 | There are many times in our lives when we seek a Hollywood-style intervention. When we are in some particularly dire set of circumstances, we are desperate for a hero to dash in, thrash the bad guy, and rescue us from the dismal confines of our enemy’s nefarious plans. As our special guest speaker Edwin Jimenez elaborated from the scriptures in John 12:12-28, the people of Israel were expecting just that when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey’s colt. Even though this action did fulfill a particular Messianic prophecy (see Zechariah 9:9 where the daughters of Zion and Jerusalem rejoicing when their king comes riding in on the colt of a donkey), God had a completely different plan on how this donkey riding king would establish His kingdom. The people of Israel were seeking a military savior that would come in or rise up and vanquish their Roman oppressors once and for all. |
So when Jesus came on the scene working miracles, preaching with compassionate authority, and standing up against the prideful arrogance of the “religious” leaders, they speculated that this could be the one to lead them to freedom. But while Jesus did come to set them and all of us free, he did so in a way no one could have possibly comprehended.
Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written: Fear no more, Daughter Zion. Look, your King is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt. - John 12:14-15
One would expect a person that is planning a governmental coup would come riding high in the saddle of a valiant stallion ready to organize the troops and charge the castle as it were. This is what Brother Edwin called the “Hulk” effect. This is where someone big, green, and mean comes smashing through to pummel the evil doer with superior strength or authority. Brother Edwin mentioned that this type of demanding power and authority is what Robert F Capon described as “right handed” power (see Kingdom, Grace, Judgment:Paradox, Outrage and Vindication in the Parables of Jesus by Robert F. Capon). The Law is an example of this type of power. The Law is the absolute standard of authority by which all of us are to live up to without fail. The problem is that because of our sin, we constantly fail the standard set before us. (This however is the 2nd use of the Law, which reveals us as sinners in need of mercy). And no amount of physical or verbal coercion - right handed power - can get us to consistently do the right thing with the right motive. We deserve further the right handed power of condemnation and judgment as the rightful consequence of our sin.
Left-handed power is precisely paradoxical power: power that looks for all the world like weakness, intervention that seems indistinguishable from nonintervention. - Robert F Capon
But Jesus rode into town humbly on the colt of a donkey to do things differently. He chose to exercise what is referred to in the fore-mentioned book as “left handed” power. Instead of galloping into town with guns a blazing, He demonstrated the left handed power of mercy and compassion to the people.
Jesus did not come to abolish or nullify the Law, He actually fulfilled it. He came and lived the perfect life without sin that no one before or since could accomplish. The whole purpose of His coming was to endure the betrayal, the condemnation, the abandonment, the persecution, and even the death that all of us deserved. The left handed power of His love and mercy cleansed us from the guilt of our sin, reconciled us to God, granted us eternal life and gave us the righteousness we all so desperately need. The cross and the tomb that seemed to be an insurmountable defeat was miraculously the greatest victory in history.
The Apostle John saw Jesus on white, noble stallion. Perhaps we will one day see Him as such as well. But until then, He knew we needed to experience His humble donkey ride to the cross first.
Jesus did not come to abolish or nullify the Law, He actually fulfilled it. He came and lived the perfect life without sin that no one before or since could accomplish. The whole purpose of His coming was to endure the betrayal, the condemnation, the abandonment, the persecution, and even the death that all of us deserved. The left handed power of His love and mercy cleansed us from the guilt of our sin, reconciled us to God, granted us eternal life and gave us the righteousness we all so desperately need. The cross and the tomb that seemed to be an insurmountable defeat was miraculously the greatest victory in history.
The Apostle John saw Jesus on white, noble stallion. Perhaps we will one day see Him as such as well. But until then, He knew we needed to experience His humble donkey ride to the cross first.
John Clark
John Clark is a husband to Julie, a father of one son living in Valrico, Florida. He has an Associate Degree of Theology from Life Christian University, and serves at Life Center of Brandon where he is a teacher and writer.