Matthew devotes less space than Mark to Jesus' "impressing" or commandeering an animal, but in both Gospels Jesus exercises a prerogative of royalty. Although household servants could think of the Lord as the donkey's absent earthly owner, the borrowing more likely testifies to Jesus' status. Whether or not the owner is a disciple, he has heard of Jesus, and Jesus foreknows his response; this testifies first of all to the man's respect for Jesus. More important, the passage testifies to Jesus' foreknowledge (that he would have prearranged the situation with the man without the knowledge of his disciples-who would have been his agents-is unlikely; compare 26:18). Thus Matthew is making a statement not so much about possessions here as about Christ: as the rightful King he has the right to anything in creation, certainly among his people (compare Gundry 1982:408; Blomberg 1992:311-12).