Once when John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, some people came to Jesus and asked, “Why don’t your disciples fast like John’s disciples and the Pharisees do? Mark 2:18 NLT
Mark records an interesting conversation with Jesus that seemed to start with an amazing spiritual discipline, like fasting and end with a couple of object lessons about change. First of all, the NLT (New Living Translation) makes it sound like the disciples of John and of the Pharisees are using the old avoidance phrase, “some people” say. The original language is not so loose. In the Greek, it’s just “they came.” Pastor’s hate these kind of scenarios when “some people” say… who is “some people” we ask?
Jesus answers the thinly veiled question, but then goes for the motivation behind the question. Who does this? How does Jesus do this? Are there always questions behind the question? Jesus then switches to two object lessons about mixing old with new. It never works!
Jesus gives a quick, two-verse illustration, about patches and wineskins. Don’t both object lessons serve the point that old and new cannot exist in the same space? And isn’t it also clear that the old will not allow the new to coexist, but in fact will destroy both? Is this about fasting at all? It seems that Jesus is having a completely different conversation with these disciples.
They aren’t really asking about fasting and Jesus doesn’t really want to talk about fasting, in this context, either. They are both talking about change. Jesus knows that massive change is coming and he also knows that “some folks” are not comfortable with it. Jesus is, in fact, introducing a whole new way of doing everything. He knows that the fulfillment of the Law and everything under the Law will look completely different under a new freedom, and a new perspective on grace and mercy. The entire Old Testament system will go through cataclysmic change now that God has become flesh and that God will fulfill his promises to redeem humanity!
Christianity is not a patchwork, nor an old-wine way of life. Christ did not come to patch up the Law to keep it limping along, forever failing to change our hearts. He also did not come to allow a flat, fervent-less wine to try to express the exuberant joy of walking with God. The Law was a temporary stop-gap, a burden! When we grab the ethos, thinking or application of the Old Testament Law into the new and better experience of Christ’s efficacy and efficiency for our salvation, we are trying to patch God’s plan. When we keep trying to introduce the effervescent, actively expanding grace and joy of new life into the forms and confines of the Old Covenant, it will blow up!
Jesus couldn’t wait to introduce the fresh air of living by the Spirit but folks wanted to keep living in the caves of the law, breathing staleness of dead air! No wonder people would give up everything to follow Him! Jesus brings life to the fullest, no longer dimmed or dinged by our sin! Who doesn’t want that? I’ll tell you who. Folks who desire the guardrails of the Law, because a life in the Spirit feels like a lack of control. And it is. It’s a surrendering of faith to the control of the Spirit. I’ll take the new clothes of Christ and the bubbly joy of the new wine thank you!
Prayer
Dad,
I love your Law as instruction and to know you better. But I also love living by Your Spirit! The fresh, exhilarating wind of hope, mercy and grace is intoxicating. I will gladly give up control of my will to accomplish Yours. I will gladly walk in the Spirit, rather than my own flesh. Getting my way not only brings death it means crushing disappointment! It’s Your way now. Thank you for freedom to do what is right, and not just anything I want to do.