Mary's Little Donkey

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This story of Jesus’ birth pictures St. Joseph as an old man, who has children from a previous marriage. The scene has Mary sitting on a donkey, led by Joseph’s son. Zechariah 9:9 “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” Most of the lady donkeys would have adopted him as their own little colt, but this was not to be. Just as Donkey thought he had found a foster mother, he would find himself on another farm. But God had not forgotten him. And finally, Donkey had accepted the fact that he might never know his natural mother, or have a foster mother.

Mary’s Donkey – a Christmas Story, Part 1 – Jeannie Thompson

Jerusalem covered one square mile and had an estimated population of 200,000, with one million pilgrims annually, mainly arriving for the religious feasts.

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Whatever it might have been, the road was arduous, and their journey encourages us along our own spiritual journey to the feast of Christmas. The most common image of Mary and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem features a pregnant Mary riding a donkey, while Joseph is leading the way on foot. Chris Mueller in an article for Ascension Press paints a much different picture. Mary and Joseph were not the only ones taking the journey. More than likely, the routes between cities were crowded with travelers. Nobody would consider taking a trip like this alone. It would not have been safe, as the territory between towns was not policed and bandits would have been a real concern. The people probably traveled in great caravans for convenience and safety. Mary and Joseph would have been among the vast migration of people. It must have been an incredible sight to see. There is no mention of a donkey, camel, or any other mode of transportation. Where the donkey tradition originated Almost every film, every play, and every nativity scene planted in front yards depicts Mary on a donkey. While these nativity scenes remind us of the wonder and awe of the night of Jesus’ birth. There may be misconceptions about the night of our wonderful Savior’s birth. They all tell the Christmas story but are they correct? Is it okay to use a theatrical license to retell the story? Either way, it does cause us to wonder what the journey to Bethlehem was like.

Did Mary Really Ride on a Donkey into Bethlehem? - Crosswalk

One evening when Mary was having dinner with Joseph and her future inlaws, Joseph decided to introduce Donkey to Mary and let her decide on a proper name for him. After dinner, he took her into the stable and left Mary and Donkey alone to get acquainted while he finished some work in the pasture.Matthew 21:7 “They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on.” What Does the Bible Actually Tell Us about Their Entrance? The story of the journey to Bethlehem is found in chapter two of Luke. Verses 1-21 tell us about the journey, Jesus’ birth, and the first eight days after his birth. However, only Luke 2:4-7 give us any details of their journey to Bethlehem: We do not know the name or breed of the donkey that was used to carry Mary, who was pregnant at the time with Jesus. A SPECIAL INVITATION FOR YOU: You are invited to attend Joseph and Mary’s wedding and later to travel with them and with Gabe to Bethlehem to celebrate the birth of God’s very own Son, Jesus! Be sure to join us for the conclusion of our story, Mary’s Donkey – a Christmas Story, Part 2.