Luke 5:33

A Question about Fasting

33 Then they said to Him, "John's disciples fast often and say prayers, and those of the Pharisees do the same, but Yours eat and drink."^[a]

Luke 5:33 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 5:33

And they say unto him
The Scribes and Pharisees, or the disciples of John; see ( Matthew 9:14 )

why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers?
set times apart frequently for fasting and prayer. The Ethiopic version reads, "why do the disciples of John baptize frequently, fast, and make prayers?" in which the former clause is added; and as without any authority, so without judgment, since it must suppose that the Pharisees did so likewise, whereas they rejected the baptism of John; for it follows, and "likewise" the disciples of "the Pharisees"; who fasted often, at least twice in the week, and made frequent prayers in the synagogues, and corners of the streets, and in widows' houses.

But thine eat and drink?
instead of fasting and praying; (See Gill on Matthew 9:14).

Luke 5:33 In-Context

31 Jesus replied to them, "The healthy don't need a doctor, but the sick do.

32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

33 Then they said to Him, "John's disciples fast often and say prayers, and those of the Pharisees do the same, but Yours eat and drink."

34 Jesus said to them, "You can't make the wedding guests fast while the groom is with them, can you?

35 But the days will come when the groom will be taken away from them-then they will fast in those days."

Footnotes

• [a]. Other mss read "Why do John's . . . drink?" (as a question)