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 the disciples of Jesus were not, and they asked Jesus why. The verse describes an open question raised by religious observers who expected devout people to fast, and it sets up Jesus’ answer about the arrival of the bridegroom.
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 by describing two groups who were already fasting: John’s disciples and the Pharisees. Fasting in this period was a practice of going without food for a set time, usually as an expression of mourning, repentance, or seeking God’s help. Those who asked the question were watching the practice closely and found it puzzling that Jesus’ followers did not join in.
The question itself is a comparison. The questioners contrast two patterns of life, one that includes fasting and one that does not, and they ask Jesus to explain the difference. The verse does not present fasting as wrong, and it does not say Jesus’ disciples were being careless. It simply records that a reasonable question was being asked about a visible difference in practice.
What the verse does not promise is a general rule that fasting is unnecessary. The verse only reports the question. The answer, which comes in the verses that follow, is where Jesus explains why his disciples were acting as they were, and that explanation depends on who he understood himself to be.
The Context of Mark 2:18
The Gospel of Mark is one of the four accounts of Jesus’ life in the New Testament. It is traditionally attributed to John Mark, a companion of Peter, and it was likely written for a Gentile audience in the Roman world. Mark moves quickly from one episode to the next, and this section shows a pattern of growing opposition from religious leaders to Jesus’ actions.
Just before verse 18, Jesus has been eating with tax collectors and sinners, which the scribes and Pharisees criticized. Jesus answered that he came to call sinners, not the righteous. Verse 18 follows that exchange, and the fasting question continues the theme of Jesus’ table fellowship and his unexpected practices. Just after the verse, Jesus answers with the image of a bridegroom and then the picture of new cloth and old garments, which shows that his presence was bringing something new that could not simply be added to older forms.
Key Phrases in Mark 2:18
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 account records the same exchange between Jesus and John’s disciples and gives the bridegroom image in a slightly fuller form. Reading the two together helps clarify how the Gospel writers understood the question and Jesus’ response.
Isaiah 58:6
“Isn’t this the fast that I have chosen: to release the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?
(WEB)
This Old Testament passage shows that true fasting is about justice and care for others rather than outward ritual alone. It helps readers understand that the purpose of fasting was always more than the act of going without food.
A Short Prayer From Mark 2:18
Lord, you have shown us that faithful practice is about our hearts and not only our habits. When others notice what we do or do not do, help us to examine our reasons honestly and bring our questions to you. Teach us to seek you in fasting and in feasting, knowing that you are the one who gives life and joy. Keep us from pride when our practices differ from others, and from fear when we feel pressure to conform. Help us to live as those who belong to you, ready to receive the new things you are doing among us. Amen.