Fasting and Self-Righteousness | Mark 2:18–20
18 Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were
fasting. And people came and said to him, “Why do John’s disciples and the
disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” 19 And Jesus said to
them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long
as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20 The days will come when the bridegroom is taken
away from them, and then they will fast in that day.
It’s easy to ignore growing pride and self-righteousness beneath
a skin of religious works. While God had
command only one fast (on Yom Kippur,
the Day of Atonement, Lv 16:29–31, Acts 27:9), some prided themselves on
fasting often (cf. Lk 18:12). Like the
Israelites before them, they used religious efforts to mask their own sinful
hearts (Is 58:3).
So, while it’s not immediately clear who is interrogating Jesus
here, their intention seems to be condemnation.
Perhaps the scribes questioning the disciples, earning His rebuke (vv.
16–17), now ask Him this question about fasting. In doing so, they now attack the disciples; Why aren’t they fasting like they should? This is no less an attack on Him, suggesting
that He is leading them improperly.
After all, Jesus is at Levi’s house feasting
when the “righteous” are fasting.
The disciples should
rejoice in the presence of the Lord! He
answers their question with a question of His own, a rhetorical one framed as
to expect a negative response. Obviously,
it’d be inappropriate for them to fast at the joyous occasion of a wedding—no
less in the presence of the groom. Since
Jesus came to grant repentance for sins and salvation for all believers, His
time on earth should indeed be a time of feasting.
Fasting is appropriate today. Jesus doesn’t refer to a simple departure of
the bridegroom on his wedding night, but to his being snatched from the
festivities. In this way, Jesus looks toward
His crucifixion. While we today know
that He rose again and ascended on high, interceding for all believers, we
sadly do not have Him physically before us today. As history continues to decline before He
establishes His kingdom on earth, we His present-day disciples have occasional
cause to fast.
However, it’s easy to fall into the same trap of self-righteousness. So His disciples would avoid hypocrisy, Jesus
gave instructions for fasting (Mt 6:16–18).
Our religious works should never be an opportunity for self-congratulation
or self-aggrandizement, but for moments of sweet communion while we await the
Lord’s return.
