One day some people said to Jesus, “John the Baptist’s disciples fast and pray regularly, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees. Why are your disciples always eating and drinking?”
Parallel translations
- WEB 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?”
- KJV And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink?
- BSB Then they said to Him, “John’s disciples and those of the Pharisees frequently fast and pray, but Yours keep on eating and drinking.”
- NKJV Then they said to Him, “Why do the disciples of John fast often and make prayers, and likewise those of the Pharisees, but Yours eat and drink?”
- NASB And they said to Him, “The disciples of John often fast and offer prayers, the disciples of the Pharisees also do the same, but Yours eat and drink.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Critics ask why Jesus' disciples feast while others fast. The question contrasts his joyful ministry with established religious practice.
Overview
John's disciples and the Pharisees observed regular fasts, so Jesus' disciples' feasting seemed irreverent. The question assumes that devout people should be marked by abstinence. Jesus answers by revealing that his presence brings a time of joy, like a wedding, which reorders the place of fasting.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- Matt 9:14–17Then John’s disciples came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples don’t fast?”
- Mark 2:18–22John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, and they came and asked him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples don’t fast?”
- John 3:25There arose therefore a questioning on the part of John’s disciples with some Jews about purification.
- Luke 18:12I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get.’
- Luke 20:47who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers: these will receive greater condemnation.”
- Luke 11:1When he finished praying in a certain place, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples.”
- Mark 12:40those who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”
- Isa 58:3–6‘Why have we fasted,’ say they, ‘and you don’t see? Why have we afflicted our soul, and you don’t notice?’ “Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and oppress all your laborers.
- Matt 6:5–6“When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Most certainly, I tell you, they have received their reward.
- John 1:35Again, the next day, John was standing with two of his disciples,
- Acts 9:11The Lord said to him, “Arise, and go to the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judah for one named Saul, a man of Tarsus. For behold, he is praying,
- Isa 1:15When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you. Yes, when you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood.
- Zech 7:6When you eat, and when you drink, don’t you eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves?
- Rom 10:2–3For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
- Luke 7:34–35The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man, and a drunkard; a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’
- Matt 23:13“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and as a pretense you make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.
- Prov 28:9He who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 5:33 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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