Two Donkeys or One? (Gospel, Jesus, Matthew, Baptist)

Given this is the season of Easter and the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem was used as a prophetic proof text by the gospel writers, who are we to believe? Matthew or the other three (Mark, Luke, and John) as to how many animals Jesus rode in on? One or Two?

[Sand&Salt]

One along with its foal (colt) following is how I understood it.

[MissKate12]

Originally Posted by Sand&Salt

One along with its foal (colt) following is how I understood it.

That’s how I understand it as well.

[BaptistFundie]

Originally Posted by Sand&Salt

One along with its foal (colt) following is how I understood it.

All of them. Some may choose to emphasize one, but it doesn't negate the existence of others.

Now, if any of them said "there was only one", we'd have a contradiction. But they don't. So it's just noise that skeptics like to whine about.

Originally Posted by Sand&Salt

One along with its foal (colt) following is how I understood it.

Originally Posted by BaptistFundie

All of them. Some may choose to emphasize one, but it doesn't negate the existence of others.

Now, if any of them said "there was only one", we'd have a contradiction. But they don't. So it's just noise that skeptics like to whine about.

It's not about how many but how many did he sit on?

Matthew 21:7 says:

ἤγαγον τὴν ὄνον καὶ τὸν πῶλον καὶ ἐπέθηκαν ἐπ᾿ αὐτῶν τὰ ἱμάτια, καὶ ἐπεκάθισεν ἐπάνω αὐτῶν.

They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them, and he sat on them.

[Sand&Salt]

Originally Posted by Jathro

It's not about how many but how many did he sit on?

Matthew 21:7 says:

ἤγαγον τὴν ὄνον καὶ τὸν πῶλον καὶ ἐπέθηκαν ἐπ᾿ αὐτῶν τὰ ἱμάτια, καὶ ἐπεκάθισεν ἐπάνω αὐτῶν.

They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them, and he sat on them.

Well, as a horse person I can tell you that unless you are a circus acrobat, you can only ride one horse at a time.

Originally Posted by Sand&Salt

Well, as a horse person I can tell you that unless you are a circus acrobat, you can only ride one horse at a time.

Exactly, yet Matthew says he sat upon them.

[pneuma]

Originally Posted by Jathro

It's not about how many but how many did he sit on?

Matthew 21:7 says:

ἤγαγον τὴν ὄνον καὶ τὸν πῶλον καὶ ἐπέθηκαν ἐπ᾿ αὐτῶν τὰ ἱμάτια, καὶ ἐπεκάθισεν ἐπάνω αὐτῶν.

They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them, and he sat on them.

Is the second them referring to Jesus sitting on the donkey and colt or is it referring to the cloaks?

[pcamps]

Originally Posted by Jathro

Given this is the season of Easter and the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem was used as a prophetic proof text by the gospel writers, who are we to believe? Matthew or the other three (Mark, Luke, and John) as to how many animals Jesus rode in on? One or Two?

It depends how much you have had to drink. I remember years ago coming out of a local pub, seeing my parents walking up the street, all 4 of them.

Originally Posted by pneuma

Is the second them referring to Jesus sitting on the donkey and colt or is it referring to the cloaks?

It would not matter since the cloaks were put on both animals. The grammar can accommodate both. So the context is more helpful in this regard - and as such I don't think the focus is on the cloaks given the repeated mention of the two animals to literally fulfill Zech.9:9.