Fasting and New Wine Skins

This morning I felt led to read from Matthew 9:14-17 NIV:

[14] "Then John's disciples came and asked him, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?” 

[15] Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast. 

[16] “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. [17] Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”

This morning the fact that Jesus' comments about New Wine in new wineskins was related to religious fasting, caught my eye.  While I have reflected on these verses several times, (similar verses are found in Mark 2 and Luke 5), the fact that the origin of the question was related to the behavior of Jesus and his disciples compared to John's disciples as well as the Pharisees, is interesting.  

John's ministry was definitely something different, but apparently not new.  He was calling people to repentance, a very traditional prophetic theme, and baptism, which seems related to the cleansing rites, but was clearly related to sin.  John said the following as recorded in Matthew 3:11 NIV:

“I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."

John's baptism is clearly a topic I need to pursue.  However, the topic this morning is fasting.  The verses quoted above follow Jesus and His disciples feasting with Mathew and his friends, immediately following the calling of Matthew from his previous role as tax-collector.  Apparently Jesus and His followers did not practice fasting in the same way as John and the Pharisees, who did it "often".  

I figured it would be good to do a little research as to the fasts of the Pharisees, which is also mentioned in Luke 18:12. Here is a brief commentary - This practice had no divine sanction. The Law appointed only a single fast-day in the year, the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:29). By the time of Zechariah there seem to have been four yearly fasts (Zechariah 8:19). The bi-weekly fast of the Pharisees was a mere burden imposed by the oral Law. The days chosen were Thursday and Monday, because on those days Moses was believed to have ascended and descended from Sinai, Babha Kama, f. 82, 1. The man boasts of his empty ceremonialism. ( https://biblehub.com/commentaries/luke/18-12.htm)

It is quite likely that John and his disciples continued this type of practice, for the two groups are compared together.  John's ministry drew huge crowds of people to the Jordan, and his ministry definitely was a call to repentance, calling people back to God!   One would think that he wasn't particularly popular with the Pharisees and Sadducees for he did criticize them.  Here are some verses describing his ministry - Matthew 3:5-8 NIV:

[5] "People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. [6] Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 

[7] But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? [8] Produce fruit in keeping with repentance."

It is interesting that no real mention is made of his disciple' fasting, that I am aware of, but it appears to have been quite evident.  The Pharisees, when fasting, made it a public spectacle and were more interested in their perceived piety than actual repentance, as John called them to produce actual fruit in keeping with repentance.  In fact, there is an interesting note in Luke regarding the Pharisees missing their call because they rejected John's message - Luke 7:29-30 NIV:

[29] "(All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus' words, acknowledged that God's way was right, because they had been baptized by John. [30] But the Pharisees and the experts in the law rejected God's purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.)"

Back to fasting, the focus for me today.  The idea that fasting was a requirement to somehow earn holiness originated in man's religion, as noted above.  Jesus, the Holy one, certainly didn't need to fast, nor did He require His disciples to fast.  I think this is actually one of the early examples of the Gospel of Grace in action (my opinion).  There is no earning a position of follower of Jesus, He chose them, and invited them, and it was their acceptance and then following after Him that  opened that door for them.  His choice and their acceptance, that's it.  No special penance, no other requirements. This was definitely different than what the Jews were used to, and certainly different than what the Pharisees espoused.  

I think this fasting question was really just the tip of the ice-berg, if you will, of the questions concerning how different Jesus' ministry was compared to everyone else.  He taught with authority, had authority over demons, had the power to heal, to do miracles, to feed thousands!  He was unafraid of the outcasts, the sinner, the lepers, and ministered to the individual.  He loved and served and didn't pursue the popular opinion, nor people in power.  He proclaimed the Kingdom of God at hand and then demonstrated it through healing and deliverance, and all of this was done for free!  He told His disciples to do the same and to take nothing with them, but to give away everything freely, here is Matthew's version:

Matthew 10:7-10 NIV:

[7] "As you go, proclaim this message: 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.' [8] Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. 

[9] “Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts--- [10] no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep."

This really was a radical commission, especially when compared to anything they would have seen previously, which brings us back to Jesus' follow on comments about new wine and new cloth.  Jesus' ministry was radically different, His Gospel of Grace was confusing to the religious. His call to love and serve, and embrace humility was not popular amongst the religious leaders.  They didn't mind fasting as long as it earned them respect and advancement for themselves.  The focus of the ministry of Jesus was completely on others, not Himself.  This type of ministry required new thinking, new understanding, and a  new relationship. The old models and understandings were unable to flex enough to accept this radical difference. You couldn't add a little flexibility to the old to accommodate this new way, which is Jesus' point.

There are many times that I find myself slipping back into the religious mindset, thinking that if I "do some more holy things" that I will earn the Lord's favor. I find myself focused on myself, and that is the first indication that I am on the wrong path.  My focus, like Jesus, should be on others!  I have in me the same Holy Spirit, and as Jesus commanded, "Freely you have received, freely give." My focus should be on others and on my relationship with Him, my source for identity and authority.  My call, regardless of my state in life, or occupation, is the same as everyone else's call.  We are called to follow Him.  We are called to love one another, as He loves us.  We are called to freely give what we have freely received.  We didn't earn anything, its all a gift, and we should be willing to share with all who are in need.

This morning I am encouraged to look at my life and see if and where my focus is on myself, rather than on others or on my relationship with the Lord.  I am encouraged to consider how I might freely give what I have freely received!  I am encouraged to look at my thinking to see where I am trying to embrace any sort of "earning the Lord's favor" for myself. 

Lord help me to truly embrace this Gospel of Grace!  Help me to embrace the new wineskin!  Help us all Lord to represent You and not man's religion!

Amen and Amen!