Matthew 9:14-17 Meaning: Why Don't Jesus' Disciples Fast?
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.”
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.
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.
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.'
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.
Meaning in one sentence
Jesus explains why his disciples don't fast while he is with them, and redefines fasting as mourning for the bridegroom's absence. New wine needs new wineskins.
Context
This scene sits early in Matthew's Gospel, soon after Jesus called a tax collector named Matthew to follow him. Jesus was eating at Matthew's house with many tax collectors and sinners, which had already drawn questions from the Pharisees. Now John the Baptist's disciples step forward with their own concern. John was in prison, and his followers were grieving. They had kept his practice of regular fasting, and they wanted to know why Jesus' disciples did not join them. Jesus answers not by condemning fasting but by pointing to himself. He is the bridegroom, he says; while he is present it is a time for celebration, not mourning. Then he gives two everyday images, a patch on a garment and wine in wineskins, to show that his new way cannot be stitched onto the old one. This passage redefines both fasting and the entire shape of life in God's kingdom.
Key Words
Three words from this passage deserve a closer look.
Fasting (nēsteuō) means to go without food, often as a sign of sorrow or devotion. But Jesus connects it directly to himself, fasting becomes a response to whether the bridegroom is near or far. It is not a rule; it is a relation.
Mourn (pentheō) carries a weight deeper than ordinary sadness. It is the grief of loss, the kind that goes with fasting. Jesus says the wedding guests simply cannot mourn while the bridegroom stands among them.
Unshrunk cloth (agnaphos) describes raw fabric that has not been washed or processed. If you sew such a patch onto an old garment, it will shrink when wet and tear the worn fabric, making a worse hole. The point is plain: the new thing Jesus brings cannot be tacked onto the old. It demands a fresh start, a whole new wineskin.
How Christians Read This Verse
Across Christian traditions, this passage is read as a hinge: something new has arrived in Jesus. Many emphasize that his presence brings joy, so fasting is inappropriate until after his ascension, when the church lives in longing for his return. Others focus on the images of cloth and wineskins, seeing them as a warning against mixing the old covenant with the new. Some interpreters, like Calvin, thought the old garment referred to the disciples' weakness rather than the Pharisees' traditions. Still other readers point to Jesus' own words that his disciples will fast, so the practice continues, but with a new meaning: it is mourning for the absent bridegroom. All these readings agree that Jesus is the center, and everything else, fasting, feasting, old forms, new life, revolves around him.
A common misunderstanding
A common misreading is that Jesus abolishes fasting altogether. But he says plainly, “then they will fast.” In fact, Jesus is not setting fasting aside; he is giving it a new purpose. Fasting belongs to the season when the bridegroom is taken away, not to the season when he is present. The mistake is to treat a temporary exception as a permanent rule.
Living This Out
This week, take a look at your own habits. Are you trying to patch something old onto your faith, an old way of thinking, a practice that has lost its meaning, a relationship with God that no longer fits because Jesus is doing something new? Let him make you a new wineskin. Also, pay attention to the season you are in. If you feel the joy of Jesus’ presence, let yourself celebrate. If you sense his absence and long for him, find a simple way to express that longing, maybe through fasting, maybe through quiet prayer. Both are honest responses to the bridegroom.
Main takeaway: Jesus’ presence changes everything; the old forms cannot hold the new life he gives, and times of celebration and fasting depend on whether the bridegroom is near.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
When you go to a wedding, everyone is happy and celebrates. Jesus said his friends were like that, they don’t fast because he is with them, like the bridegroom. But one day he would go away for a while, and then they would miss him.
For ages 9, 12
Jesus compared his teaching to new wine. If you pour new wine into old, brittle wineskins, they burst and the wine is wasted. He meant his new way of living can’t just be added to old religious habits. Jesus wants to make us new, like fresh wineskins, so we can hold the life he gives.
Questions People Ask
Why did John's disciples fast but Jesus' disciples didn't?
John the Baptist was in prison, and his disciples were grieving. They kept his practice of fasting. Jesus explained that while he (the bridegroom) is with his own disciples, it is a time for celebration, not mourning. After he is taken away, they will fast.
What does new wine in old wineskins mean?
In Jesus' time, wine was stored in leather skins. New wine expands as it ferments, and old skins become brittle and burst. Jesus used this image to say his new teaching cannot be contained by old religious forms; it requires fresh, flexible hearts.
What does the bridegroom analogy mean?
Jesus calls himself the bridegroom, and his disciples are the wedding guests. At a wedding, it makes no sense to mourn while the groom is present. This shows that Jesus' presence brings a season of joy, and fasting belongs to seasons of longing and sorrow.
Is fasting required for Christians?
Christians have understood this passage differently. Some see fasting as a continuing practice in the church, a response to longing for Christ's return. Others emphasize that fasting is not a legal requirement but a voluntary expression of devotion or grief. Jesus clearly anticipates that his disciples will fast after his departure.
What is the 'unshrunk cloth' in Matthew 9:16?
Unshrunk cloth is raw fabric that has not been washed or processed. If you sew it onto an old garment as a patch, it will shrink when wet and tear the older fabric, making the hole worse. Jesus used this to show that his new way cannot be grafted onto old religious practices without causing greater damage.
For pastors & researchers
Greek interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study