Matthew 9:14-17 · Bible study
Matthew 9:14-17 Commentary: Jesus Redefines Fasting in His Presence
Greek · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why did John's disciples and the Pharisees fast while Jesus' disciples did not? Jesus' response unveils the newness of the kingdom and redefines fasting.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Jesus’ presence makes ceremonial fasting inappropriate; the new kingdom cannot be contained within old religious forms.
- Key words: agnaphos (unshrunk cloth, G46), neos vs. kainos (new in time vs. new in quality), numphios (bridegroom, G3566), askos (wineskin, G779).
- Main debate: Whether the old garment/wineskins represent Pharisaic traditions, the old covenant, or the disciples themselves (Calvin).
- Theological theme: Christ as the bridegroom; the newness of the kingdom; the proper season for fasting.
- Best use: Teaching on spiritual disciplines, Christology, and the relationship between old and new covenants.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
14At that time John’s disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast so often, but Your disciples do not fast?”
15Jesus replied, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while He is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.
16No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. For the patch will pull away from the garment, and a worse tear will result.
17Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will spill, and the wineskins will be ruined. Instead, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
14Then John’s disciples came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples don’t fast?”
15Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.
16No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch would tear away from the garment, and a worse hole is made.
17Neither do people put new wine into old wineskins, or else the skins would burst, and the wine be spilled, and the skins ruined. No, they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”
KJV King James Version 1769
14Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?
15And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.
16No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse.
17Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
14Then come to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?
15And Jesus said unto them, Can the sons of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then will they fast.
16And no man putteth a piece of undressed cloth upon an old garment; for that which should fill it up taketh from the garment, and a worse rent is made.
17Neither do men put new wine into old wine-skins: else the skins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the skins perish: but they put new wine into fresh wine-skins, and both are preserved.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
14Then come to him do the disciples of John, saying, `Wherefore do we and the Pharisees fast much, and thy disciples fast not?'
15And Jesus said to them, `Can the sons of the bride-chamber mourn, so long as the bridegroom is with them? but days shall come when the bridegroom may be taken from them, and then they shall fast.
16`And no one doth put a patch of undressed cloth on an old garment, for its filling up doth take from the garment, and a worse rent is made.
17`Nor do they put new wine into old skins, and if not--the skins burst, and the wine doth run out, and the skins are destroyed, but they put new wine into new skins, and both are preserved together.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
14Then come to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees often fast, but thy disciples fast not?
15And Jesus said to them, Can the sons of the bridechamber mourn so long as the bridegroom is with them? But days will come when the bridegroom will have been taken away from them, and then they will fast.
16But no one puts a patch of new cloth on an old garment, for its filling up takes from the garment and a worse rent takes place.
17Nor do men put new wine into old skins, otherwise the skins burst and the wine is poured out, and the skins will be destroyed; but they put new wine into new skins, and both are preserved together.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
14Then came to him the disciples of John, saying: Why do we and the Pharisees, fast often, but thy disciples do not fast?
15And Jesus said to them: Can the children of the bridegroom mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then they shall fast.
16And nobody putteth a piece of raw cloth unto an old garment. For it taketh away the fulness thereof from the garment, and there is made a greater rent.
17Neither do they put new wine into old bottles. Otherwise the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish. But new wine they put into new bottles: and both are preserved.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Matthew 9:14
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this passage is not a rejection of fasting itself but a declaration that the presence of Jesus changes everything. The bridegroom metaphor in verse 15 establishes that fasting, an expression of mourning, is unfitting while Jesus is with his disciples. Barnes, Matthew Henry, and Calvin all note that Jesus refers to himself as the bridegroom, echoing John the Baptist's earlier language (John 3:29). After Jesus is taken away, fasting becomes appropriate.
The two parables in verses 16-17 reinforce this. Unshrunk cloth (ἀγνάφου, undressed cloth that will shrink) sewn onto an old garment will tear it worse. New wine (νέον, new in time) poured into old wineskins will burst them; new wineskins (καινούς, new in quality) are required. The Cambridge Bible describes Christianity as a new life, not a reformed Judaism. Gill and Clarke see the old as the traditions of the Pharisees. Calvin, however, interprets the old garment and wineskins as the weak disciples themselves, not yet ready for stricter discipline. Despite this variation, all agree: the old system cannot contain or mix with the new reality that Jesus brings.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Old = Judaism, new = Christianity: Supported by the Cambridge Bible, which reads the old garment as Judaism and the new patch as Christianity, a new life.
- Old = Pharisaic traditions, new = Jesus' teaching: Clarke and Gill see the old as the superstitious fasts of the Pharisees and the new as the gospel.
- Old = weak disciples, new = stricter discipline: Calvin interprets the old garment and wineskins as the tender disciples, not yet ready for harsh ascetic practices.
What is clear: Jesus’ presence renders ceremonial fasting inappropriate, and the new reality he brings cannot be mixed with the old religious system without damage to both.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of fasting in Jesus' presence | All traditions agree that Jesus’ presence with his disciples made fasting inappropriate at that time; fasting is suitable in seasons of absence or mourning. | Christians differ on whether this principle applies to the post-resurrection church: some hold that Jesus is perpetually present through the Spirit, reducing the emphasis on fasting, while others point to verse 15 as instituting fasting for the period between the ascension and the return of Christ. |
| Interpretation of the parables (old vs. new) | The parables teach that the new work of Jesus cannot be combined with the old system without damage. | The old is variously identified as the Pharisees’ traditions (Gill, Clarke), the entire old covenant (Cambridge Bible), or the weak disciples themselves (Calvin). Each reading influences how the passage is applied to church practice and renewal. |
| Application to church practice today | The passage warns against legalism and encourages freedom in Christ regarding religious observances. | Some traditions (Catholic, Orthodox) prescribe specific fasting seasons like Lent based on verse 15; other traditions (many Protestant) emphasize the freedom of the believer and see the passage as cautioning against mandatory fasting. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Fasting was a central religious practice in Second Temple Judaism. The Pharisees fasted twice weekly, on Mondays and Thursdays (Luke 18:12), often for show, as Jesus criticizes in Matthew 6:16. John the Baptist’s disciples also fasted, likely in mourning for their imprisoned teacher (Matthew 11:2). Barnes notes that John did not feel authorized to dispense with the established custom. The question to Jesus thus comes from a genuine place: why do your disciples not share this practice?
Jesus answers with a wedding analogy. Jewish marriage feasts lasted seven days, a time of intense joy. The “sons of the bridechamber” (υἱοὶ τοῦ νυμφῶνος) were the bridegroom’s close friends who attended him. They did not fast or mourn during the celebration. Clarke describes the festivity and explains that the bridegroom’s presence made fasting absurd. Jesus identifies himself as the bridegroom, claiming messianic authority.
The two parables draw from everyday life. Unshrunk cloth (ἄγναφος) was raw, unfulled wool that would shrink on first washing, pulling away from the older fabric and making the tear worse. Wineskins were made of goat leather; old ones became brittle and could not withstand the pressure of fermenting new wine. Vincent explains that in the East, goat skins were still used to transport wine. This would have been immediately understood by his hearers. The old system of piety could not simply be patched; it needed full replacement. The new covenant, inaugurated by Jesus, requires new structures and a new heart.
Textual Notes
The parallel accounts in Mark 2:18-22 and Luke 5:33-39 match Matthew closely with only minor differences in wording and sequence. The supplied commentaries note no significant textual variants in this passage. One variant appears in verse 15: the Greek word for “bridechamber” (νυμφῶνος) is replaced by “bridegroom” (νυμφίου) in Codex Bezae and a few versions, as noted by Clarke, but this does not change the meaning.
Reception History
The church fathers read this passage as establishing a rhythm of feasting and fasting in light of Christ. The bridegroom image became central to Christology: Jesus as the bridegroom of the church (e.g., Origen, Augustine). By the fourth century, verse 15 was used to justify the forty-day fast before Easter (Lent), connecting the bridegroom’s absence to the season of penance. During the Reformation, Calvin and others emphasized the incompatibility of old ceremonies with the gospel, seeing the parables as a warning against mixing law and grace. In modern times, the passage has been applied to church renewal: the new wine of the Spirit cannot be contained in old denominational structures. The image of wineskins has entered common Christian language as a metaphor for organizational and personal readiness for God’s new work.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The question of fasting (v.14). John’s disciples, aligned with the Pharisees, ask why Jesus’ followers do not fast. Their question assumes that fasting is a mark of devotion. Jesus does not dismiss the practice but addresses its timing and meaning.
- The bridegroom’s presence changes everything (v.15). Jesus calls himself the bridegroom, and his presence brings joy, not mourning. Fasting is for seasons of absence and longing. The early church understood this as a pattern: rejoicing in Christ’s presence now, yet fasting in anticipation of his return.
- Old and new cannot be mixed (vv.16-17). The parables of the cloth and the wineskins teach that the gospel of the kingdom is not a patch on Judaism. It is a new creation that requires new forms and new hearts. Attempting to combine the old religious system with the new life in Christ results in the destruction of both.
Five-point outline
- The disciples of John and the Pharisees confront Jesus.
- Jesus explains: my presence makes fasting inappropriate now.
- He foresees his own departure, when fasting will return.
- The first parable: a new patch on an old garment tears it.
- The second parable: new wine needs new wineskins.
Illustration hooks
- A young couple on their wedding day. Would anyone suggest they fast instead of feast? The presence of the groom makes celebration natural. Jesus is the groom; his disciples are at the wedding.
- Using a new, stiff denim patch on an old, worn pair of jeans. The first time the jeans are washed, the patch shrinks and pulls the fabric, making a worse hole. Some religious practices don’t mix with new life in Christ.
- Trying to reuse an old plastic bottle for homemade soda that ferments. The bottle bursts, making a mess. Old wineskins are like rigid religious systems that cannot contain the ferment of the Spirit.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does my church not fast as much as other Christians?
- What does it mean that Jesus’ presence changes the rules of spiritual discipline?
- How do I know if I am trying to patch old habits onto my new faith, instead of letting God make me a new wineskin?
Leading a Discussion
This passage challenges our assumptions about spiritual practices. The disciples of John and the Pharisees had a sincere question: why do you not fast like us? Jesus answers in a way that goes beyond fasting. He reveals his own identity as the bridegroom and announces that the kingdom he brings is not a repair of the old but a fresh creation. As you discuss, consider where you might be trying to mix the new wine of the gospel with old wineskins of habit or religion.
Discussion questions
- Read verse 14. What does the question reveal about what John’s disciples assumed was normal for religious people?
- In verse 15, Jesus calls himself the bridegroom. What does this image tell you about his relationship with his disciples?
- Why is it inappropriate for the “friends of the bridegroom” to fast while he is with them? What does this teach us about the connection between Jesus’ presence and joy?
- Jesus says the bridegroom will be taken away. How did the early church understand this? How do we experience this “taken away” between the resurrection and the return of Christ?
- In the two parables (vv.16-17), why does the new cloth and new wine cause damage to the old? What do the “old” and “new” represent in your view?
- Where in your life do you feel tension between holding onto old religious forms and embracing the new life Jesus offers?
- How can we cultivate new wineskins, openness to the Spirit’s work, without discarding the truths of Scripture?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Proverbs 20:6 | Many men claim to be men of unfailing love, but who can find a faithful man? |
| Matthew 6:16 | “Moreover when you fast, don’t be like the hypocrites, with sad faces. For they disfigure their faces that they may be seen by men to be fasting. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward. |
| Matthew 11:2 | Now when John heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples |
| Matthew 11:18 | For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ |
| Matthew 11:19 | The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children.” |
| Mark 2:18 | John’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?” |
| Mark 2:22 | No one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the skins, and the wine pours out, and the skins will be destroyed; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins.” |
| Luke 5:33 | 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?” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that Jesus' disciples did not fast as often as the Pharisees, who used fasting for superstitious ends like lucky dreams. He interprets "the bridegroom taken away" as the forty hours Christ lay dead, not a forty-day Lent. Clarke also warns against imposing heavy religious duties on new believers too soon, comparing it to putting new cloth on old.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes highlights that Christ's reply turns on the principle of appropriateness: fasting belongs with sorrow, not celebration. John's disciples fast because their teacher is in prison, but Jesus is still with his own followers. The new-cloth and new-wine illustrations further show that his new teachings do not mix with the old practices of the Pharisees.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin reads Christ's response as a pastoral accommodation, not a rule about fasting. Christ spares his weak disciples from harsh discipline because they are not yet ready, like guests at a wedding. The comparisons to old garments and wineskins warn against imposing outward ceremonies on those who lack strength, and against judging holiness by such practices.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Jesus gives a three-part reply: fasting is out of place while the bridegroom is present, Christianity is not a patch sewn onto Judaism, and not everyone is ready to receive the new freedom He brings. The new wine of His teaching needs new vessels to contain it.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Jesus uses the image of a wedding feast to explain that his disciples do not fast while he is with them, since that would be a time of joy. After his departure, fasting will be appropriate. The parables of old garments and old wineskins also teach that his new teaching cannot be mixed with old ceremonial practices.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill interprets the parables not as warnings about imposing harsh disciplines on weak believers, but as exposing the folly of mixing human traditions with one’s own flawed righteousness. The old garment is self-righteousness; the new cloth is man-made rules. Only sinners made new by grace can receive the gospel’s new wine.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that the Pharisees likely used John's disciples as their spokesmen, since John’s followers were more favorably received by Christ and could raise the objection about fasting more plausibly. He sees Christ’s reply as another instance where opposition becomes an occasion for profitable teaching.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent highlights the literal meanings behind the images: "undressed cloth" that shrinks and tears, and leather "wine-skins" that burst when old. For him, these are not generic examples but precise symbols of the clash between old religious forms and the new life Jesus brings.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley explains that Jesus' disciples do not fast because His presence makes it a time of celebration, not mourning. They are also not yet ready for such discipline. Just as new wine requires new wineskins, hard teachings must be given only to those strong enough to receive them.