Mark 2:18

18 ¹John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and they came and said to Him, "Why * do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?"

Mark 2:18 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 2:18

And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to
fast
Or "were fasting"; perhaps that very day, and so were the more displeased at this entertainment, Matthew had made for Christ and his disciples, and at their being at it; or fasting was usual with them: they fasted often, both John's disciples, and the disciples of the Pharisees, or the Pharisees themselves; so the Vulgate Latin reads: of their frequent fasting, (See Gill on Matthew 9:14),

and they came:
both the disciples of John, ( Matthew 9:14 ) , and the Scribes and Pharisees, ( Luke 5:30 Luke 5:33 ) ,

and say unto him, why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees
fast, but thy disciples fast not? (See Gill on Matthew 9:14).

Mark 2:18 In-Context

16 When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that He was eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they said to His disciples, "Why is He eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners?"

17 And hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

18 John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and they came and said to Him, "Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?"

19 And Jesus said to them, "While the bridegroom is with them, the attendants of the bridegroom cannot fast, can they? So long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.

20 "But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day.

Cross References

• 1. Mark 2:18-22: {Matthew 9:14-17; Luke 5:33-38}