Why did John's disciples and Pharisees fast, but Jesus' disciples did not? The Question Raised (Mark 2:18) “Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to Him, ‘Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?’” • Three groups are in view: • John’s disciples—serious about repentance and preparation for Messiah. • Pharisees—adding regular fasts (twice weekly, cf. Luke 18:12) to display piety. • Jesus’ disciples—feasting instead of fasting, creating curiosity. Fasting in First-Century Judaism • Torah required only one national fast, the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:29). • Pharisaic tradition multiplied fast days, often for show (Matthew 6:16). • John’s followers fasted as part of a movement of urgent repentance (Matthew 3:1–6). Why John’s Disciples Fasted • John proclaimed, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2). • Their fasting expressed sorrow over sin and longing for Messiah yet to be revealed. • Even after John identified Jesus (John 1:29), many of his disciples still gathered apart, unsure of next steps (Acts 19:1-3). Why the Pharisees Fasted • Obedience had drifted into ritualism—external acts rather than heart worship (Isaiah 58:4-6). • They prided themselves on extra regulations (Mark 7:3-4), seeing them as badges of righteousness. • Jesus exposed the motive: “They disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting” (Matthew 6:16). Jesus’ Answer: The Bridegroom Is Here “Jesus replied, ‘Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast in that day’” (Mark 2:19-20). • Weddings were week-long celebrations; fasting would be unthinkable during the feast. • Jesus identifies Himself as the Bridegroom foretold (Isaiah 62:5) and affirmed by John the Baptist: “The friend of the bridegroom… rejoices at the bridegroom’s voice” (John 3:29). • His literal, bodily presence signaled a season of joy, not mourning. When the Bridegroom Is “Taken Away” • A clear prophecy of the cross: Jesus’ arrest, crucifixion, burial (“taken away”). • After His ascension the disciples indeed fasted: Acts 13:2-3; 14:23. • Fasting now expresses longing for His return (Matthew 9:15) and dependence on His power. Illustrations of Newness (Mark 2:21-22) “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment… Nor do men pour new wine into old wineskins…” • New cloth on old fabric—pulls away, making a worse tear. • New wine in old skins—fermentation bursts the brittle hide. • Jesus ushers in the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34); old ritual frameworks cannot contain resurrection life. Key Takeaways • John’s and Pharisaic fasting looked forward; Jesus’ presence fulfilled the hope. • Joy in Christ trumps ritual duty; where He is manifestly present, celebration is fitting. • After His ascension, fasting resumes—not as legalism but as voluntary devotion, seeking deeper fellowship and power. • Today believers fast, not to earn favor, but to humble themselves, intensify prayer, and echo the cry, “Come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20). |
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