Tuesday Contradictions: Matthew 21:1-9 – Palm Sunday Puzzle: One Donkey or Two?

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: [email protected]  Skeptics Annotated Bible: https://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/contra/one-or-two.html  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  Eric Lyons, “A Donkey and Her Colt,” Apologetics Press: https://apologeticspress.org/a-donkey-and-her-colt-773/ “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/ “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/ “Did Jesus ride more than one donkey in His triumphal entry?,” Compelling Truth: https://www.compellingtruth.org/Jesus-ride-one-two-donkeys.html 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 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 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