What Old Testament fasting practices relate to the context of Mark 2:18? Setting the Scene: Mark 2:18 “Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and asked Jesus, ‘Why do the disciples of John and those of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not?’ ” (Mark 2:18) The One Commanded Fast: Day of Atonement • Leviticus 16:29-31; 23:27-32 – “You shall afflict yourselves and present an offering to the LORD.” • Purpose: national repentance, cleansing from sin, restoration of fellowship with God. • Significance to Mark 2:18: The Pharisees treated all fasting as extensions of this solemn day, emphasizing continual penitence. Voluntary National Fasts in Crisis • 2 Chronicles 20:3-4 – Jehoshaphat calls Judah to fast when enemies advance. • Joel 2:12-15 – “Return to Me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” • Esther 4:16 – Esther commands a three-day fast before risking her life for Israel’s deliverance. • Jonah 3:5-10 – Nineveh’s king decrees a fast; God relents from judgment. • Connection to Mark 2:18: John’s disciples, echoing prophetic calls, fasted as a sign that judgment was near and repentance urgent. Personal Fasts of Mourning and Petition • 2 Samuel 12:16-23 – David fasts for his dying child. • Psalm 35:13 – “I humbled my soul with fasting.” • Daniel 9:3 – Daniel seeks wisdom “by prayer and supplications, with fasting.” • Relevance: Fasting expressed grief over sin or deep dependence on God—something the Pharisees showcased publicly (cf. Matthew 6:16-18). Prophetic-Era Commemorative Fasts • Zechariah 7:3-5; 8:19 – Four yearly fasts remembering Jerusalem’s fall. – Fourth month (breach of the wall) – Fifth month (destruction of the temple) – Seventh month (murder of Gedaliah) – Tenth month (siege’s beginning) • By Jesus’ day, these had become entrenched traditions the Pharisees observed. From Old Testament Practice to Pharisaic Tradition • Pharisees expanded voluntary fasts into bi-weekly routines (cf. Luke 18:12, “I fast twice a week”). • Though not commanded in Moses’ Law, these practices were viewed as marks of piety. Why the Contrast in Mark 2:18? 1. OT fasting often signaled waiting for God’s mercy; Jesus’ presence meant the awaited Bridegroom had arrived (Mark 2:19-20). 2. John’s disciples and Pharisees continued OT-style mourning; Jesus’ disciples lived in the joy the prophets anticipated (Isaiah 61:1-3). 3. The single commanded fast (Day of Atonement) foreshadowed Christ’s atoning work—once that sacrifice was accomplished, ritual mourning would give way to new-covenant rejoicing (Hebrews 9:11-14). Key Takeaways • Only one fast was divinely required: the Day of Atonement. • Most OT fasts were voluntary responses to sin, crisis, or anticipated deliverance. • Pharisaic customs in Mark 2:18 drew from these patterns but added man-made frequency. • Jesus’ answer (vv. 19-22) reframes fasting: its meaning hinges on His presence, fulfillment, and the new wine of the kingdom. |
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