Mark 2:18 records a question about fasting. Some people noticed that the disciples of John the Baptist and the disciples of the Pharisees were fasting, while Jesus’ disciples were not, and they asked Jesus why the difference existed. The question comes from religious observers who wanted to know why Jesus’ followers were living by a different pattern of practice.
John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, and they came and asked him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples don’t fast?”
Mark 2:18 (WEB)
What Mark 2:18 Means
The verse begins with a scene: John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Fasting in this period meant going without food for a set time, usually as an act of mourning, repentance, or seeking God’s help. Both groups were known for regular fasting, so their practice would have looked normal and expected to the people around them.
The question then turns to Jesus’ disciples, who were not fasting. The phrase “why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples don’t fast?” shows that the visitors expected a fasting faithful person to fast, and they wanted an explanation for the contrast. The verse does not criticize fasting itself. It records a question about why Jesus’ followers did something different.
The verse does not promise that fasting is wrong, nor does it say that eating is always the better choice. It shows a moment of comparison and invites us to see how Jesus answers the question in the verses that follow. The meaning of the verse is carried by the answer in verses 19 and 20, where Jesus speaks about the bridegroom.
The Context of Mark 2:18
Mark’s Gospel was written for a readership that needed to understand who Jesus was and what he was doing. The book moves quickly from one scene to another, showing Jesus healing, teaching, and confronting religious leaders. Chapter 2 is full of conflict over his conduct, and the question about fasting belongs to that pattern of challenge and reply.
Just before this verse, Jesus eats with tax collectors and sinners, which draws criticism from the scribes and Pharisees. The fasting question continues that theme of Jesus’ unexpected association with people who were not considered religiously respectable. Right after the verse, Jesus answers with images of a wedding and new cloth, which shows that his presence is a new thing rather than a patch on old practice. Reading the verse alongside that surrounding material helps explain why the question is about more than food.
Key Phrases in Mark 2:18
Matthew 6:16
“Moreover when you fast, don’t be like the hypocrites, with sad faces. For they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen by men to be fasting. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward.
(WEB)
Jesus teaches his followers how to fast without showing off, which adds to Mark’s picture of fasting as a matter of genuine devotion rather than outward performance. Reading it beside Mark 2:18 helps you see that the question is about the heart behind the practice.
Matthew 9:15
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.
(WEB)
This parallel passage gives a fuller version of Jesus’ answer about the wedding guests and the bridegroom. Reading it alongside Mark 2:18 deepens your understanding of why Jesus’ followers were not fasting during his time with them.
A Short Prayer From Mark 2:18
Lord, you know how easily I compare my faith with the faith of others. Some days I want my practices to look right to the people around me, and some days I want my life to look different enough to be honest. Help me hold both my habits and my questions before you. Show me where my fasting or my rest is pointing me back to you, and keep my heart close to the bridegroom who is with us now. Amen.
