The Legend of the Donkey’s Cross

The Legend of the Donkey’s Cross – How the donkey that carried Jesus now bares a cross on its back. #Donkey #DoneysCross

The Legend of the Donkey’s Cross

You hear about this more around Easter, but often you also hear about it during Christmas too.

The Legend of the Donkey's Cross - How the donkey that carried Jesus now bares a cross on its back. #Donkey #DoneysCross (Photo by Leroy Huckett on Pexels.com)
Photo by Leroy Huckett on Pexels.com

A poor farmer near Jerusalem owned a donkey far too small to do much work at all. He felt that he couldn’t afford to feed a worthless animal like this, one that could do him no good whatsoever, so at the supper table he told his family that he was going to kill the donkey.

His children, who loved the little donkey, begged him to sell it rather than harm it. But the farmer said, “It’s wrong to sell an animal that can’t do a good day’s work.”

Then his oldest daughter suggested, “Father, tie the donkey to a tree on the road to town, and say whoever wants it may take it for nothing.” And the next morning, that’s what the farmer did.

Soon, two men approached and asked if they could have the donkey. “It can carry almost nothing,” the farmer warned them.

“Jesus of Nazareth has need of it,” replied one of the men. The farmer couldn’t imagine what a great teacher would want with such a worthless donkey, but he handed it over.

The men took the animal to Jesus, who stroked the grateful donkey’s face and then mounted it and rode away. So it was on the day we call Palm Sunday, Jesus led his followers into the city of Jerusalem riding on the back of a small, common donkey.

The donkey so loved his gentle master that he later followed him to Calvary. Grief-stricken by the sight of Jesus on the cross, the donkey turned away but couldn’t leave. It was then that the shadow of the cross fell upon the shoulders and back of the donkey, and there it stayed. All donkeys have borne the sign of the cross on their backs since that very day.

Excerpted from Sue Weaver, The Donkey Companion (Storey Publishing, 2008).

Learn about the Talking Donkey in the Bible!

First published December 12, 2020. Last updated or republished March 24, 2024.

Easter Blog Posts

Below is a list of blog posts that relate to Easter. Be sure to check them all out!

Easter Blog Posts
Easter Posts Easter Blog Posts Complete Blog Post List for Easter
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  2. 8 Things Jesus Accomplished on the Cross
  3. A-Z of Easter, The
  4. Amber Alert: Jesus Christ is Missing
  5. Arise My Love by Newsong
  6. Ascension
  7. Ash Wednesday, Day of Ashes
  8. Body of Christ
  9. Breakfast Pizza
  10. Broken Egg
  11. CEO Christians Church Sign
  12. Colors of Easter
  13. Cracking the Tradition of Hiding Easter Eggs
  14. Create and Hide Unbreakable Easter Eggs
  15. Cross Acronym
  16. Cross of Jesus
  17. Cross Tree
  18. Dogwood Tree
  19. Drive-Thru Easter Egg Hunt
  20. Dye Eggs with All Natural Ingredients
  21. Easter celebrations in the era of social distancing
  22. Easter Egg Trunk Hunt
  23. Easter Finger Puzzle Printable
  24. Easter is Canceled
  25. Easter Lilies Can Kill A Cat?
  26. Easter Monday
  27. Easter Story Snack Mix Printable
  28. Easter Sweet Treats Makes Easter Special
  29. Easter Symbols
  30. Easter Trees
  31. Easter Word Search Printable
  32. Egg Rolling
  33. Emoji Easter Story Printable
  34. Empty Egg
  35. Forgiveness
  36. Free Easter Printables
  37. Good Friday
  38. Happy Easter “Resurrection Day”
  39. He is Risen Display
  40. Hiding Easter Eggs
  41. History of Easter Bonnets
  42. Holy Monday
  43. Holy Saturday
  44. Holy Thursday
  45. Holy Tuesday
  46. Holy Wednesday
  47. Hot Cross Buns
  48. If Jesus Had An Obituary
  49. Importance of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ
  50. It’s Not About the Bunny Church Sign
  51. Jelly Bean Prayer Printable
  52. Jesus Shows His Scars
  53. KSBJ’s Cross Stops in Houston!
  54. Lazarus Saturday
  55. Legend of the Donkey’s Cross
  56. Legend of the Sand Dollar Printable
  57. Legend of the Three Trees
  58. Let kites soar: A Lenten tradition takes flight
  59. Life Savers
  60. Make Easter Eggs Last
  61. Maundy Thursday
  62. Meaning Behind Easter Lilies
  63. No Bones About It – Jesus Is Alive!
  64. Palm Sunday
  65. Passover
  66. Resurrection Bracelet
  67. Resurrection Rolls
  68. Searching for Christ
  69. Shrove Tuesday
  70. Silly Rabbit, Easter is for Jesus
  71. Son of God Movie Review
  72. Spy Wednesday
  73. Stay-At-Home Spring Printables for Kids
  74. Stitching Easter delights with Sewing
  75. Sweating Blood Prayer
  76. Telelestai
  77. That’s My King Dr. S.M. Lockridge
  78. The Rock at UT Painted for Easter (2024)
  79. The University of Tennessee Rock painted with an Easter Messages (2022)
  80. Trail to the Empty Tomb
  81. Truth About Easter Bunny & Easter Eggs
  82. That Tomb Is Still Empty, Easter Story Told by Two Kids
  83. Unique Easter Traditions from Around the Globe
  84. University of Tennessee Rock painted with an Easter Message, The
  85. What if the Resurrection Happened Today
  86. What’s So Good About Good Friday?
  87. Why Did Jesus Fold the Napkin?
  88. Words of Forgiveness by Saving Darkness
  89. You, Sin, Christ – A Simple Illustration
  90. You’ve Been Egged Printable

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Author: Steve Patterson

A Christian Blogger that enjoys blogging about the Bible, Theology, God, Jesus Christ, Christian Music, Family, Cats, Odd Holidays, sewing and much more. I have been blogging since 2004, however, I have been blogging on Courageous Christian Father since 2012. I enjoy listening to Christian Music. I am married with 1 daughter, 2 step-sons and a step daughter.

1 thought on “The Legend of the Donkey’s Cross

  1. Thank you, this made me think of the time when the Temple was laid out, with all four gates, and if one could see this from the sky, they would have seen the cross of Christ then
    Amazing

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