and upon colt (ayir), ‘son, jenny’.”

The words are telling a story. The khamor, jack, is derived from khamar, to boil (but with the sense of redness as in a reddened boiling pot). The word ayir, colt, is from ur, to awaken. Thus, it is a colt that is just being broken. The athon, jenny signifies permanence.

This will be further explored when we come to verses 4 and 5, where the prophecy is explicitly cited. Of these two donkeys, it next says, “Having loosened, you bring to Me.”

Jesus is specifically directing what will be the fulfillment of this ancient prophecy. Matthew is the only one who notes two donkeys. The other gospels focus only on the one Jesus will ride on. This makes sense because Matthew’s writing is directed most specifically to the Jewish people, presenting Jesus as the King of the Jews and the fulfillment of their Scriptures.

The colt would follow its mother as she led it along in this procession.

Life application: An ancient analysis of these verses from Jerome looks to the mother donkey as representing the Jewish people who had, for many hundreds of years, borne the yoke of the Law of Moses. He points to the colt as representing the Gentiles, being as yet unbroken until the time Christ sat on it.

Considering the roots of the words presented above, does that fit with what is being said and what fits into the dispensational model? Think about this as the verses continue to be evaluated. God is not just telling us surface stories of what actually took place. Rather, He is giving us deeper information in His word.

What is said and anticipated in the Old Testament through typology is confirmed in the New. The physical reality of the past is teaching us spiritual truths concerning God, the coming of Christ, the effects of His work, etc.

Many scholars call this “mystical,” as if it were a fanciful notion of made-up stuff. Some dismiss typology altogether, as if it has no use in biblical interpretation. What is wrong with such evaluations? The answer is found explicitly right in the New Testament, in passages such as 1 Corinthians 10:1-6 and Galatians 4:21-31.

In those passages, Paul says that the stories of the Old Testament were examples of Christ being presented through typology. He even says it indirectly in verses such as in 1 Corinthians 5 –

“Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? ⁷ Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. ⁸ Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” 1 Corinthians 5:6-8

Paul makes a one-to-one comparison between the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread to Christ and our life in Christ. God is working through types and pictures in the Old Testament, conveying information about what lies ahead. Every word and every detail of these ancient passages is given to point us to spiritual truths.

Be sure to think about what you are reading in the Old Testament. It is all pointing to Jesus, what He has done, and how it applies to us. Typology is how God is doing this.

Lord God, thank You for how Your wisdom is on display in ancient passages of Your word that seem to make no sense… until we look for Jesus. Then they fall into place, making all the sense in the world. What a treat it is for us to search out our Lord in them! Amen.

Wednesday, 24 June 2026

Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, Matthew 21:1

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“And when they neared unto Jerusalem, and they came unto Bethphage toward the ‘Mount, the Olives’, then Jesus, He sent two disciples.” (CG)

In the previous verse, Chapter 20 ended with Jesus healing the sight of the blind men, who were then said to follow Him. In Luke, the account of Zachaeus, the wee little man, comes after the healing. Matthew skips over that, saying, “And when they neared unto Jerusalem.”

The walk from Jericho to Jerusalem is uphill. The path follows a wide gorge at times with stunning views. Eventually, Jerusalem comes into view. Along this well-beaten track, certainly still accompanied by a large group of people, it says, “and they came unto Bethphage.”

Béthphagé is a location found only three times, once in each of the synoptic gospels. It is, unfortunately, rendered by some as House of Figs. This does not give the full sense of the word. The name is derived from beth, house, and pag (Hebrew pagah), crude, which is found only once in the Old Testament, in Song of Songs 2:13. There it says, “The fig spiced her crudes.” The word khanat signifies to spice. It is a term used when referring to embalming.

The meaning isn’t that of putting forth but of the sweetening, or spicing, of the fruit as it ripens for harvesting. This process then explains the word pagah, crude, an unripe fig. The fig is already on the tree, but until it goes through the spicing process, it otherwise remains an inedible crude unless it is properly prepared to make chutneys, jams, and preserves. However, once it is spiced by the season, it becomes edible right off the tree.

Understanding this, Béthphagé means House of Unripe Figs, or more scientifically, House of Unspiced Figs, with the understanding that the spicing process is on the tree, not in later preparation. Bethphage is collocated with Bethany, as is seen in Mark’s and Luke’s gospel records.

The actual site of Bethphage has never been determined, but its general location, based on the gospels, is certain. Being near Bethany, it is within what is known as a Sabbath-day’s journey, which is 2000 cubits or less, to Jerusalem. That is determined from Acts 1:12, which places the Mount of Olives within this distance. Matthew says it is “toward the ‘Mount, the Olives’.”

This contains another new word, elaia, olive. It refers to the tree or the fruit. In Judges 9, the olive is noted as the finest of the fruit trees. Its fruit is highly prized. Olives are used for eating, oil, soaps, and more. The oil is used for lighting lamps and cooking food, among other uses. The wood is prized for its beauty and can be burned for warmth.

As for the olive itself, it is a symbol of religious privilege. For example, it reflects the Spirit working through those who are included in this privilege. The olives receive their fatness from the roots. The branches receive this fatness and produce olives, which are then used to put forth light before the Lord in the form of olive oil. At this location, it next says, “then Jesus, He sent two disciples.”

These two are to prepare for a special moment prophesied by the prophet Zechariah, hundreds of years earlier.

Life application: It is important to know what the various things noted in the Bible represent. The olive was just seen as a symbol of religious privilege. The fig has its own connotation as well. Unfortunately, the meaning of the fig has been misapplied by many to signify the nation of Israel.

That misinterpretation has been passed around for eons, and it damages any hint of trying to figure out what is being presented in Scripture. Rather, the fig speaks of the spiritual connection between God and man.

When this was lost in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve attempted, by their own works, to restore that connection through the use of fig leaves covering the disconnect, the shame of sin.

When Jesus curses the fig tree, in the gospels, it forms a parable concerning the place He was coming from and going to, the temple, which is the place where the spiritual connection with God was effected for the people.

In His words, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again” (Mark 11:14), He was indicating that the temple that served the law would never again be the source of connection to God. Instead, that connection would only come through Him.

Understanding this, the House of Unspiced Crudes will have its own particular meaning. It refers to a fig that is not yet ready to be eaten unless it is manually prepared in a manner similar to pickling. Pay attention to such details. In considering the details, typology is likely to come forth from the surrounding narrative, forming a larger picture of something else.

Lord God, it is so wonderful to search out the treasures found in Your word. Help us to be diligent to research what is said, paying attention to every detail. In doing this, we will more clearly understand what You are telling us. Help us, Lord, to be methodical and patient as we search out this precious word. Amen.