It is quite odd that the disciples of John are mentioned in agreement with the Pharisees in Mark’s narrative at this point (Mark 2:18), especially since John took such a dim view of their religious habits (Matthew 3:1, 5-7). It seems, therefore, that something was going on in Mark’s narrative at this point that doesn’t clearly appear at first. What might that be? First of all, the phrase “used to fast” should be translated that the disciples of John and those of the Pharisees were observing a fast, while Jesus and his disciples were feasting at Levi’s home. The Greek phrase shows they were fasting at the time Jesus was questioned about his and his disciples’ behavior.[1]
Mark tells us that “the disciples of John and those of the Pharisees were fasting: and they came…” to Jesus and questioned him about his religious dedication (Mark 2:18), but who might they be in this verse? Matthew tells us it was some of John’s disciples who came to question Jesus (Matthew 9:14). Therefore, although some of John’s disciples turned from him to follow Jesus (cp. John 1:35-37), others were doubtful of Jesus being the Messiah, perhaps hoping John would come out and declare he was the one who was to come.
If we are able to accept that both John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting about the same time Jesus was feasting, and it was this that prompted the interrogation of Jesus, what fast might they have been observing. First of all, it couldn’t have been the Day of Atonement, because Jesus would have observed that fast, since the Law declared it obligatory. Moreover, he would never have taught his disciples to refrain from observing what the Law commanded (cp. Matthew 5:17). Secondly, it isn’t very reasonable that John’s disciples followed the Pharisees’ doctrine of fasting twice in the week (Luke 18:12; cp. Matthew 3:1, 5-7), as some scholars are willing to believe. So, what other fast could there have been? The Scriptures tell us that, after the Temple was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, Gedaliah was left as governor of Judah. However, once he was assassinated by Ishmael, a descendant of David (2Kings 25:25; Jeremiah 41:1-3), the Jews had lost their autonomy entirely. Afterwards, the Jews designated the date of Gedaliah’s death, the third day of the seventh month, as an annual and national fast day.[2] While the day was not commanded by Torah, it was a fast observed by all loyal Jews who loved their homeland. It was a matter of patriotic duty as well as a matter of mourning. It was this day that is probably indicated in Mark 2:18. It would have been observed by both John’s disciples and the Pharisees. Nevertheless, neither Jesus nor his disciples, nor, apparently, the publicans (tax collectors) of the first century AD, observed this day, according to Mark. This certainly would have made Jesus and his disciples easy targets for criticism, especially from the Jewish rulers and the local zealots.
Jesus responded to his critics by saying it simply wasn’t logical for the children of the bride chamber (i.e. the guests invited to the wedding) to fast while the groom was with them. In other words, Jesus claimed to be the Messiah or King / Governor of the Jews. It didn’t make sense for his subjects to mourn, until he was taken away, just as they, i.e. John’s disciples mourned by commemorating the death of Gedaliah (Mark 2:19-20).
In this context, then, Jesus continued, saying, one cannot combine things new and old without destroying one or both (Mark 2:21-22). He used the example of sewing new cloth onto an old garment (symbolic of one’s righteousness). The new would shrink and make the tear in the old garment worse. In the matter of the wine (symbolic of the word of God that changes behavior), one shouldn’t put new wine in old wineskins. In other words, John and Jesus cannot be combined, just as the Law and grace cannot be combined. Using Jesus’ example when the new wine expanded, the old wineskins would break, and not only would the old containers be useless, but the wine would spill and be useless as well. So, the Mosaic Covenant was good only until it was fulfilled in the New Covenant. Once the New had come, the Old had served its purpose and was ready to pass away (Hebrews 8:13; Matthew 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33; 2Peter 3:10).
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[1] The commentaries are not in agreement, some saying the fasting was presently going on, while others conclude the Pharisees and John’s disciples were in the habit of fasting, but not presently doing so. Vine’s Word Studies says Mark used the participle phrase with an infinitive verb, which he says definitely shows the fasting was going on at the time Jesus was questioned. Commentaries that agree the fasting was going on at the time, think it may have been one of the two days the Pharisees were in the habit conducting a fast (cp. Luke 18:12). However, I hardly think John’s disciples were in agreement with this practice. Why would John follow their example, when he so soundly criticized their religious pride (Matthew 3:7-9)?
[2] See Jewish Minor Fast Days and The Fast of Gedaliah for more information about this fast day.
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