Mark 2:18-22
Jesus Questioned About Fasting
18 Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, “How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?”
19 Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. 20 But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast.
21 “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Otherwise, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. 22 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.”
Jesus prioritizes His Presence on earth as one of joy and celebration over the tradition of fasting...So in His response to the question by the Pharisees, Jesus uses the analogy of a wedding feast: "Can the wedding guests fast while the Bridegroom is with them?"...Jesus is the Bridegroom...This indicates that His Being on earth brings a sense of joy and celebration that transcends the need for traditional forms of religious observance...He will not be on earth for a long time, so those seeing Him, meeting Him need to learn from Him...
Jesus emphasizes the importance of internal motivation over external conformity...So Jesus criticizes the Pharisees for fasting for public show rather than for genuine Spiritual seeking...He says, "When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces to show men that they are fasting...Assuredly I say to you, they have their reward."...This highlights His focus on inward transformation of loving God over outward appearances and traditional religious practices...
Jesus recognizes the need for flexibility and adaptation in our religious practices...He reads the Bible and interprets Scripture the Correct and Perfect Way, because He is the Bible...He is the One who fulfills scripture...
While Jesus did fast in the wilderness, He doesn't necessary advocate for rigid adherence to fasting customs...He acknowledges that different situations call for different responses, and that His Teachings represent a new era in God's relationship with humanity...While sin has separated us in the past from God, Jesus is now our Mediator between God and man...And Jesus forever links God to man and man to God by telling us the Two Greatest Commandments are to love God and to love neighbor...God and man are in all things together...
Jesus is willing to challenge the current religious authorities and their interpretations of tradition and how they read Scripture...Jesus' responses to the questions about fasting can be seen as a subtle but firm challenge to the authority of the Pharisees and their strict adherence to Jewish law...As is different responses to other questions and comments, like the comment saying one cannot eat from the fields on the Sabbath...According to Moses law, picking and eating grain directly from the field would generally be considered a violation of the Sabbath, except in specific circumstances like if you are starving...When the disciples become hungry, they plucked the heads of grain and ate them...The Pharisees, who held strict interpretations of Moses and Sabbath laws, accuse them of breaking the Sabbath...Jesus responds by referencing two examples: King David and his men eating the consecrated bread reserved for priests when they were hungry (1 Samuel 21:1-6)...The practice of priests performing work related to temple sacrifices on the Sabbath (Mark 2:25-26)...Jesus argues that addressing basic needs like hunger on the Sabbath takes precedence over rigid interpretations of the law...This incident underlines the emphasis on compassion and flexibility in Jesus' teachings...Jesus is telling His Teachings are new...The Pharisees do not understand that He is the LORD over the Sabbath, and LORD over all things...Jesus is suggesting that His Teachings offer a new way of understanding God and living a faithful life...
We really do not have a lot of information on when, how often, and if His Disciples fasted when He was with Jesus...But Jesus told them the time would come when the Bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast...
Jesus sees Himself as the Bridegroom (Messiah) whose Presence brings a new beginning...By referring to Himself as the Bridegroom, Jesus implies that His arrival marks a significant shift in the Spiritual landscape and that a New Spiritual Kingdom has now been ushered in...His Presence brings a new covenant and a new way of relating to God...Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and the only Way to God...Jesus is telling the Pharisees and us that the old practices of traditional Scripture may not always be applicable...
When Jesus is questioned about His Disciples and Him not fasting, He reveals Himself as a compassionate and insightful Teacher who prioritizes love, joy, and authenticity over outward displays of religiosity...He challenges traditional interpretations of faith and encourages His followers to seek a deeper, more meaningful relationship with God...