Mark 2:18-22
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?”
19 And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.
20 The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day.
21 No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made.
22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.”
Mark 2:18-22: Verse-by-Verse Analysis
Verse 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?'”
This verse sets the scene. John’s disciples and the Pharisees are fasting. Fasting was a common religious practice. People notice that Jesus’ disciples are not fasting. They question Jesus about this difference. This question highlights a perceived inconsistency.
Verse 19: “And Jesus said to them, ‘Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.'”
Jesus responds with a metaphor. He compares himself to a bridegroom. His presence is like a wedding celebration. Weddings are times of joy, not fasting. Jesus implies that his presence brings joy. Therefore, fasting is inappropriate while he is with them.
Verse 20: “The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day.”
Jesus acknowledges a future change. He will not always be with them. When he is taken away, fasting will be appropriate. This hints at his future suffering and departure. It shows that fasting has its time and place.
Verse 21: “No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made.”
Jesus uses another metaphor. He talks about sewing unshrunk cloth on an old garment. The new cloth will shrink and tear the old garment. This illustrates the incompatibility of old and new practices. Jesus’ teachings are new and cannot be patched onto old traditions.
Verse 22: “And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.”
Jesus continues with the theme of incompatibility. New wine expands as it ferments. Old wineskins, already stretched, cannot handle this expansion. They will burst. New wine requires new wineskins. This signifies that Jesus’ new teachings need new forms and practices. The old ways cannot contain the new message.
In summary, Jesus uses these metaphors to explain why his disciples do not fast. His presence brings a new era. This new era requires new practices. The old ways are insufficient for the new message he brings.