What is the meaning of Matthew 9:15? “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while He is with them?” • Jesus pictures Himself as the Bridegroom, drawing on joyful wedding imagery familiar to His listeners (John 3:29; Isaiah 62:5; Revelation 19:7–9). • Wedding guests celebrate because the groom is present; fasting or mourning would be out of place at such a feast (Ecclesiastes 3:4). • In this scene, Jesus’ disciples—“the guests”—live daily in His immediate presence. Their joyful fellowship with Him rightly overrides the ritual fasting practiced by John’s disciples and the Pharisees (Mark 2:18–19). • The statement affirms that joy is the proper response when the Savior dwells among His people (Zechariah 9:9; Luke 5:33–35). “But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them” • Jesus hints at His coming arrest, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension—events that will remove His bodily presence (John 16:5–7; Isaiah 53:8). • This unexpected “taking” underscores both His sovereignty and His sacrificial mission (Acts 2:23; 1 Peter 3:18). • The verse prepares the disciples for impending sorrow, echoing Jesus’ later words: “You will weep and wail, but the world will rejoice” (John 16:20). • Though absent in body, He promises a future reunion and ongoing fellowship through the Holy Spirit (John 14:16–18; Matthew 28:20). “then they will fast.” • After Jesus’ departure, fasting becomes an appropriate expression of longing, dependence, and focused prayer (Acts 13:2–3; Acts 14:23). • The early church practices fasting not as empty ritual but as heartfelt devotion birthed from love for the now-ascended Bridegroom (2 Corinthians 5:6–8). • Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6:16–18 shapes this practice—fasting is private, sincere, and God-oriented rather than a display for human applause. • Believers fast today to seek guidance, intercede for others, humble themselves, and sharpen their desire for Christ’s return (Luke 2:37; Revelation 22:20). summary Matthew 9:15 contrasts two seasons for Christ’s followers. While Jesus walked among them, joy eclipsed ritual mourning. After His departure, fasting became a fitting response of longing faith, practiced until the ultimate wedding feast when the Bridegroom returns. The verse invites believers to rejoice in His presence now through the Spirit, yet also to fast with anticipation for His promised, glorious return. |
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