Why did Christ's lowly entry on a donkey shock the Jews?
The Jews expected the coming king to arrive as a royal figure, riding a white steed like a Roman general or emperor. Instead, Christ came lowly, riding the foal of an ass, presenting Himself as a servant, and this contradicted their expectation and threw them a curve.
Les explains that the Jews were looking for someone to come in on a white steed, like a Roman general or Roman emperor. But Christ came as a servant, lowly, riding upon the foal of the ass. He was presenting Himself as the king, yet not as the royal king as yet. This is what threw such a curve at the Jews. He epitomized that servant role when He washed the disciples' feet; they could not understand how the very creator of the universe, the one who had come to be king not only of Israel but of the whole planet, could get down on His knees and wash the disciples' feet. So He comes as the lowly servant, not as Adam with total dominion.