Throughout Mark 1 and into chapter 2, Jesus showed His power and authority to teach Scripture, heal, cast out demons, and call disciples. Religious leaders-Pharisees, rabbis, and scribes-questioned, in their minds, who Jesus considered He was. With Mark 2, these leaders began challenging Jesus openly about His authority and power to teach and lead the people. Until then, the religious leaders were the mediators between humanity and God. In their minds, if Jesus is who He intimates to be, they would lose status and power in the nation. In their reasoning, they would lose their financial support, too. These leaders did not differ from any other leader. Each wanted to be their own leader, mediator, and ensure of his/her livelihood.
Mark wrote using a chiastic form to emphasize what was important. From Mark 2:1-3:6, he highlighted what is important about Jesus. He did this with five stories. The first and last deal with healing and the three middle stories concern eating. In each of these, with ever-increasing emphasis, Mark tells about Jesus’ power and authority. As with any chiastic form, the middle and last stories emphasize the main point. The last decisively concludes it.
The Standard
John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and they came and said to Him (Jesus), “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” (Mark 2:18 [NASB])
This verse begins the central teachings of the chiastic form. In it, the religious leaders and John’s disciples openly challenged Jesus. To many people, it may appear they had the right to challenge Him since His disciples broke the laws of fasting. Yet, when we dig deeper into this matter, we find these leaders challenged Jesus about who He understands and acts like He is. People often take this stance when they feel challenged about their position in society or at work.
In looking at the background of what this verse states, we find the Pharisees and John’s disciples were fasting. They abstained from food and drink as a religious exercise. In the Old Testament, people fasted to express grief (1 Samuel 31:13, 2 Samuel 1:12 & 12:20-23). People did it to be penitent (1 Samuel 7:6, 1 Kings 21:27), to prepare him or herself for prayer (2 Samuel 12:16-17, Psalm 35:13) to receive divine revelation (Exodus 34:28, Deuteronomy 9:9, Daniel 9:3 & 10:3), and to gain the LORD’s favor, too (Judges 20:26, 2 Chronicles 20:3). Yet, the only fasting the LORD required of the Jews was for humbling themselves during the observance of the Day of Atonement. On that day, the people would cleanse themselves ritually to be clean from all their sins before the LORD (Leviticus 16:29-31 &23:27). In at least one other occurrence, God required the Jews to fast for contrition so they would return to Him with their whole heart (Joel 2:12).
Why then did the Pharisees challenge Jesus about His disciples not fasting? Since the exodus from Egypt, the Pharisees added other fasting requirements the LORD did not mandate for the Israelites. They fasted twice a week to show their piety exceeded other people’s. Because the Jews knew the Pharisees and religious leaders fasted twice a week, they acknowledged and praised them because of their obvious piety.
Why did John’s disciples join with the Pharisees in challenging Jesus about His disciples not fasting? John’s disciples devoutly followed the Judaic laws. They were Jews who expected the Messiah. Though John’s disciples heard his proclamation of who Jesus is when he baptized Him, they did not yet understand what it meant to believe and follow Jesus as their Messiah. These men hoped, as the Pharisees did. They wanted people to see them as the best Jews. Besides this, John’s arrest might have distressed his disciples. His arrest occurred because of Herodias. (Remember, she wanted John arrested and killed for condemning Herod’s marriage to her because she was his sister-in-law.) Perhaps John’s disciples experienced uncertainty about Jesus when He did not show concern about John’s imprisonment. They may have let that cloud their vision when Jesus did not fast like the other Jewish religious leaders.
Consider this; Jesus never said or showed that fasting was wrong. He fasted Himself. Jesus fasted forty days and nights in the wilderness before Satan tempted Him (Matthew 4:2 and Luke 4:2). In Matthew 6:16-18, Jesus condemned fasting just so others would consider them righteous. He condemned giving alms and praying to gain attention (Matthew 6:1-8). Jesus never required people to fast; He did not mandate it. Jesus said, if one feels the need to draw near to God for a time, the person was to do it privately, in their closet/inner room (Matthew 6:6).
A person fasts to forget about him or herself by denying his or her flesh and focusing solely on God. People who genuinely seek the Lord can fast. Fasting is spiritual preparation for important decisions, as Acts 13:2-3 and 14:23 show. No New Testament mandate from God exists that requires fasting.
In Mark 2:18, Mark records the Pharisees and John’s disciples challenged Jesus about His disciples eating. They assumed Jesus had power over and should be responsible for the actions of His followers. These religious leaders doubted Jesus’ authority to teach and minister. They feared He would usurp their authority. The Pharisees and religious leaders tried to demote Jesus in the eyes of the Jewish people. Jesus did not follow the religious rules created by the religious leaders. His life—the way He lived and taught—challenged them. The religious leaders kept trying to make Jesus conform to their standard. Jesus came to earth to satisfy the laws and make access to God available to anyone without the Pharisees’ and rabbis’ mediation. Jesus refused to conform to the religious standards of the day. Human created standards are fluid. No fixed definition of truth and right and wrong exists among humanity. God’s righteousness and His truth are absolute, fixed, and determined. Jesus resolved to follow God’s will, not men.
The Groom
And Jesus said to them, “While the groom is with them, the attendants of the groom cannot fast, can they? As long as they have the groom with them, they cannot fast. But the days will come when the groom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day.” (Mark 2:19 [NASB])
With this parable, Jesus taught the religious leaders and John’s disciples why the disciples did not fast that day. He continued teaching this lesson with the next two parables in verses twenty-one and twenty-two. The first parable compares Jesus to a bridegroom.
Consider a wedding at that time. People celebrated weddings for seven days with food, wine, songs, and dance. Weddings are not like fasting. Fasting is a solitary and serious event. Weddings are not a place to fast. Fasting is not proper at weddings. Jesus used this parable to juxtapose with great exaggeration why His disciples did not fast while He was with them.
In this parable, Jesus is the bridegroom. While a bridegroom was still with the people, the wedding attendants ate and drank their fill. They did not fast. Fasting at a wedding would be pointless. A person would consume food and drink. People and music would abound. A person who fasts could not meet with God in solitude to focus only on Him.
Jesus described Himself as the bridegroom because He is the fulfillment of the Messianic prophecies. He came to create the Church with those who trust in Him as the Messiah, the Savior. In the New Testament, the bride of Christ is the Christian Church. [Note: The Old Testament does not talk about the Messiah being the bridegroom. It uses that image for God in Isaiah 54:5 & 62:5 and in Hosea 2:19. Jesus used this godly metaphor to refer to Himself as the bridegroom. Jesus is the Groom, the Messiah, and His disciples enjoyed what it meant to be with the Groom. They followed the teacher who heals people, casts our demons, and teaches with power and authority, and who fulfills prophecy. Jesus fulfilled the Law (Matthew 5:17).
Fasting and mourning during a wedding is ridiculous and impossible. This point is what Jesus taught the Pharisees, John’s disciples, and His disciples that day. Jesus said people should celebrate, like a marriage celebration, His arrival on earth as the Messiah. He came to earth for His bride. Jesus came to earth to bring salvation to people who believed in Him. He did not come to mandate fasting, hoping it would give atonement to humanity. People need nothing more to complete salvation from sins and death. God, through Jesus, paid everything to save anyone who believes in Jesus. Paul said in Ephesians 2:4-5 that our salvation comes by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. We do not add rituals to receive or keep our salvation.
Instead of being burdened by the trials of life, rejoice at the blessings God gives each day. Rejoice that you are part of the bride of Christ. Jesus gives us hope for now and eternity. Do not let your faith in Him become mired in ritual. Instead, be filled with life because of true faith in Jesus. Your faith should be alive with hope, even in the middle of trials. How? Because of God’s promises to His children. He said He would never leave or forsake His children (Deuteronomy 31:6, Isaiah 41:10, Hebrews 13:5, Joshua 1:5, and Matthew 28:20). God gives His children the hope of eternal life with Him (Psalm 62:5-6, Isaiah 40:31, Jeremiah 29:11, 1 Peter 1:13 & 5:10, Colossians 1:27, Ephesians 1:18, Philippians 1:6, and Hebrews 10:23). He walks with His people through their difficulties (Psalm 66:10-12, Isaiah 40:31, 1 Corinthians 10:13, 2 Corinthians 1:8-10 & 8:1-2, 1 Peter 1:6-9 & 4:12-16, and Revelation 3:10). Nothing can separate Christians from God (Romans 8:31-39, Psalm 136:26).
With verse twenty, the second part of this parable relays Jesus predicting His removal by people from His bride, the Church. He said, “The days will come when the groom is taken away from them.” Would the religious leaders have been happy with this? Did they hear this in the way Jesus meant it? Though only the second chapter of Mark, Jesus foretold His death. Would the disciples stop celebrating when Jesus died? Most deaths are not times of celebration. At someone’s death, somberness and quiet are fitting. Death is a time to seek God in solace. It can be a fasting time to seek Him.
The point of verses nineteen and twenty is that Jesus was with them and, of course, they must celebrate being with Him by eating, not fasting. Religious rituals do not apply to faith in Christ. A person’s salvation comes through belief in Jesus, not by fasting, praying, or almsgiving. These actions could help to draw us into a closer relationship with God once Jesus saves us. They do not give salvation. Do them in private, not to draw attention to yourself by appearing to be pious. Remember, Jesus taught the Father would reward Christians who go to Him in secret. He said in Matthew 6:16-18,
Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father, who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. [NASB]
Jesus taught similarly about prayer in Matthew 6:5-8. Praying to God is about growing in your relationship with God. Praying is personal. People watching you pray is not the goal and does not make you godly. Jesus did not teach against fasting. He taught people should do it to help focus on God and not on self, to gain insight, deeper understanding, and the mind of Christ. What the Pharisees mandated in their laws, that they and John’s disciples followed, was to prove to others that they themselves as most pious. They practiced religion without meaning because of their self-focus. Instead, be God-focused; seek Him and His kingdom first, as Jesus said, “and all these things shall be provided to you” (Matthew 6:33 [NASB]).
Old Garment
No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; otherwise, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear results. (Mark 2:21 [NASB])
Jesus often used common occurrences to teach something new. Mending clothes regularly happened in New Testament times. Families during Bible times had to make their cloth. It was expensive if bought. Many people could not weave or afford to buy new lengths of cloth every time they snagged a hole in their clothes. In Bible times, people made cloth of fresh fibers-wool, flax, cotton. These were unshrunk, unlike most of the cloth today. This means a piece of clothing that needed mending probably was patched with a piece of cloth that was new. If a woman did not soak the new cloth first, it shrank after she sewed it to the old garment. That shrinking of the new cloth on the old garment would cause a bigger hole and a tear of the newer cloth.
What did Jesus mean by teaching using this parable? He was not concerned just for the hole becoming worse. He was concerned about old cloth, too. The old cloth is a metaphor for the old way of belief. In the history of the Israelites, the prophets foretold of a Messiah coming to their people. The Jews expected the Messiah to save them and fit into how they lived and did religion. They expected a warrior king like king David was to build their kingdom again and remove their oppressors.
The Israelites wanted the Messiah who would save them, but they wanted Him to do it in the old ways. This new way Jesus brought to the Jews was salvation by faith. The old way the Jews expected to receive salvation was by continued offering of sacrifices. They wanted a Messiah to rescue and deliver them by might and warfare. The people of Israel wanted the new cloth, the Messiah. They wanted to put it on the old garment. But a person cannot add new life—the “new man” Jesus creates when a person believes in Him—onto the old man--the unbelieving and unrepentant person. Jesus is not an add-on or addendum. Works could not save the Jews as the Judaic laws taught. Works saved no one before and never would.
With this parable, Jesus taught the religious leaders eternal salvation is impossible by following human made rituals. He showed to them they could not add new life in Him to the old man. Jesus compared it to adding a new piece of cloth as a patch for a hole in an old garment.
God offers salvation freely because of His grace and through our faith in Jesus Christ. Our salvation is the Lord’s act of grace. We do nothing except believe in Him. God’s acceptance of us in His presence is only through Jesus’ righteousness, which He gives to us at our salvation. We can never be righteous because we are sinful and continue to sin, but Jesus cleanses us of our sins.
Our unsaved selves are the old garments in this parable. Jesus came to make us new. How He does that is by fulfilling the old laws. He is not the patch, but the new cloth, the one into which He makes us. In essence, Jesus wraps us in His cloak. We do not sew His new cloth onto our old cloth. What rituals have you not given up since trusting in Jesus, which do not fit with the new life that He gave you?
Old Wineskin
And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the skins as well; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins. (Mark 2:22 [NASB])
Today, people store fermenting wine in wooden casks. They do not readily understand this parable’s meaning. People used sheepskins for wine storage during Bible times. New wineskins are elastic and expand for the vapors that occur during the fermentation process. Making the mistake of using an old wineskin for new wine just once will remind a person why he or she must use new wineskins with new wine.
Jesus used this common life understanding to teach an eternal truth. The old life without salvation by faith in Jesus is the old wineskin. It holds the old teachings about cleansing from sins through repeated offerings of sacrifices for sins. The old wineskins are the old ways of being religious with the old laws. They hold the old rituals and practices. Jesus’ message about God’s grace through His sacrifice on the cross is the gospel. When a person believes in Him for salvation, He pours His Spirit into the person. Jesus cannot pour His Spirit old wineskins because they cannot hold and expand with this new wine. People cannot add salvation through Jesus to their old life. They do not mix to give a better salvation. Only one way gives salvation, the new covenant provided through Jesus.
The Holy Spirit is the new wine. Jesus pours His Spirit into the life of anyone who believes in Him as his or her Savior. He did not come to pour His Spirit into a life filled with rituals and legalism. Jesus pours His Spirit into lives that He makes new (new wineskins) because they believe in Him. He is concerned for the wine and the wineskin (the Spirit and the new life). Jesus must make a person new by saving them. The believing person must cast off the old man-the old sinful person. Human created rituals and laws by which the old man could not save the person. The saved person cannot keep them as part of his or her salvation, either. When Jesus makes a person new, He will pour the new wine—the Spirit—into that newly made person. We must cast off empty rituals.
Jesus’ teachings were for the Pharisees and John’s disciples at that moment. His teachings were new wine. He wanted all people to take for themselves. They are parables people could understand because they came from regular daily occurrences. Jesus gave new purpose and meaning to old activities and lessons. With His changing the meaning of these activities, Jesus taught people about the salvation He offers each person who believes in Him. Through salvation—a new way—Jesus offers new life and pours His new wine, His Spirit, into each person who trusts in Him. The scribes, Pharisees, and priests represented the old way of doing things—the old wineskins. This does not mean the religious leaders of that time or since could not become believers. Jesus died to save all people (Psalm 67:2, Isaiah 45:22, Romans 11:26, 1 Timothy 2:4).
Application and Conclusion
In each of these three parables, Jesus was central. Jesus is the Groom. He is the new garment. Jesus is the message of the gospel embodied. Without Jesus, each of these parables would have no meaning, no catalyst, and no purpose. He taught these to the people who confronted Him that day, when they questioned Him about the disciples not fasting. Jesus confronted them metaphorically. These religious leaders were very educated and should have understood the parables. Common people would. Yet Mark did not record that these religious leaders believed in Jesus for salvation. These men chose not to comprehend. They chose not to listen and believe in Jesus.
Today, almost two-thousand years since Jesus died on the cross, arose to life, and ascended to heaven, Jesus still confronts people at their need—where sin and stubbornness often keep them from God. He brings to their attention His truths and standards. Jesus is the Light who unveils their sins and convicts them so that they seek the better way. Religious (spiritual) ritual will never save and cleanse any person from his or her sins. No one can ever do enough good things to earn his or her way into heaven and God’s presence. Because of a person’s sins, he or she deserves judgment and its penalty.
Today, Jesus reminds us God does not demand fasting on the Sabbath or any day. Fasting is to help a person draw near to God and focus just on Him. It does not make anyone more pious, and it does not win awards from other people. Fasting does not allow a person to win the race and earn eternity with God. Religious actions—ritualism—is not necessarily about being a Christian. Religion does not make a person a Christian.
Have you been trying to be a Christian by being religious and checking all the boxes of the right things to do? You can check the boxes without the Holy Spirit, but you cannot be a Christian without Him. While the Groom is with you and you with Him, you do not have to fast (Mark 2:19); you do not have to tick all the right religion boxes. Notice, Jesus did not remove fasting or any ritual as a spiritual discipline to draw close to God. If you do it to have your piety noticed and not to focus on God, that discipline is an empty ritual and nothing more.
Have you been trying to be a Christian by adding a part of Christianity to what you already do? Jesus taught these men that adding parts of Christianity to an old way of living does not save a person. The pull to walk in the old way tears where the patch of Christianity the person sewed onto his or her garment. A bigger tear occurs in the old garment and a tear occurs in the new patch. The old life differs from the new. It cannot be slotted into the new life. The old way of living is works-based. The new way of life is based solely on and what He did for sinners on the cross. Grace alone with our faith alone in Jesus alone gives salvation. Instead of trying to patch Jesus into your way of life, allow Jesus to put His new garment on you. His way includes giving you the ability, with His Spirit, to grow and live as a redeemed child of God. Each person who says they believe in Jesus will face challenges by people like the Pharisees, who want to prove they are better than this supposed Christian. Those testing fires will either show the person genuinely believes in Jesus alone for salvation or has just added parts of Christian faith to their old way of living. If the latter happens, the Pharisee will show the supposed Christian’s faith is false. Do not let Satan confuse you. Doing Christian-like things differs from true belief in Jesus for salvation given because of God’s grace.
Have you been trying to be a Christian by putting Jesus’ new wine—His message and Spirit—into an old wineskin? Adding Jesus’ message of salvation to your old wineskin will not change you; it will not save you. No one can add anything to receive salvation. The growth and change that being a Christian requires will need a wineskin that is flexible and expandable, like new wine needs a new wineskin. Instead of just putting Christianity into the form you are comfortable with, allow Jesus to make you into a new wineskin. The new wineskin allows room for growth and expansion, so you will become more like Him each day. Let Jesus pour His Spirit into the new wineskin. Allow His Spirit to lead, teach, admonish, and grow you. Christian ideas added to rituals—your old wineskin (your old ways of living)—will not save you. It will only clash with what the Spirit says and the stress of it will cause the old wineskin to explode and expose your lack of salvation.
Is there anything you do that shows you would rather “do” church and go against Jesus than believe He alone is the Lord, not just on Sunday, but of every day and every life? Do you say, “I cannot help you. I am running late for choir practice or Bible study, or worship preparation.” Perhaps you say, “I have no food to give you; I must take care of my family first,” all the while knowing your cupboards are full of food and you can buy more any day of the week. Has a homeless person ever asked you to give him or her a spare blanket, and you told him or her no, knowing your cabinet has shelves full of blankets?
Jesus brings these people into our lives for them and for us. He wants us to learn to see other people and not just ourselves. Jesus wants to grow us to love other people, even the “unlovely.” He wants us to learn to rely on Him to replace things we give away if we need to replace them. Jesus wants us to learn to see, hear, and trust Him instead of doing life the old way by trusting in ourselves. If you are truly a Christian, you did nothing to earn salvation. You can never be good enough, do enough right things, go back and erase your sins, or make any sacrifice acceptable enough to remove your sins from your record. Only God is good. Only He can erase the penalty for your sins. Why? Because only He is righteous—without sin. God—the Father, Son, and Spirit, three-in-One—is the standard. No one can ever live up to that standard of goodness. Rituals like fasting, praying, and almsgiving will never be enough, but they will draw you into a closer relationship with God.
On this side of heaven, Christians are not good enough, not with our own efforts. We never hit the mark or reach the standard of righteousness. But we have the hope of eternal life with God. Jesus perfects us, He completes us, upon our arrival in heaven. Only then can we say we have reached the standard. Remember, though, it came not from anything we did. Perfection, salvation, comes from Jesus alone because of God’s grace alone by our belief in Jesus as the Messiah, our Savior.
If Jesus returned today, are there standards you have made for yourself and other Christians that God does not command? Would Jesus discard those standards that you mandate as necessary to save you and others? You bet.
Not that I have already grasped it all or have already become perfect, but I press on if I may also take hold of that for which I was even taken hold of by Christ Jesus. Brothers and sisters, I do not regard myself as having taken hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore, all who are mature, let’s have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that to you as well; however, let’s keep living by the same standard to which we have attained. (Philippians 3:12-16 [NASB])
