Did Matthew 21:1-7 make a mistake indicating that Jesus rode both the donkey and the foal of a donkey?
Let’s read that portion to give us the proper perspective of what is being said. Matthew 21:1-7 says, “And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.”
We continue to read in Matthew 21:8-9, “And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.” Although the Lord Jesus came with great fanfare from the people, He went to Jerusalem to die. We read more of this great event in John 12:12-16, “On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord. And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass’s colt. These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.”
This is the Lord’s triumphant entrance into the city of Jerusalem. The words we just read show the Lord, with this entry into the city, fulfilled the prophesy of Zechariah 9:9 which says, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.”
Now, let’s see if we can answer your question about how “Jesus rode both the donkey and the foal of a donkey.” The words of Matthew 21:7 are a little ambiguous. Let’s read John 12:14-15, “And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, SITTING ON THE ASS’S COLT.” This makes it very clear, does it not, that the Lord Jesus rode on the ass’s colt? In fact, in the account in Luke 19:29-35, only the colt is mentioned. We might ask here, why is the ass and colt mentioned in Zechariah and Matthew, but only the colt is mentioned in Luke and John?
We read an important point in Luke 19:30, “Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, WHEREON YET NEVER MAN SAT: loose him, and bring him hither.” This remark speaks to the age of the colt…having never been ridden is an illusion to the youth of this colt. Comparing all these accounts, we can rightfully surmise that this young colt was accompanied by its mother, since it was so young and would be upset at being separated from its mother. Matthew’s quote of Zechariah and Matthew’s account give a larger picture of the event, while Luke and John concentrate on the one who actually bore the Lord…the colt.
I’m thankful that you caught this seeming ‘mistake’ and asked about it. There are NO mistakes or contradictions in God’s Word. When we find something that “seems” like a mistake or a contradiction, that simply means we need to look deeper to clear up any “supposed” discrepancy we find. We are assured in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 that, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” (CC) (614.2)