The Babylonian Talmud itself treats Zechariah 9:9 as Messianic — debating how to reconcile a glorious coming (Daniel 7) with a humble donkey-riding coming.

The Talmud records Rabbi Alexander citing Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, who poses a contradiction: Daniel 7:13–14 (Messiah comes 'with the clouds of heaven') vs. Zechariah 9:9 (Messiah comes 'lowly and riding upon a donkey'). The rabbinic solution proposed: if Israel merits redemption, Messiah comes gloriously in the clouds; if not, he comes humbly on a donkey. Key point: the rabbis never question whether Zechariah 9:9 is Messianic — that is assumed. The debate is only about reconciling two modes of arrival. An alternative resolution (Winger's): Messiah comes twice — once humbly (first coming) and once gloriously (second coming). Both the rabbinical source and the text itself confirm the passage is Messianic, directly contradicting Ra's claim.