Expert: Thurman C. Petty, Jr. - 7/6/2009

Question
First, thanks for giving me a volunteer of the month rating for your McAfee problem.

My husband and I own and ride three donkeys and they impress me as some of the Lord's most awesome creatures. I've enjoyed reading about donkeys in the Bible. When people ask me why we ride donkeys, I enjoy telling them about Balaam's donkey saved his life and how Jesus riding a donkey that had never been ridden before through a chanting mob throwing down cloaks and palm fronds in front of them is one of the proofs of Jesus's divinity.

Could you enlighten me about what you believe it is about donkeys, both domestic and wild, that give them such a high place in the Bible? They are so different from sheep, another favored Biblical creature. Jesus compares us humans to sheep, but never (if I recall correctly) compares us to donkeys. I'm smiling here thinking that maybe that means Jesus saw the personality of donkeys as being superior to that of us humans.

Also, in our culture, donkeys are held in contempt by most people. Would you say this is a dangerous spiritual symptom? Or is it just random ignorance?

Answer
Dear Carolyn,

Thank you for your question about donkeys. I think the contempt of people comes from ignorance rather than a spiritual symptom. There isn't anything in the Bible that I know of that puts any spiritual connotation on these gentle animals.

In searching through the Bible (KJV) I found that most times the donkey (ass) is mentioned as a beast of burden or as a means of transportation.

During the time of early Israel, down to the time of Solomon, few horses were used, because God forbade Israel to go back to Egypt, where horses were in plentiful supply. So donkey’s were the predominant means of transportation, after feet.

History also notes that is was customary for the kings to ride on donkeys, at least to the time of Solomon.

I know you think highly of your loveable donkeys but I don’t think Jesus would have put them higher than people. After all, God only gave people dominion of the earth (Gen 1:26-28), so the donkey, at least, ranks somewhere below humans in intelligence and certainly in responsibility to God.

I appreciate your enjoyment of these animals and your sense of humor. God bless you as you “fellowship” with these loveable creatures.

Thurman

Here are a few texts where donkeys (asses) are included in other contexts:

Ex 13:13  And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem.

This command of God arose from the fact that the firstborn of Israel were spared when the angel of death passed over them in Egypt at the time when God slew all the firstborn, during the 10th plague. This caused Pharaoh to let Israel go free from their slavery. So God demanded a bounty to be paid for the firstborn of all children and animals in order to redeem them.

Ex. 20:17  Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

This is the 10th commandment.

Exo 23:12  Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed.

This, an echo of the 4th commandment (Ex. 20:8-11; also repeated in Deut. 5), pointing out that people and their animals—including the donkey—were to rest on the Sabbath.

Numbers 22:31-35—Balaam and his talking donkey

You already know about this one.

Judg 15:15  And he [Samson] found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.

A new jawbone can only come from a freshly slain animal, so Samson must have killed the ass and taken it’s jawbone—on the spot.

Job 6:5  Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder?

The wild ass is mentioned several times in the Bible, sometimes as an illustration, as seen below.

Job 24:1  Why, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they that know him not see his days?
Job 24:2  Some remove the landmarks; they violently take away flocks, and feed thereof.
Job 24:3  They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow's ox for a pledge.
Job 24:4  They turn the needy out of the way: the poor of the earth hide themselves together.
Job 24:5  Behold, as wild asses in the desert, go they forth to their work; rising betimes for a prey: the wilderness yieldeth food for them and for their children.

Job compares evil men to wild donkeys.

Job 39:5  Who hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass?
Job 39:6  Whose house I have made the wilderness, and the barren land his dwellings.
Job 39:7  He scorneth the multitude of the city, neither regardeth he the crying of the driver.
Job 39:8  The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searcheth after every green thing.

God is instructing Job of His creative power in order to help Job see his own place in God’s overall plan. At the end, Job bows before God and worships Him.

Prov 26:3  A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool's back.

Horses have to be whipped to get them to work, the ass requires only a bridle. The fool won’t listen until he is beaten with a rod (9th century BC). And according to the multitude of proverbs on this subject, it seems that the fool doesn’t learn even then.

Isa 1:3  The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.

Isaiah contrasts the obedience of the donkey to the disobedience of Israel.

Zec 9:9  Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

Zechariah predicts the triumphal entry of the King of Israel—Messiah—Jesus.

Matt. 21:2-15—Story of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey.

John 12:14  And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written,
John 12:15  Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt.

I once saw a burro (with a V on his chest) running with a group of wild horses, on White Mountain near Rock Springs, Wyo.

I hope you find this as useful as I found your answer to my problem. I’ve been very busy of late and have yet to put your prescription to work, but I shall do so in the next few days.

I believe that the most important thing in life is to accept Jesus, the King of kings, as our personal Savior. This means that we need to confess our sins to Him in prayer (1 John 1:9—be as specific as possible), spend time in reading His Word (the Bible), and obey His commandments. He offers to come into our lives and give us the ability to obey, and the guidance we need. This is the way we can have peace of heart, knowing that we are safe in the arms of Jesus.

Gal 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Thurman C. Petty, Jr.
pettypress@gmail.com