Episode Details

Episode 265 examines the alleged gospel contradiction about Jesus riding a donkey and its colt into Jerusalem. The host explains how Matthew mentions two animals present while Mark, Luke, and John focus on the colt Jesus rode, showing the accounts are complementary rather than contradictory.

The episode also explores how Matthew’s detail highlights fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy and offers practical reasons—like keeping the colt calm—for bringing the mother donkey.

References to items discussed and/or used on this podcast may be found at the following:

buymeacoffee.com/lancesmith 

The Bible Difficulties and Answers Website

The Bible Difficulties and Answers Facebook Page

Email Address: bibledifficultiesandanswers@gmail.com 

1. Skeptics Annotated Bible: https://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/contra/one-or-two.html 
2. CARLSON, S. C. (2019). “The Jenny and the Colt” in Matthew’s Messianic Entry, Part 1: Matthew 21:5 as a Reading of Zechariah 9:9 in Light of Mark 11:1-10. The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, 81(1), 62–84. http://www.jstor.org/stable/26649077 
3. Eric Lyons, “A Donkey and Her Colt,” Apologetics Press: https://apologeticspress.org/a-donkey-and-her-colt-773/
4. “Did Jesus Ride into Jerusalem on One Donkey or Two?,” Reluctant Xtian: https://reluctantxtian.com/2020/04/03/did-jesus-ride-into-jerusalem-on-one-donkey-or-two/
5. “Jesus rode into Jerusalem on one or two donkeys? The Triumphal Entry in the Gospels,” Essential Church: https://essentialchurch.net/2018/01/29/jesus-rode-into-jerusalem-on-one-or-two-donkeys-the-triumphal-entry-in-the-gospels/
6. “Did Jesus ride more than one donkey in His triumphal entry?,” Compelling Truth: https://www.compellingtruth.org/Jesus-ride-one-two-donkeys.html
7. Wayne Coppins, “Sitting on Two Asses? Second Thoughts on the Two-Animal Interpretation of Matthew 21:7”: https://religion.uga.edu/sites/default/files/inline-files/Sitting-on-Two-Asses.pdf
8. Catherine Sider Hamilton, “Commentary on Matthew 21:1-11,” Working Preacher: https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/sunday-of-the-passion-palm-sunday/commentary-on-matthew-2711-54-7
9. Instone-Brewer, David. "The Two Asses of Zechariah 9:9 in Matthew 21." Tyndale Bulletin 54.1 (2003), pp. 87–98. https://tyndalebulletin.org/article/30226-the-two-asses-of-zechariah-9-9-in-matthew-21.pdf