Luke 5:33–39

33

They said to him, “Why do John’s disciples often fast and pray, likewise also the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink?”

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 33. S. Matt. says, it was Saint John’s disciples themselves that objected this to Christ. Most probably both they and the Pharisees endeavoured all they could to press this objection. Saint Augustine de cons. Evang. l. ii. chapter 27.—Why do you not fast, as is customary with all that wish to regulate their lives according to the law? The reason why the saints fasted was, that they might, by afflicting their bodies, subdue their passions. Jesus Christ, therefore, had no need of fasting, being God, and of course free from every, the least, disorderly motion of concupiscence. Neither did his attendants stand in need of fasting, for being enriched with his grace, they were strengthened in virtue, without the help of fasting. When, therefore, Christ fasted forty days, he fasted to set an example to carnal men. S. Cyril.—As long as the Spouse is with us, we are in joy, we cannot fast, we cannot mourn. But when he has been driven away by sin, then we must both fast and weep. Ven. Bede.

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34

He said to them, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them?

35

But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them. Then they will fast in those days.”

36

He also told a parable to them. “No one puts a piece from a new garment on an old garment, or else he will tear the new, and also the piece from the new will not match the old.

37

No one puts new wine into old wineskins, or else the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled and the skins will be destroyed.

38

But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.

39

No man having drunk old wine immediately desires new, for he says, ‘The old is better.’”