What’s New?

What’s New? Matthew 9:14-17

Inductive study teaches us that through, Observation, Interpretation, and Application we can examine any text in context so that we understand it. It seems simple but its so easy to just blaze through a pericope (section of text within context)

So lets look at our text today.

Matthew 9:14–17 “ Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?” 15 And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16 No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. 17 Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.””

So since this is one narrative, we’ll examine it as we go through it.

Matthew 9:14–17 “ Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?”

Disciples of John: The pharisees would often criticize jesus. He ate and drank with sinners. He and disciples didn't ritually clean before eating, etc. Now, the disciples of John came to him asking why his guys aren't fasting like they and the pharisees are. Note since they are chatting with Pharisees, who fasted at least 2x a week (all for show, dressing in a particular way, blowing horns, lamenting loudly for attention, dressing raggedy).

Mark 2:18-22 and Luke 5:33-39 we see that its the disciples of John and Pharisees, but Johns guys are asking here in Matt.

Which means? Now we’ll see this as we keep going but i want to point out that not all of Johns disciples believe that Jesus is Son of God. They may be convicted he is Messiah, but maybe not, but for sure not deity. Maybe these guys didn’t hear John call Him the lamb of God that takes away sin of world. So the scripture isn't fulfilled for them yet, they fast. They, like many even today, think that its about the old. They only see the new in light of the old. We’ll look more at this as we go.

Note, this is even though they had no biblical mandate to fast and pray often there is nothing wrong with it till it becomes a qualifier or tradition that means your better than others or more spiritual (which you probably are lol) or saved than others because one does.

Fasting: Limiting yourself in a certain way, to a certain type of food (i.e. Daniel 1:8–14 to remain pure). There is fasting from food entirely (Daniel 10:2–3). There is fasting from food and water (Luke 4:2; Acts 9:9). There is also “fasting” from a certain activity, such as a husband and wife abstaining from sex for a predetermined period (Exodus 19:15; 1 Corinthians 7:5). With the different types of fasting in mind, how to fast depends greatly on what type of fasting you are doing as well as personal conviction. Planning or calling for a fast to heighten the spirit of prayer mentioned in Esther

I would mention that since we are not directed to (though as we see Jesus assumes His guys will do when he's gone physically) you don’t have to. Especially if you have medical issue. hypo/hyper glycemic, diabetes, etc. I would speculate that since physical intimacy can be fasted, perhaps other regular activities or things can as well. But the purpose is to help you focus on Him by denying your flesh. It doesn’t sway God or give you more prayer power - its about denying self.

Now Jesus is going to quite simply explain “why not”. I don't want to over-spiritualize and come up with crazy explanations of what Jesus says in 15-17.

The statement is self-explanatory.

15 And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

Now, I like how some put it. What do you do when you go to a wedding? At least you hope you do? Eat! Party, have fun! The kingdom is often described as wedding or feast so it seems like a good explanation. (cf. Matt. 22:2; Isa. 25:6)

Jesus does mention that when he left, that they would. We see fasting in, Acts 10:30; 13:2; 13:3;14:23; 27:9; 27:41) Now, what does he not do? Tell them that they must fast, or specify how. It is not prescribed for us.

Jesus gave instruction on fasting back in Matthew 6:16–18 “ “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites (pretender/actor/fake), with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”

Now this next section Luke says is a parable. A parable is an allegory or figure of speech. And boy, this is Jesus’ forte for sure.

16 No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. 17 Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.””

Do we need to explain? Ask the Calvary Quilters about the cloth, and most folks get the wine reference. When a new piece of cloth that isn't pre-shrunk is washed or gets wet, it will shrink and tear the original garment more.

With wine if you put it in an old skin thats already stretched, as it ferments in the bag and swells it will blow up.

This is a new thing Jesus is telling them, and it cant go the way it always has. Imagine telling that Jesus is Messiah, Savior, Lord and you were fasting for Him while he was in the room.

What does this mean coming right after the incident and “comparison” of fasting and feast?

We could say that Pharisaism is the old. Same with Johns guys. John was pointing the way. John was Elijah come to proceed the messiah. So any devotion they learned, even though from humility, would be old.

Jesus, though preaching repentance, call for obedience to the law of course but primarily calls for faith and trust in Him this is the breaking point I think.

The pharisees and even the disciples of John are strictly followers of Judaism. Not the scriptures necessarily or even God. The pharisees convinced the culture that they were the interceders, the scribes, like many religions today, you cant just look at the law, we will tell you how the law works. Sometimes, their interpretation becomes a God to them, one they would even kill for. The high priest becoming the chief hypocrite among them. However, we have a better one.

Turn to Hebrews 8. Jesus comes on the scene and says, its all in Him, through Him. It is revealed that Jesus is the Way/Truth/Life (Jn 14:6) and that the only way to God is through Him.

Hebrews 8:1–13 “ Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, 2 a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man. 3 For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this One also have something to offer. 4 For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law; 5 who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, “See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” 6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. 8 Because finding fault with them, He says: “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah—9 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the Lord. 10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 11 None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” 13 In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.” Old and new skins/patch

Now for a little more detail Hebrews 9:11–15 “ But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.”

So now, in closing, we are all, creatures of habit. Habits can be mental, emotional, or behavioral. Mental habits include things like how we think about ourselves or the way we react to stress. Emotional habits are the ways we deal with our feelings, such as numbing them with alcohol or food. And behavioral habits are the things we do every day, like our morning routine or the way we drive.

Many times, we can get into the habits of religion as well. How we always did something. Some think we need pointy hats and bells on robes. Some think you cant dance or drink. Sometimes you think you can. Thinking its always how we did it, how grandpa did it, etc. I think there is a reason that Jesus says when the new comes, 1 Timothy 2:3–6 “ For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,”

However, Christ truly has come with the new, and as he said, fulfilling the old.