Matthew 9:15 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.

NIV: 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.

NASB: And Jesus said to them, 'The attendants of the groom cannot mourn as long as the groom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the groom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.

CSB: Jesus said to them, "Can the wedding guests be sad while the groom is with them? The time will come when the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

NLT: Jesus replied, 'Do wedding guests mourn while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

KJV: And 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.

NKJV: And Jesus 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.

Jesus is answering a question from the disciples of John the Baptist and the Pharisees. They want to know why His disciples do not fast, whereas these other groups do (Matthew 9:14). The law of Moses required fasting only once a year (Leviticus 23:26–32), but scholars believe the Pharisees fasted twice a week. It was one of many outward signs of their assumed righteousness. John the Baptist's disciples may have been following his example of a very restrictive lifestyle, though John himself was currently in prison (Matthew 4:12).

Jesus' answers to direct questions often require some thought in order to understand. Rather than answering shallowly, or accepting assumptions, Christ often replied to the deeper issues at hand. In response to this question (Matthew 9:14), Jesus asks a question of His own: would you expect wedding guests to mourn while they're with the groom? He explains that His disciples will fast, eventually, when the bridegroom is taken away.

Looking back after Jesus had been fully revealed as the Messiah and the Son of God, after His death and resurrection and return to heaven, this illustration comes into clear focus.

Matthew has already quoted Jesus referring to the great banquet in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 8:12). This banquet is sometimes called the "marriage supper of the Lamb" (Revelation 19:9). This feast represents the wedding of the bridegroom, Jesus, to His beloved church, all those who have come to Him by faith. It is not yet time for that wedding to take place, but the bridegroom, Jesus, was on earth making preparations. Why would his friends fast while the bridegroom is with them?

In the Old Testament, God Himself is described as the bridegroom (Isaiah 54:5–6; Hosea 2:16–20). The Pharisees may have caught this connection to Jesus' claim and resented the implications. Perhaps John the Baptist's disciples were more open to it since John Himself had used this language to describe his relationship with the Messiah: "The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete" (John 3:29).

John the Baptist clearly understood Jesus to be the bridegroom and himself the bridegroom's friend, or what western culture would call the "best man. "

Matthew 9 continues to show how Jesus authenticated His claims to be the Messiah by powerful miracles of healing and casting out demons. He heals a paralyzed man after telling the man his sins are forgiven. He calls Matthew to follow Him and eats dinner with Matthew and other tax collectors. He answers questions from Pharisees and others. A woman who touches His cloak is healed from a 12–year illness, and Jesus raises a dead girl back to life. He restores sight to blind men and speech to one who is demon oppressed. He is filled with compassion for the crowds.

Matthew 9 follows the same pattern of Matthew 8, showing through miraculous works of healing that Jesus is truly the Messiah. Christ forgives the sins of a paralyzed man and heals him. He calls Matthew to follow Him and eats with tax collectors and sinners. A woman is healed by touching His garment and a dead girl is given life by the touch of His hand. Two blind men see, and Jesus casts out a demon, restoring speech to its victim. Finally, Jesus declares that the harvest is plentiful and tells His followers to pray for workers. Chapter 10 builds on this compassion as Jesus commissions the Twelve to go and deliver His gospel to the people.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.