Jesus Questioned About Fasting
Matthew 9:14-15
Matthew 9:14-15
Jesus Questioned About Fasting
14Then John's disciples came and asked him, "How is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?" 15Jesus answered, "How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.
First of all don't get me wrong here cause fasting is still an important part of our Christianity - but it is no the end all - - be all , It is not because you or I are more righteous than any one else .
Ok, let me explain where I am going with this . Only a relationship with God through Jesus Christ is our righteousness . OUr righteousness in knowing Him , is of upmost importance and does not depend on what we do . It depends on who we are in Jesus Christ and what He means in our life.
When John's disciples asked Jesus why He does not fast , Jesus explained in a parable . He told them about as piece of unshrunken cloth on an old garment , making the tear worse and putting new wine into old wine skins making the wine skins burst and spilling the wine ... Matt 6:16 .
What does patches of cloth and new and old wineskins have to do with fasting?
In our minds we scratch our heads and can't understand until we go back to Jesus time . Jesus was trying to illustrate the contrast between the old system ( law) and the new because John's disciples were concentrating on fasting as a means of righteousness . Jesus was revealing true righteousness coming through a relationship with God , through faith in Him , not fasting.
He was telling them there was an old system competing with a new system . And just as a new patch can't work on an old cloth or new wine put inot an old wineskin : the new saystem that Jesus introduced wasn't compatible or containable by the old .
Matthew 9:14-15
Matthew 9:14-15
Jesus Questioned About Fasting
14Then John's disciples came and asked him, "How is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?" 15Jesus answered, "How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.
First of all don't get me wrong here cause fasting is still an important part of our Christianity - but it is no the end all - - be all , It is not because you or I are more righteous than any one else .
Ok, let me explain where I am going with this . Only a relationship with God through Jesus Christ is our righteousness . OUr righteousness in knowing Him , is of upmost importance and does not depend on what we do . It depends on who we are in Jesus Christ and what He means in our life.
When John's disciples asked Jesus why He does not fast , Jesus explained in a parable . He told them about as piece of unshrunken cloth on an old garment , making the tear worse and putting new wine into old wine skins making the wine skins burst and spilling the wine ... Matt 6:16 .
What does patches of cloth and new and old wineskins have to do with fasting?
In our minds we scratch our heads and can't understand until we go back to Jesus time . Jesus was trying to illustrate the contrast between the old system ( law) and the new because John's disciples were concentrating on fasting as a means of righteousness . Jesus was revealing true righteousness coming through a relationship with God , through faith in Him , not fasting.
He was telling them there was an old system competing with a new system . And just as a new patch can't work on an old cloth or new wine put inot an old wineskin : the new saystem that Jesus introduced wasn't compatible or containable by the old .