Matthew 9 - second question

The disciples of John came up to Jesus and asked him why his disciples did not fast. This seemed unusual to them. Would it seem unusual to us today? I don't think so really. But they said the Pharisees fasted and John's disciples fasted (a lot). So why did Jesus disciples act differently and not fast?

Why do you think they did not fast?

Jesus responded with a word picture. He said his disciples could not possible fast while the bridegroom was with them. He called his disciples attendants. Literally the Greek calls them "sons of the bridegroom". This reminds us of a Jewish wedding, that could go on for days. The attendants are eating and drinking and rejoicing. It would be rude. It would be wrong to fast during a wedding feast.

Today we do not regularly fast. Maybe some fast during Lent, but it is not very serious. Fasting is meant to draw us closer to God. But Jesus is saying "How can anyone get any closer to God than they are when they are with me. After all I am God in the flesh and they are living and eating with me."

Jesus follows up with two analogies. First he states no one would ever patch an old garment, or cloth with a new piece of fabric. When the new piece shrinks the whole thing will be ruined. Next he reminds them that new wine would never be poured into an old wineskin. If one did the one wineskin would burst destroying the wine, and the wineskin. No new wine in new wineskins and both are preserved. His audience would be nodding their heads knowingly. This would be practical knowledge.

What is Jesus saying here? He is saying the old covenant and the new covenant cannot be mixed. The Pharisees and the disciples of John are under the old covenant. Jesus represents the new covenant. This must somehow refer to the question about fasting. You can conjecture but it must somehow be connected. It is part of the same story, the same response to the question. How does two illustrations about the covenant refer to a question about fasting?

I think, among other things Jesus is saying fasting is associated with the old covenant. Jesus was gone for only a few days. But now he is back. He may not be here eating and drinking with us anymore but he is here in the Spirit. We have no need of a way of getting closer to God. We can get as close to God as our faith allows. Often our faith is weak and we feel a need for things to help us. But we really do not need things like sacrifice and fasting. Jesus tore the curtain dividing us out of the Holy of Holies. We can approach the throne of God because of Jesus' intercession for us. We are righteous because Jesus makes and calls us righteous.