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Questions from Another Front

Text: Matthew 9 : 14 - 17

John the Baptiser also had multitudes coming to hear him preach! He was eclipsed only by Jesus! John knew that he was only a forerunner. He never saw Jesus as “competition”. He was more than delighted to point his disciples to follow Jesus, for after all, He was the Lamb of God!

Some of his disciples however felt that they ought to be loyal to John. Thus they remained his disciples. John maintained a rather rugged lifestyle, having had to live in the wilderness for so long. He lived simply, on locusts and wild honey. His disciples practised fasting regularly. They were troubled as they saw Jesus eating with Matthew and his group of tax collector friends.

“Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying,
‘Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your
disciples do not fast?'”
Matthew 9:14

Fasting was considered a good spiritual virtue. Not to fast was one thing, but “feasting” with tax collectors and sinners was something else. How were they to understand this matter?

“Then the disciples of John came to Him…”

At least these disciples of John came to Jesus directly to have their doubts clarified. That was commendable.

“Why do we and the Pharisees fast often…”

This question should have been raised with John the Baptiser, for he was their teacher. Each teacher was responsible for the practices adopted by his disciples.

Fasting was observed as a regular habit by the Pharisees! Some who were more scrupulous took pride in fasting twice a week. John’s disciples apparently had a similar practice.

“But your disciples do not fast…”

Fasting was practiced as a means of cultivating spiritual discipline. Some would have benefited a great deal from this practice. Fasting was taught as a means of keeping oneself holy, and untainted from the world.

Non-fasting was seen as a problem of worldliness. A person who lacks this discipline of fasting was seen as a person who was not very righteous at all. Jesus did not seem to have taught His disciples about fasting, judging from the way they were eating with the tax collectors.

Even though the disciples of John were not like the Pharisees in their hypocrisy and judgmental spirit, they were not totally free from having a censorious attitude. Were they all that righteous after all?

THE PROBLEM OF A LACK OF FULL KNOWLEDGE

Jesus understood the feelings of the disciples of John. However, they were not totally correct in their understanding of the practice of fasting. Obviously, these disciples needed to be taught further.

“And Jesus said to them, ‘Can the friends
of the bridegroom mourn as long as the
bridegroom is with them?”
Matthew 9:15a

These disciples of John had not fully comprehended what their teacher had told them. Repeatedly, he spoke of One who was coming. He was mightier in every respect. John saw himself as an unworthy servant, even though he was a forerunner of the Messiah. Why, he was not even worthy of removing the sandals of the feet of Jesus (Cf. John 1:27).

Jesus presented Himself as “The Bridegroom”. Did these disciples of John understand this figure of speech at all? Who has ever heard of fasting at a wedding feast? There should be joy at a wedding feast. Those who were friends of the Bridegroom would be particularly happy that they were with Him!

CHALLENGING PEOPLE TO THINK!

Jesus spoke the way He did so that the disciples of John would be challenged to think! This was one of the unique ways in which Jesus taught. Instead of choosing plain statements, He would use cryptic language. The whole idea behind it all was to cause people to go to a deeper level of thought!

The disciples of John would have to puzzle out what Jesus meant when He used the Bridegroom imagery. If they could not figure that out on their own, they may have to ask their teacher John to explain things. They could always go back to Jesus and ask Him humbly to explain what He said.

TIME ENOUGH TO MOURN AND FAST LATER

Jesus was not disparaging the practice of fasting. He just thought that the disciples of John had not understood who He was! They should ask John more questions as to who this controversial Teacher was! Jesus then went further to say these words.

“But the days will come when the Bridegroom
will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.”
Matthew 9:15b

This statement must have been even more puzzling than the first one. The imagery of the Bridegroom was retained, but that only made this statement harder to fathom! Who was this Bridegroom? Why was He describing Himself as the Bridegroom? What could He possibly mean by the phrase, “Will be taken away from them?”

Jesus left the disciples of John with more questions than answers! Nevertheless, what He said was true! He came to bring joy to people. Being in His presence should cause people to celebrate! What profound teaching this was!