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. 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.

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

A few months ago, the day Joseph first brought you to his parents’ stable, I had a visitor from Heaven. An angel came to see me. Yes, Donkey, a real angel! And what a wonderful message he brought from God Himself! He said that God had chosen me to become the mother of His Son. We also know they were subject to living under the burden of Roman military and judicial rule. They were taxed by both Rome and the Temple. They were simple people living a very simple way of life which meant they experience the gap inequality between the rich and the poor.As a very young colt, whenever Donkey was moved to a different farm and met some new donkeys, he would trot up to a lady donkey and ask with renewed hope, “Are you my mama?” Of course, his search was in vain. As he grew a little older, Donkey no longer brayed this question aloud, even though finding his mama was still a longing in his heart.

Did Mary ride a donkey to Bethlehem? - Aleteia

The trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem could have taken 4-6 days by foot to cover the 120 km or 75 mile journey. Tabernacles: which was in autumn – see Leviticus 23:24. John 1:14. Jesus “dwelt among us”. Literally, the meaning is – Jesus “tabernacled among us”. Being betrothed is similar to being engaged, but much more binding. Mary and Joseph would be getting married and moving to a home of their own in a few months. Until then, Donkey would continue living in the stable that belonged to Joseph’s family. Isaiah 21:7 “When he sees chariots with teams of horses, riders on donkeys or riders on camels, let him be alert, fully alert.”

He went there to be registered with Mary, who had been promised to him in marriage and was pregnant. Jerusalem covered one square mile and had an estimated population of 200,000, with one million pilgrims annually, mainly arriving for the religious feasts. There is no mention of a donkey, camel, or any other mode of transportation. Where the donkey tradition originated

Mary traveled with Joseph on a donkey | Bibleview

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.”It is possible that St. Joseph did in fact lead Mary to Bethlehem on a donkey. This was a common way of traveling at the time and donkeys were popular among all classes of people. Possibly a caravan The Gospel itself leaves out such details, as everyone knew at the time it was composed how people traveled. So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town. And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. (Luke 2:3-7) We may never know the exact mode of transportation that Joseph and Mary used, but we do know the possibilities are many. They could have used a donkey, walked there on foot, or traveled with others in a caravan. Mary was so pleased with Donkey! Joseph had just finished grooming him before she arrived. He was a beautiful donkey, and he and Mary bonded right away. After petting him for a few minutes, she said to him, “Donkey, you are already special to me, and I want to give you a special name. The angel’s name is Gabriel, and I think ‘Gabriel’ would be a perfect name for you, Donkey. I’ll call you ‘Gabe’ for short!” Donkey looked at Mary and nuzzled her hand. His long ears twitched over a broad smile as if he understood her and was pleased with his new name! After all, he didn’t know another donkey in Nazareth that had been named for an angel!

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

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. A donkey colt had just been born. At that very moment, his mother died, but he was not alone; God was with him, just as He is with every creature. And this donkey would be part of a wonderful miracle, the birth of Jesus! Donkeys or asses were the normal animals used to carry loads and are still used in many countries today. Horses were only used by the rich or as a war animal. 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?

Whatever it might have been, the road was arduous, and their journey encourages us along our own spiritual journey to the feast of Christmas. 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. This doesn’t mean we need to become legalistic about the details of Christ’s birth. Nor do we need to toss out our nativity scenes. Instead, we enjoy the Christmas narrative and hold close to the truth found in Scripture. Other stories in the Bible give us details about modes of transportation from the very early books of the Bible. A search on the word “Donkey” will provide over 145 Scripture references. Several of these not only reference Jesus’ entry on a donkey but also how donkeys were used as transportation. Donkey was fully content in the life God had planned for him. His loyalty and his kindness in helping other creatures had become his way of showing the love and purpose that God had placed in his little donkey heart. And he himself felt very much loved.