Fasting, the old and the new...Matthew 9

Then John’s disciples came and asked him, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?”

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.

“No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”


Do I fast? No. Should I? Yes. That was a pretty easy lesson learned. However I should also remember to do it in the right way. Many around the time of Jesus ministry acknowledged that the Pharisees fasted, but rather than use the practice as a spiritual discipline to grow closer to God they did it so that they would be celebrated for their achievements in the public eye. It was carried out in order to impress.
I pray that I can explore the process of fasting, understanding how it can be done with a humble heart and used to grow closer to God. I also pray that I can investigate my spiritual practices in order to make sure that what I do is not done out of any intention to impress others but carried out for the glory of God.


Much can be discussed regarding the sewing new patches and pouring new wine. I understand it to mean the new covenant in Jesus, how it didn’t come to repair the old, but bring something fresh and new that not only fulfilled prophecy but it went beyond the old regime. It also makes me think about current church practices, I have no definite conclusions, yet this passage reminds me that Jesus is saying what is old, quiet or sleeping often cannot be transformed into something it was never intended to be. God may well use something new to carry out his work; we need to be open to that in building his Kingdom.

We also need to pray for discernment so as we don’t disregard that which is already established and bringing Him glory.