Matthew 9:14-17 (Jesus Is Questioned About Fasting)

Matthew 9:14-17
Jesus Is Questioned About Fasting

- v14. Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?”

For a moment I thought this was really funny. I have been asking God for a long time, "Why do Christians in other churches fast so much while we don't?"

Then I read this - "Your disciples do not fast". Hahahahaha Don't get me wrong. There is a time and place for everything; to do the right time at the right time. The following verses will show:

- v15. 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.

- v16. 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.

- v17. 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."

In the other words, don't do the wrong thing at the wrong time!!!! Jesus is not against fasting - He is against doing it at the wrong time. The disciples of John came to ask him a question about "whether to do it or not". Jesus replied them with "what's the reason for you doing it?"

And just before this in v.13, Jesus says "I desire mercy, not religion." (The Message)