18 And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not? 19 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days. 21 No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse. 22 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles. (Mark 2:18-22 KJV)
Jesus Questioned About Fasting
Here is the revised version of the passage with only redundant sentences removed, old-fashioned words replaced with modern American equivalents, and Bible references inserted appropriately. The rest of the passage is kept as it is:
Christ had been put to justify himself in conversing with publicans and sinners: here he is put to justify his disciples, and in what they do according to his will, he will justify them and support them.
He justifies them in their not fasting, which was turned to their reproach by the Pharisees. “Why do the Pharisees and the disciples of John fast?” They used to fast— the Pharisees fasted twice a week (Luke 18:12), and probably the disciples of John did too; and it seems this very day, when Christ and his disciples were feasting in Levi’s house, was their fast day, for the word is nēsteuousin—they do fast, or are fasting—which made the offense seem worse.
Strict religious people are often quick to make their own practices a standard, and to criticize and condemn all who don’t follow them exactly. They maliciously suggest that even if Christ went among sinners to help them, the disciples were just indulging their appetites, because they never seemed to fast or deny themselves. Ill-will always assumes the worst.
Christ gives two reasons to excuse his disciples for not fasting. First, these were good days for them, and fasting was not as appropriate now as it would be later (Mark 2:19-20). There is a time for everything. Those who enter marriage must expect care and trouble, yet during the wedding celebration, they are joyful and feel it is fitting to be so. It would have been very inappropriate for Samson’s bride to weep during the days of the feast (Judges 14:17). Christ and his disciples were just beginning their journey together—the bridegroom was still with them, the wedding was still being celebrated (especially Matthew’s). When the bridegroom would be taken from them, then it would be the right time for solitude and fasting.
Second, these were early days for them, and they weren’t yet ready for the more demanding exercises of religion. The Pharisees had long trained themselves in such austerities; and John the Baptist came neither eating nor drinking. His disciples had gotten used to hardships from the beginning, and so it was easier for them to fast strictly and often. But it was not so with Christ’s disciples. Their Master came eating and drinking and hadn’t yet trained them in the more difficult parts of religious life—it would come in time.
To burden them with such strict fasting early on might discourage them and drive them away from following Christ. It would be as unwise as putting new wine into old wineskins or sewing a new patch onto a worn-out garment (Mark 2:21-22). God graciously considers the condition of young Christians, who are weak and tender, and we must too. We shouldn’t expect more than what can be done in a day, or more than one’s strength allows, since we can’t give strength for the day.
Many people grow to dislike certain good things because they were forced to overindulge in them when young; in the same way, many develop a dislike for spiritual practices because they were burdened with them too early. Weak Christians must be careful not to overwork themselves or to make Christ’s yoke heavier than it really is—because his yoke is easy, and his burden is light.