14 Then the disciples of John *came to Him, asking, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?” 15 And Jesus said to them, “The attendants of the groom cannot mourn as long as the groom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the groom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.

16 But no one puts a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear results. 17 Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wineskins burst, and the wine pours out and the wineskins are ruined; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”

Matthew 9:14-17 (NASB) 

John’s still around

Remember John the Baptist from Matthew 3:1-6? He came before Jesus to prepare the way and point people to Him. He also baptized Jesus. At this time, he is in jail (Matthew 4:12) but his disciples are out and about. Some had already become followers of Messiah (John 1:35-42). Now some of John’s disciples come to Jesus to ask about fasting – and why John’s (and the Pharisees) fast, but His disciples don’t.

Fasting

The Old Testament (OT) called for fasting. Fasting was usually a sign of mourning for sin or loss (Joel 2:12, 2 Samuel 1:12). It was practiced in private (Nehemiah 1:4) and public. For example in Nehemiah 9:1-4 the people had just finished rebuilding the wall, heard Ezra read scripture in a public ceremony and responded with weeping and mourning. Esther 4:16 is another example. 

In the Sermon on Christian living (Sermon on the Mount), Jesus corrected the religious leaders’ errant view on how to fast. For us today, “Fasting is a way to demonstrate to God, and to ourselves, that we are serious about our relationship with Him. Fasting helps us gain a new perspective and a renewed reliance upon God.” (gotquestions.org)

New for old

Jesus’ teaching here is about a new way and it continues the “you have heard it said…but I say…” theme from the sermon on the mount (Matthew 5:43-44). He gives three examples to help His listeners understand.

• Bridegroom presence: Scripture often uses the metaphor of a wedding where His followers are the bride and He is the bridegroom While the bridegroom is present, there should be rejoicing, not mourning. In this teaching, He also prophesied to His disciples of His coming departure. 
• New patch: A new piece of un-prepared or unworn cloth used to patch worn cloth would make the hole worse. “So, says he, my “new” doctrines do not match with the old rites of the Pharisees.” (Barnes’ commentary)
• New wine, new wineskins: “He did not come to repair or reform the old institutions of Judaism, but to institute a new covenant altogether. The new covenant doesn’t just improve the old; it replaces it and goes beyond it.” (enduringword.com) Likewise, we are new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), we’ve been born again so we can be filled with the Spirit. 

RЯeflection

• Have you been born again? Are you a new creation? If not, click here.
• If you are, rejoice and give thanks! Yes, we should mourn and fast for our sin and to consecrate ourselves to the Lord. We should also rejoice and give thanks for what He’s done and what’s ahead for us.