(33) The owners thereof.--In this instance St. Luke, though less graphic in his narrative generally, is more specific than St. Mark, who represents the question as coming from "some of those that stood by." The use of the same Greek word for "owner" and for the "Lord" affords a striking example of the elasticity of its range of meaning.

19:28-40 Christ has dominion over all creatures, and may use them as he pleases. He has all men's hearts both under his eye and in his hand. Christ's triumphs, and his disciples' joyful praises, vex proud Pharisees, who are enemies to him and to his kingdom. But Christ, as he despises the contempt of the proud, so he accepts the praises of the humble. Pharisees would silence the praises of Christ, but they cannot; for as God can out of stones raise up children unto Abraham, and turn the stony heart to himself, so he can bring praise out of the mouths of children. And what will be the feelings of men when the Lord returns in glory to judge the world!And as they were loosing the colt,.... In order to bring it away, as Christ bid them:

the owners thereof said unto them, why loose ye the colt? Mark takes notice of this, but does not tell us who they were, only that they were persons that stood there; but this evangelist informs us who they were: and it seems by this, that there were more owners of the colt than one, which might have made the taking away of the colt the more difficult; since, though one might agree to it, another might not; but Christ, who is God, and has the hearts of all men in his hands, could, as he did, dispose the minds of these men to let the colt go freely, and quietly, with his disciples; See Gill on Mark 11:5.