Mark 2:18–22 – Why does Jesus’ stance on fasting differ so greatly from Jewish customs, and does this contradict Old Testament laws?

I. Context and Summary of Mark 2:18–22

Mark 2:18–22 describes a scene where the disciples of John the Baptist and the Pharisees are fasting, yet Jesus’ disciples are not. Those observing this difference question Jesus, asking why His followers fail to observe the customary fasts. Jesus responds by comparing Himself to a bridegroom whose presence ushers in a time of feasting, not fasting. He then illustrates His point with a pair of analogies—sewing new cloth onto an old garment and pouring new wine into old wineskins—indicating that something fundamentally new has arrived in His ministry.

II. The Jewish Practice of Fasting

Throughout the Old Testament, fasting was commonly associated with repentance, mourning, and seeking divine direction. For example:

• Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur): Leviticus 16:29–31 prescribes fasting as part of afflicting one’s soul on this annual holy day.

• Times of National Crisis: Joel 2:12 presents God calling His people to “return to Me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.”

• Periods of Mourning: 2 Samuel 1:12 details how David and his men fasted after the death of Saul and Jonathan.

During the Second Temple period, many Jewish traditions included additional fasts. The Pharisees, for instance, practiced regular weekly fasts (Luke 18:12). By Jesus’ day, widespread customs had arisen beyond direct Old Testament commands, marking fasting as a marker of religious devotion.

III. Jesus’ Response and Purpose

In Mark 2:19–20, Jesus says: “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 days will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast on that day.”

1. The Bridegroom Motif

Jesus identifies Himself as the bridegroom—an image that appears in prophetic passages such as Isaiah 62:5. This highlights the joyful nature of His Messianic arrival. In first-century Jewish weddings, rejoicing overshadowed any notion of fasting. Jesus emphasizes that mourning or afflicting oneself (as in a fast) would be inappropriate while He, the Bridegroom, is present.

2. A Temporary Suspension, Not Abolishment

Jesus indicates a future time when His followers will fast—“then they will fast” (Mark 2:20). This clarifies that fasting remains a valid spiritual discipline, yet its practice must align with proper timing and purpose. Jesus does not nullify Old Testament instruction but reaffirms that the essence of fasting is tied to one’s posture before God and the season in which one is living.

IV. New Cloth and New Wine: Illustrating a New Era

In Mark 2:21–22, Jesus states:

“No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. … And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. … Instead, new wine is poured into new wineskins.”

1. Symbol of Incompatibility

Just as new, unshrunk cloth would tear the old garment, so the fresh reality of the kingdom of God in Christ cannot be confined within established customs that fail to recognize His messianic authority. Similarly, if new wine is put into old wineskins, the fermentation process could burst the rigid skins. The imagery underscores that the coming of the Messiah necessitates a deeper transformation of heart (Jeremiah 31:31–33) rather than a mere adherence to external ritual.

2. Fulfilling, Not Contradicting, the Law

These analogies are not a rejection of the Old Testament itself. Rather, they highlight that Jesus fulfills (Matthew 5:17) all that the law and the prophets foreshadowed. The time for strict, additional fasting traditions, often meant to display piety, contrasts with the new covenant reality. Jesus does not forbid fasting; He redefines its place and purpose in light of the kingdom He inaugurates.

V. Does This Contradict Old Testament Law?

1. Old Testament Law’s Specific Fast

The central Old Testament command to fast appears in relation to the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:29–31). Jesus never criticizes that commanded fasting. Instead, He critiques the addition of man-made customs that may overshadow the heart of God’s commands (cf. Mark 7:6–8).

2. Rightly Understanding Fulfillment

Jesus’ stance honors the spirit of the law by placing fasting in its proper context. He upholds legitimate fasting while highlighting that His unique presence supersedes customary practices aimed at repentance or mourning. There is no contradiction with Old Testament teaching when one considers that the original purpose of fasting—humble dependence on God—finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ.

3. Harmony with the Prophetic Vision

Old Testament prophets looked forward to a messianic age marked by joy, restoration, and direct fellowship with God (Isaiah 61:1–3). Fasting, which commemorated sorrow for sin or distress, remains relevant whenever believers long for God’s intervention or grieve over sin. But with the Messiah on earth, the focus is on the joy of salvation and redemption beginning to unfold.

VI. Conclusion

Jesus’ position on fasting in Mark 2:18–22 does not abolish God’s established commands. Rather, He affirms that while fasting is important as a discipline of humility and repentance, it cannot overshadow the joy and significance of His presence. The Old Testament law mandated fasting specifically for solemn occasions such as the Day of Atonement. Jesus did not contradict that; instead, He positioned Himself as the Bridegroom, ushering in a season of celebration and renewal.

When He spoke of sewing a new patch on an old garment and pouring new wine into old wineskins, He taught that the new life and kingdom reality He brings cannot be bound by rigid legalism or external forms that fail to grasp His identity as the promised Messiah. Rather than negating Old Testament teachings, Jesus fulfills them and redirects our focus to the central truth: relationship with Him. When the Bridegroom was taken away (His crucifixion and ascension), fasting continued to hold its place as a means of seeking God with heartfelt sincerity. Thus, there is no contradiction, only a fuller revelation of the ultimate purpose of fasting—as part of a relationship with God that finds its completion in Christ.