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Mark

Mark 
Day 
Day 56

"But to those who are disobedient, 'The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone."

Text: 1 Peter 2:7b

CRYPTIC TRUTHS

Did the disciples of John and the Pharisees comprehend what Jesus meant when He spoke about the Bridegroom and his friends? Were they so taken up with their practice of fasting that they had lost the spirit of joy? Would they now be able to understand the following words that Jesus gave further?

“But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away
From them, and then they will fast in those days.”
MARK 2:20

1. Misunderstanding of the practice of fasting

Apparently the practice of fasting had not been fully comprehended by the disciples of John and the Pharisees.

a) Fasting had become a strict religious discipline to them.
b) They frowned on all who did not have the same discipline of fasting as they did.
c) Spiritual arrogance was evidenced when they demanded an answer from the disciples of Jesus.
i) They were in fact querying the Master.
ii) Disciples practised only what their Master taught them.

2. Missing an essential spiritual truth

The disciples of John and the Pharisees missed an important spiritual truth when they queried the disciples of Jesus on the subject of fasting.

a) They had not fully comprehended the Person of Jesus

If there had been an understanding of who He truly was, His Presence should cause people to rejoice and not fast.

b) They had not comprehended how brief a time Jesus had on the earth

If only they had known that He would walk on earth for three brief years, they would not have insisted on the practice of fasting.

3. Fasting will come naturally

Jesus anticipated the time when He would depart from earth and return to His Father in heaven. That sense of loss would be so great, all His disciples would fast and pray. Their sense of loss, the sadness felt in their hearts would naturally cause them to fast. But this statement would be cryptic to the disciples of John and the Pharisees. They would have to come to a personal relationship with Jesus before they could understand such deep and cryptic truths.