Then came to him the disciples of John, saying: Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but thy disciples do not fast?

“What they say comes to this, Be it that you do this as Physician of souls, but why do your disciples neglect fasting and approach such tables? And to augment the weight of their charge by comparison, they put themselves first, and then the Pharisees. They fasted as they learnt out of the Law, as the Pharisee spoke, I fast twice in the week; (Luke 18:12.) the others learnt it of John.”

“(ubi sup.) Though Matthew mentions only the disciples of John as having made this enquiry, the words of Mark rather seem to imply that some other persons spoke of others, that is, the guests spoke concerning the disciples of John and the Pharisees—this is still more evident from Luke; why then does Matthew here say, Then came unto him the disciples of John, (Luck 5:33.) unless that they were there among other guests, all of whom with one consent put this objection to Him?”

“For John drank neither wine, nor strong drink, increasing his merit by abstinence, because he had no power over nature. But the Lord who has power to forgive sins, why should He shun sinners that eat, since He has power to make them more righteous than those that eat not? Yet doth Christ fast, that you should not avoid the command; but He eats with sinners that you may know His grace and power.”

“Here the question about the feast is set forth, and the answer follows, where it says "And Jesus said to them." But here there is a literal question: why do Mark 2:18 and Luke 5:29 seem to show that the question was put by others — where it is said in Mark 2:18: "Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?" Therefore the disciples themselves did not ask it. Augustine resolves this. It was thus: the Pharisees were laying snares for Christ, and so at one time they brought the Herodians with them, but at another they took up the disciples of John. Hence the question could have been put both by others and by the disciples. But whence came it that they fasted? The answer given here is: from their own traditions, or from the Law, as it is recorded that on the Day of Atonement they were bound to fast. And Zechariah 8:19: "The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and great solemnities." Likewise the disciples of John fasted after the example of their master, who was of great austerity; but the disciples of Christ did not fast. "And Jesus said to them." Here Jesus answers, and subtly. First he assigns the reason on his own part, then on the part of the disciples. Concerning the first he does two things: first he determines the time for feasting; second, the time for fasting, where it says, "But the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then they shall fast." He says, therefore: "Can the children of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them?" Where this Evangelist says "mourn," another says "fast"; for although fasting has a certain spiritual joy, nevertheless, as is said in Hebrews 12:11, "all discipline for the present indeed seems not to be a matter of joy, but of sorrow." Hence there is a fasting of spiritual joy, as is said in Daniel 9:3: "I set my face to the Lord my God, to pray and to make supplication, in fasting, sackcloth, and ashes." There is likewise a fasting of mourning and affliction, as when it is undertaken on account of sorrows. The Lord answers concerning both. For Christ is the bridegroom: whoever has a bride is a bridegroom. For he himself is the bridegroom of the whole Church, and its beginning. The old Law had one beginning, and the new Law another; for the old Law had its beginning in fear, the new Law in love; hence Romans 8:15: "For you have not received the spirit of bondage again in fear, but you have received the spirit of adoption of the sons of God." And Hebrews 12:22: "You have come to Mount Sion, and to the city of the living God, Jerusalem." Since, therefore, the beginning of the new Law was in love, he had to nourish his disciples in a certain love; therefore he calls himself the bridegroom, and the disciples sons, because these are names of love. Hence it is good that I should preserve them; and therefore I do not wish to impose anything heavy upon them, lest they be repelled and so fall back. And therefore those who are new in the religious life are not to be burdened. Hence Ambrose, in the Book of Similitudes, rebukes those who burden novices heavily. And this is what Christ says: "Can the children of the bridegroom mourn?" etc., as if to say: it is not fitting that they should fast, but rather that they should live in a certain sweetness and love; so that thus they may receive my law in love, as is said in Romans 6:4: "As Christ rose from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also may walk in newness of life." Hence from Easter until Pentecost no fasts are observed, because then the Church calls to mind the newness of the Law. "But the days will come," etc. And this is to be taken literally. "The days will come," namely when, through your contriving, the bridegroom shall be taken away from them; and then they shall fast. And he foretold this to them, saying in John 16:20: "You shall weep, but the world shall rejoice." For those who lived before Christ desired the presence of Christ, as Abraham, and Isaiah, and the other prophets. Likewise after his death he was desired by the apostles: hence Peter was as it were in continuous grief on account of the absence of Christ; and Paul said, "I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ." Hence that was the time for fasting. Another reason why they were not bound to fast in his presence is that fasting is to be chosen insofar as it chastises the flesh, lest it grow too strong against the spirit; but while he was present, he kept them from excess; therefore it was not necessary for them to fast; hence in John 17:12: "Father, while I was with them, I kept them." But John the Baptist did not have this power, and therefore his disciples had to fast. But when Christ was taken away, they had to fast. Hence Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9:27: "I chastise my body, and bring it into subjection," etc. "But no one puts a patch of unshrunk cloth upon an old garment." Here he sets forth another reason on the part of the disciples, and he gives two examples: one according to Augustine, the other according to Jerome. According to Augustine, then, he means to say: it has been said that in the presence of Christ the disciples ought not to fast, nor indeed by reason of their own condition, because heavy things ought not to be imposed on the imperfect. Since, therefore, these men are imperfect, fasting ought not to be imposed on them. To signify this, then, he touches on it under the metaphor of cloth and wine. Because righteousness consists in exterior works and in a newness of affection, he therefore gives two examples. He says, then, "no one puts," etc., as if to say: if one wished to join on new cloth, he would not put a patch — that is, a piece — of unshrunk cloth, that is, new cloth, upon an old garment, because it would take away its beauty; so likewise, if some imperfect person has a certain custom in his manner of life, if you wish to impose upon him a different yoke, he draws back from what he had been accustomed to, and the tear becomes worse, as is said below. "Neither do they put new wine into old wineskins." Here he gives another example, from wine, as if to say: my disciples are like old wineskins. The new wine is the new Law, by reason of its newness: hence, when they had received the Holy Spirit, they were said to be full of new wine, Acts 2:13. Hence "neither do they put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wineskins burst." Hence if you impose a new manner of living upon an old man, who for some time has had a certain custom, his heart is burst through intolerance. Likewise "the wine is spilled out," that is, it is not kept safe, "and the wineskins are lost": because they trampled upon the commandments of God, and therefore they perish. "But they put new wine into new wineskins," renewing spiritual teaching through the affections, as the Apostle says in 1 Corinthians 2:13: "comparing spiritual things with spiritual." Proverbs 2:10: "If wisdom shall enter into your heart, and knowledge shall please your soul, counsel shall keep you, and prudence shall preserve you, that you may be delivered from the evil way, and from the man that speaks perverse things," etc. Jerome expounds it otherwise: for he calls the institution of the Pharisees the old garment, and calls the evangelical teaching the new; as if to say, it is not good that they should keep to your precepts, because in that way they would make the old tears worse, and thus they would not be able to receive the new teaching, just as we see that one who is not imbued with a contrary teaching more easily receives his own teaching than one who is already imbued with it. And therefore it is not good that your disciples be imbued with your teaching.”

“The objections which were made against Christ and his disciples gave occasion to some of the most profitable of his discourses; thus are the interests of truth often served, even by the opposition it meets with from gainsayers, and thus the wisdom of Christ brings good out of evil. This is the third instance of it in this chapter; his discourse of his power to forgive sin, and his readiness to receive sinners, was occasioned by the cavils of the scribes and Pharisees; so here, from a reflection upon the conduct of his family, arose a discourse concerning his tenderness for it. Observe, I. The objection which the disciples of John made against Christ's disciples, for not fasting so often as they did; which they are charged with, as another instance of the looseness of their profession, besides that of eating with publicans and sinners; and it is therefore suggested to them, that they should change that profession for another more strict. It appears by the other evangelists (Mar 2:18 and Luk 5:33) that the disciples of the Pharisees joined with them, and we have reason to suspect that they instigated them, making use of John's disciples as their spokesmen, because they, being more in favour with Christ and his disciples, could do it more plausibly. Note, It is no new thing for bad men to set good men together by the ears; if the people of God differ in their sentiments, designing men will take that occasion to sow discord, and to incense them one against another, and alienate them one from another, and so make an easy prey of them. If the disciples of John and of Jesus clash, we have reason to suspect the Pharisees have been at work underhand, blowing the coals. Now the complaint is, Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but thy disciples fast not? It is pity the duties of religion, which ought to be the confirmations of holy love, should be made the occasions of strife and contention; but they often are so, as here; where we may observe, 1. How they boasted of their own fasting. We and the Pharisees fast often. Fasting has in all ages of the church been consecrated, upon special occasions, to the service of religion; the Pharisees were much in it; many of them kept two fast-days in a week, and yet the generality of them were hypocrites and bad men. Note, False and formal professors often excel others in outward acts of devotion, and even of mortification. The disciples of John fasted often, partly in compliance with their master's practice, for he came neither eating nor drinking (Mat 11:18); and people are apt to imitate their leaders, though not always from the same inward principle; partly in compliance with their master's doctrine of repentance. Note, The severer part of religion is often most minded by those that are yet under the discipline of the Spirit, as a Spirit of bondage, whereas, though these are good in their place, we must pass through them to that life of delight in God and dependence on him, to which these should lead. Now they come to Christ to tell him that they fasted often, at least they thought it often. Note, Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness, Pro 20:6. There is a proneness in professors to brag of their own performance in religion, especially if there by any thing extraordinary in them; nay, and not only to boast of them before men, but to plead them before God, and confide in them as a righteousness. 2. How they blamed Christ's disciples for not fasting so often as they did. Thy disciples fast not. They could not but know, that Christ had instructed his disciples to keep their fasts private, and to manage themselves so as that they might not appear unto men to fast; and, therefore, it was very uncharitable in them to conclude they did not fast, because they did not proclaim their fasts. Note, We must not judge of people's religion by that which falls under the eye and observation of the world. But suppose it was so, that Christ's disciples did not fast so often or so long as they did, why truly, they would therefore have it thought, that they had more religion in them than Christ's disciples had. Note, It is common for vain professors to make themselves a standard in religion, by which to try and measure persons and things, as if all who differed from them were so far in the wrong; as if all that did less than they, did too little, and all that did more than they, did too much, which is a plain evidence of their want of humility and charity. 3. How they brought this complaint to Christ. Note, If Christ's disciples, either by omission or commission, give offence, Christ himself will be sure to hear of it, and be reflected upon for it. O, Jesus, are these thy Christians? Therefore, as we tender the honour of Christ, we are concerned to conduct ourselves well. Observe, The quarrel with Christ was brought to the disciples (Mat 9:11), the quarrel with the disciples was brought to Christ (Mat 9:14), this is the way of sowing discord and killing love, to set people against ministers, ministers against people, and one friend against another. II. The apology which Christ made for his disciples in this matter. Christ might have upbraided John's disciples with the former part of their question, Why do ye fast often? "Nay, you know best why you do it; but the truth is, many abound in external instances of devotion, that scarcely do themselves know why and wherefore." But he only vindicates the practice of his disciples; whey they had nothing to say for themselves, he had something ready to say for them. Note, As it is wisdom's honour to be justified of all her children, so it is her children's happiness to be all justified of wisdom. What we do according to the precept and pattern of Christ, he will be sure to bear us out in, and we may with confidence leave it to him to clear up our integrity. But thou shalt answer, Lord, for me. - Herbert Two things Christ pleads in defence of their not fasting. 1. That it was not a season proper for that duty (Mat 9:15): Can the children of the bride-chamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? Observe, Christ's answer is so framed, as that it might sufficiently justify the practice of his own disciples, and yet not condemn the institution of John, or the practice of his disciples. When the Pharisees fomented this dispute, they hoped Christ would cast blame, either on his own disciples, or on John's, but he did neither. Note, When at any time we are unjustly censured, our care must be only to clear ourselves, not to recriminate, or throw dirt upon others; and such a variety may there be of circumstances, as may justify us in our practice, without condemning those that practise otherwise. Now his argument is taken from the common usage of joy and rejoicing during the continuance of marriage solemnities; when all instances of melancholy and sorrow are looked upon as improper and absurd, as it was at Samson's wedding, Jdg 14:17. Now, (1.) The disciples of Christ were the children of the bride-chamber, invited to the wedding-feast, and welcome there; the disciples of the Pharisees were not so, but children of the bond-woman (Gal 4:25, Gal 4:31), continuing under a dispensation of darkness and terror. Note, The faithful followers of Christ, who have the Spirit of adoption, have a continual feast, while they who have the spirit of bondage and fear, cannot rejoice for joy, as other people, Hos 9:1. (2.) The disciples of Christ had the bridegroom with them, which the disciples of John had not; their master was now cast into prison, and lay there in continual danger of his life, and therefore it was seasonable for them to fast often. Such a day would come upon the disciples of Christ, when the bridegroom should be taken from them, when they should be deprived of his bodily presence, and then should they fast. The thoughts of parting grieved them when he was going, Joh 16:6. Tribulation and affliction befell them when he was gone, and gave them occasion of mourning and praying, that is, of religious fasting. Note, [1.] Jesus Christ is the Bridegroom of his Church, and his disciples are the children of the bride-chamber. Christ speaks of himself to John's disciples under this similitude, because that John had used it, when he called himself a friend of the bridegroom, Joh 3:29. And if they would by this hint call to mind what their master then said, they would answer themselves. [2.] The condition of those who are the children of the bride-chamber is liable to many changes and alterations in this world; they sing of mercy and judgment. [3.] It is merry or melancholy with the children of the bride-chamber, according as they have more or less of the bridegroom's presence. When he is with them, the candle of God shines upon their head, and all is well; but when he is withdrawn, though but for a small moment, they are troubled, and walk heavily; the presence and nearness of the sun makes day and summer, his absence and distance, night and winter. Christ is all in all to the church's joy. [4.] Every duty is to be done in its proper season. See Ecc 7:14; Jam 5:13. There is a time to mourn and a time to laugh, to each of which we should accommodate ourselves, and bring forth fruit in due season. In fasts, regard is to be had to the methods of God's grace towards us; when he mourns to us, we must lament; and also to the dispensations of his providence concerning us; there are times when the Lord God calls to weeping and mourning; regard is likewise to be had to any special work before us, Mat 17:21; Act 13:2. 2. That they had not strength sufficient for that duty. This is set forth in two similitudes, one of putting new cloth into an old garment, which does but pull the old to pieces (Mat 9:16); the other of putting new wine into old bottles, which does but burst the bottles, Mat 9:17. Christ's disciples were not able to bear these severe exercises so well as those of John and of the Pharisees, which the learned Dr. Whitby gives this reason for: There were among the Jews not only sects of the Pharisees and Essenes, who led an austere life, but also schools of the prophets, who frequently lived in mountains and deserts, and were many of them Nazarites; they had also private academies to train men up in a strict discipline; and possibly from these many of John's disciples might come, and many of the Pharisees; whereas Christ's disciples, being taken immediately from their callings, had not been used to such religious austerities, and were unfit for them, and would by them be rather unfitted for their other work. Note, (1.) Some duties of religion are harder and more difficult than others, like new cloth and new wine, which require most intenseness of mind, and are most displeasing to flesh and blood; such are religious fasting and the duties that attend it. (2.) The best of Christ's disciples pass through a state of infancy; all the trees in Christ's garden are not of a growth, nor all his scholars in the same form; there are babes in Christ and grown men. (3.) In the enjoining of religious exercises, the weakness and infirmity of young Christians ought to be considered: as the food provided for them must be such as is proper for their age (Co1 3:2; Heb 5:12), so must the work be that is cut out for them. Christ would not speak to his disciples that which they could not then bear, Joh 16:12. Young beginners in religion must not be put upon the hardest duties at first, lest they be discouraged. Such as was God's care of his Israel, when he brought them out of Egypt, not to lead them by the way of the Philistines (Exo 13:17, Exo 13:18), and such as was Jacob's care of his children and cattle, not to overdrive them (Gen 33:13), such is Christ's care of the little ones of his family, and the lambs of his flock: he gently leads them. For want of this care, many times, the bottles break, and the wine is spilled; the profession of many miscarries and comes to nothing, through indiscretion at first. Note, There may be over-doing even in well-doing, a being righteous over-much; and such an over-doing as may prove an undoing through the subtlety of Satan.”

“And Jesus said unto them,.... To the disciples of John, the Pharisees being present, who both have here a full answer; though it seems to be especially directed to the former: can the children of the bride chamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom, is with them? By the "bridegroom" Christ means himself, who stands in such a relation to his church, and to all, believers; whom he secretly betrothed to himself from all eternity, in the covenant of grace; and openly espouses in the effectual calling; and will still do it in a more public manner at the last day John, the master of those men, who put the question to Christ, had acknowledged him under this character, Joh 3:29 and therefore they ought to own it as belonging to him; so that the argument upon it came with the greater force to them. By "the children of the bride chamber" are meant the disciples, who were the friends of the bridegroom, as John also says he was; and therefore rejoiced at hearing his voice, as these did, and ought to do; their present situation, having the presence of Christ the bridegroom with them, required mirth and not mourning, John, their master, being witness. The allusion is to a nuptial solemnity, which is a time of joy and feasting, and not of sorrow and fasting; when both bride and bridegroom have their friends attending them, who used to be called , "the children of the bride chamber". The bride had her maidens waiting on her; and it is said (i), "she did not go into the bridechamber but with them; and these are called, , "the children of the bride chamber".'' So the young men that were the friends of the bridegroom, which attended him, were called by the same name; and, according to the Jewish canons, were free from many things they were otherwise obliged to: thus it is said (k): "the bridegroom, his friends, and all , "the children of the bride chamber", are free from the booth all the seven days;'' that is, from dwelling in booths at the feast of tabernacles, which was too strait a place for such festival solemnities. And again, "the bridegroom, his friends, and all , "the children of the bride chamber", are free from prayer and the phylacteries;'' that is, from observing the stated times of attending to these things, and much more then were they excused from fasting and mourning; so that the Pharisees had an answer sufficient to silence them, agreeably to their own traditions. Give me leave to transcribe one passage more, for the illustration of this text (l). "When R. Lazar ben Arach opened, in the business of Mercava, (the visions in the beginning of Ezekiel,) Rabban Jochanan ben Zaccai alighted from his ass; for he said it is not fit I should hear the glory of my Creator, and ride upon an ass: they went, and sat under a certain tree, and fire came down from heaven and surrounded them; and the ministering angels leaped before them, , "as the children of the bride chamber" rejoice before the bridegroom.'' The time of Christ's being with his disciples, between his entrance on his public ministry, and his death, is the time here referred to, during which the disciples had very little care and trouble: this was their rejoicing time, and there was a great deal of reason for it; they had no occasion to fast and mourn; and indeed the Jews themselves say (m), that "all fasts shall cease in the days of the Messiah; and there shall be no more but good days, and days of joy and rejoicing, as it is said, Zac 8:19.'' But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them; in a forcible manner, and put to death, as he was; and then shall they fast and mourn, and be in great distress, as John's disciples now were, on account of their master being in prison. (i) Zohar in Gen. fol. 6. 4. (k) T. Bab. Succa, fol. 25. 2. & Hieros. Succa, fol. 53. 1. Maimon. Succa, c. 6. sect. 3. (l) T. Hieros. Chagiga, fol. 77. 1. (m) Maimon. Hilchot Taaniot, c. 5. sect. 19.”

“Then came. When the Pharisees in the prior question had been discomfited. By St. Mark, (ii. 18,) we learn that the Pharisees joined with the disciples of the Baptist, and thus is reconciled what we read in St. Luke v. 33, who only mentions the Pharisees. (Bible de Vence) — Why do we, and the Pharisees fast. It is not without reason that the disciples of St. John should ask this question, fasting being always esteemed a great virtue, witness Moses and Elias; the fasts which Samuel made the people observe in Masphat, the tears, prayers, and fasting of Ezechias, of Judith, of Achab, of the Ninivites, of Anna, the wife of Eleana, of Daniel, of David, after he had fallen into the sin of adultery. Aaron, and the other priests, also fasted before they entered into the temple. Witness also the fasts of Anna, the prophetess, of St. John the Baptist, of Christ himself, of Cornelius the centurion, &c. &c. &c. (St. Jerome) — This haughty interrogation of St. John’s disciples was highly blameable, not only for uniting with the Pharisees, whom they knew their master so much condemned, but also for calumniating him, who, they knew was foretold by John’s own testimony. (St. Jerome) — St. Augustine is likewise of opinion, that John’s disciples were not the only persons that said this, since St. Mark rather indicates that it was spoken by others. (St. Thomas Aquinas) Ver 15. Can the children of the bridegroom. [1] This, by a Hebraism, signifies the friends or companions of the bridegroom, as a lover of peace, is called a child of peace: he that deserves death, the son of death, &c. (Witham) — the disciples had not yet ascended to the higher degrees of perfection, they had not yet been renewed in spirit; therefore they required to be treated with lenity; for had the higher and more sublime mysteries been delivered to them without previous preparation, they would never, not even in the natural course of things, have been able to comprehend them. I have many things to say to you, said our Saviour, but you cannot bear them now. (St. John xvi.) Thus did he condescend to their weakness. (St. Chrysostom, hom. xxxi.)”