ACC ~ Matthew 21 v4 - 5

BEHOLD, YOUR KING COMES GENTLE

INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW: Into the mystery of future nations, sitting upon an ass and its colt, he entered into the temple. In this way he joined together the nations with the Jews. But knowing as a prophet the wickedness of the Jews, that they would speak against Christ ascending into the temple, he therefore predicted that through this sign the Jews would recognize their own kingdom, saying, “Behold, your king comes to you gentle, sitting on an ass and its colt.” [1]

“Behold” is the word of the one showing. That is, don’t look at your King alone but examine the matter with spiritual intellect. Ponder the works of his virtues, not the external outline of his appearances. For if you look at his outline, you will be disappointed by human nature. If, however, you behold his work, you will be saved by God’s own goodness.

A prophet who stood much earlier, however, observing with spiritual vision him who had not yet been born, was saying “behold” in order to show that he, about whom it was spoken, already was before he was born. When therefore you see him in the temple, oh Jews, do not wish to act haughtily toward him, saying, “By what power do you do these things?” [2] Rather, “Behold, your king comes to you gentle, sitting on an ass.” Do not consider by what power he does them but only if he is able to do them. Believe. Do not put him to a test. “Behold, your king comes to you gentle, sitting on an ass.” Do not say, “We have no king but Caesar only.” [3] “Behold, your king comes to you gentle, sitting on an ass.” If you understand, he comes to you. If you do not understand, he will come against you. If you understand, he will come in order to save you and to set the nations under your feet, so that you may say with the prophet, “Since God is lofty, terrible and the great king over all the earth, he subjected the peoples to us and the nations under our feet.” [4] “He chose us for himself for his inheritance, the image of Jacob, whom he loved.” [5] If, however, you do not understand, he will come to destroy you and to expel you from the temple of holiness, and to take another wife more pure from the nations into his bed of holiness. [Then] you, cast forth and standing in the darkness, may say with Solomon, “Do not look at me, since I have been blackened, since the sun has despised me.” [6]

Do you wish to know the gentleness of the one who is coming? Consider the image of his arrival. He does not sit on a golden chariot, shining with priceless purple. Nor is he mounted upon a foaming horse, the lover of discord and quarreling, which has a chest filled with glory’s boasting, which sniffs out war from afar and rejoices at the sound of the war trumpet and, when it sees a bloody battle, says in its own heart, “It is well done.” Rather, he sits upon an ass of tranquility, a friend of peace. HOMILY 33. [7]

[1] Zech 9:9.

[2] Lk 20:2.

[3] Jn 19:15.

[4] Ps 47:2-4 (46:3-5 LXX).

[5] Ps 47:4 (46:5 LXX).

[6] Song 1:6.

[7] PG 56:836-37.

THE GENTLE KING

SEVERUS: It is again a prophecy, that of Zechariah, just as that also found in the book of Matthew, which informs us that a donkey’s foal was tied to its mother. For the prophecy reads, “Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion, shout, daughter of Jerusalem; behold, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation; he himself is humble and mounted on a donkey and on a newly born foal.” [1] Now who doesn’t, while waiting for a righteous king, immediately understand that the Christ is in view, who prefigured likewise the name of Melchizedek, whose name in translation evokes the “king of justice”? [2] So the prophet himself does not only say “king of justice,” but he added “and redeemer.” He did so in order to indicate, in an additional way through this means, the name of Jesus, which when translated means “salvation of God” and “healing.” And he added next, “He himself is humble and mounted on a donkey and on a newly born foal.” He does so to show in advance he who is written about in the Gospels: “Learn of me, for I am gentle and humble of heart.” [3] Now there was never any king, simultaneously just, a redeemer, gentle and seated on a donkey, who came to Jerusalem, unless this is he who alone is King of kings, God and Redeemer, Jesus. He is kind, gentle and abundant in mercy for all those who call upon him, [4] as it is written. CATHEDRAL SERMONS, HOMILY 20. [5]

[1] Zech 9:9.

[2] In a passage from Zechariah omitted by Matthew, the Messiah is also defined as just and salvific. Hence the connection with Melchizedek that Severus creates based on the etymology of the latter with “king of justice.”

[3] Mt 11:29.

[4] Ps 86:5 (85:5 LXX).

[5] HE DEATH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST | MATTHEW 14:1-12