Mark 2:18-22

Mark 2:18–22 KJV (WS)

18 And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not? 19 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days. 21 No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse. 22 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.

Introduction

Moving forward in the gospel of Mark, we are in a section of controversy for Jesus’ ministry.

He is facing great scrutiny.

Everything he does or says is questioned and debated.

Tonight, we are going to look at how Jesus handled a controversial question regarding fasting.

Fasting is a much mis-understood spiritual discipline.

Many Christians have never experienced this practice, at least not for spiritual reasons.

Fasting, in it’s right application is either a sign of disaster or a voluntary self-abasement.

It was just as misunderstood in Jesus’ day.

Let’s see if we can get some help from Jesus’ words just as they did.

A question is posed. vs 18

Notice who brings up this question.

It is a mixed group consisting of disciples of John the Baptist and the Pharisees.

You know the pharisees were super eager to seize on this strange coalition with John’s disciples in a question to Jesus.

It may be that the pharisees and the disciples of John were united over their shared stance in regard to the need for rigor of piety.

In the topic of fasting, it was becoming more and clear that Jesus’ disciples did not practice what both groups considered to be an essential part of religion.

It may have seemed like Jesus’ followers had chosen an easier path.

With John in prison by this point, their may have also been some animosity towards Jesus.

John’s disciples may have been put off by Jesus’ personality difference from John.

John was a recluse, Jesus went to dinner parties.

The Pharisees don’t really care what it is that unites them, they are simply interested in trying to split the infant movement into factions that they can control.

They would love to pit the disciples of John against the disciples of Jesus.

John’s whole life’s mission was to prepare the way for Jesus.

Regardless, the basis of the question is this, “Why the difference?”

Why are we fasting and you are not.

To fast or not to fast.

That is the question.

Well, Jesus is going to show that the answer depends on our condition and circumstances.

Answer Part 1 vss 19-20

What business do the children of the bridechamber have in fasting while the groom is with them?

We are so used to the way Jesus speaks because we have read and studied the gospels.

But, can you imagine being in the room when someone asks Jesus about fasting and he starts talking about a wedding party.

It must have taken them all a minute to figure out what was going on.

I know that for me, I immediately recognize that Jesus is talking in symbolism.

It still takes me awhile to figure out what he is talking about.

Since there are cultural differences that we are not familiar with, let’s break down this first part of his answer.

“Children of the bridechamber” is a term for friends or companions of the groom.

In a Jewish wedding, it was the friends’ job to conduct the bride to the groom’s house.

They would then, after the ceremony, spend 7 days in festivity and rejoicing.

The friends of the groom, by Talmudic tradition were exempt from prayer and worship and fasting during this time.

They had only one duty…rejoicing.

Jesus identifies himself as the groom and his disciples are his friends.

The joy in the presence of the bridegroom is a picture of the victorious antagonist of all sorrow and mourning.

Jesus came to bring gladness not sadness.

But this will not last.

Fasting was to only take place when the groom was taken.

This is a foreshadowing to the fact that Jesus will not always be with his disciples.

That is not the case yet, and so, when you’re with the groom, you don’t fast.

Now, Jesus was not anti-fasting.

Fasting was/is a legit spiritual discipline.

The Pharisees had taken it well beyond the pattern laid out in the OT.

In the OT the Jews were only required to fast for 1 day a year on the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur.

The pharisees, though, I know this will surprise you, they had made it a requirement for people to fast 2x a week.

So, even when his disciples would fast, it would not look the same as what the pharisees expected.

Now, this question of fasting opens up a far more important topic.

Fasting is a symptom of a deeper issue.

The pharisees (and even the disciples) see Jesus as existing within the box or confines of Judaism.

This is the root problem.

Jesus digs down to the root of the issue with the second part of the answer.

Answer Part 2

Jesus uses two illustrations.

A patch and a wineskin.

What’s going on here?

First, consider the patch.

You’re favorite tunic gets a hole in it.

You want to keep wearing it so you look for a patch.

Even if you are able to find the same fabric that the tunic is made out of, it won’t be the same.

Your tunic is old, the cloth is faded and getting threadbare.

The patch is full of color and the threads are still tight.

All that’s going to happen is that the old fabric is going to eventually tear around the new patch and you’re going to have a bigger hole than you started with.

Second consider the wineskin.

Wineskin is a goatskin that has been removed without slitting it.

Openings at feet and tail are closed.

Leaving the mouth and neck open.

You put fresh juice in the wineskin with other spices and ingredients (like water)

As the juice ages it releases gasses that stretch the skin.

If you were to try to reuse the skin, it would hold more liquid than before.

The skin has been stretched.

New juice would release more gasses but this time, the skin does not have the ability to stretch any further.

So, as it is hanging in your house, it bursts and spills the juice all over the place wasting it.

Notice what is happening here in both instances.

Why do you sew patches into an old garment.

Why do you put new wine into wineskins?

Both actions are taken in order to preserve something.

This is the mindset of the pharisees and some of the disciples of John.

They want Jesus to help them preserve their old way of life.

Jesus did not come to take on the role of reformer.

The old covenant is the old robe.

The old covenant is the saggy stretched out wineskin.

Jesus knows what humanity needs the most.

Not a new patch; a new robe.

Jesus rejects a patchwork approach to the kingdom.

The ferment of the gospel will burst all old structures.

Jesus came to introduce the new, not to patch the old.

Think about this.

How did the robe get a hole in it?

It was doing it’s job, someone was wearing it.

The hole doesn’t negate the years of usefulness of the past.

It simply indicates that the garment has reached the end of it’s usefulness.

The same is true with the wineskin.

It is stretched out because it did it’s job.

It is not a flaw of the skin.

It’s done what it was meant to do.

It’s user error to try and force it to do what it cannot.

Jesus would establish a new covenant with his own blood.

This new covenant would be exclusive.

It would not work with other world views.

The doctrine of grace cannot be added toJudaism, especially pharisaic Judaism.

Wow, that went deep.

How did we get here?

Oh yeah, fasting.

Fasting was a major part of the pharisees old garment.

It was the sign that you were really spiritual.

It was a method of earning God’s favor on your life.

Think about who Jesus had as his “children of the bride chamber.”

Matthew, the tax collector.

Peter, Andrew, James, and John, just common fisherman.

These men were not pharisees.

Matthew wasn’t even welcome in the synagogue.

These men hadn’t earned their position with Jesus.

That’s the point.

This kind of mindset does not fit within the context of grace.

In the new covenant, our position near Christ is not because our rigid piety.

In the new covenant, our position is based on the righteousness of Jesus alone.

Application

If you think this mentality does not exist today, then you are mistaken.

The old-time pharisee says that fasting is inherently good and meritorious in the sight of God.

You may have a potty mouth, you may be unfaithful at home, you may be a thief…

If you fast 2x a week you can make up for that.

The modern pharisee says the same about many of the externals of ritual and worship.

It’s a strange thing to me that some of the people I have known who were the most rigid on certain standards were also involved in some pretty devious vices.

Oh sure, they knew how to say the right things, and they were sure passionate about certain aspects of religion.

They expected everyone else to uphold the same passions that they did.

They can make other people feel like lesser Chrisitans compared to them.

But then you find out that they are just doing all of this to hide the truth.

Fasting is a legitimate Christian discipline.

The thing has no value except as an expression of the feeling of the doer.

In other words, if you fast as an outward show, you might as well not.

If you fast because it is a matter of your heart, then and only then is it a virtue.

If you ask me, Christians should spend more time rejoicing not more time fasting.

Life for the Christian is not a funeral; it is a wedding.

Joyful celebration should be the normal experience of believers.

Sure there are hard, discouraging things going on around us.

Pray, fast (if you want), weep over it, but don’t lose sight of the certainty of our groom who will take us to his home soon.

Jesus has made us completely new.

You aren’t a remodel project.

You are a new build.

Conclusion

Have you ever experienced pharisaism?

Let’s not forget the danger of thinking that we can perform our way into righteousness.

Let’s also not forget that when we got saved, Jesus didn’t just come into our lives to fix the parts that were broken.

He came to give us a brand new life.