Lesson 3147

 (Lesson 3147)(08-1-23020) Matthew 9:14-17

    “Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? 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. No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse. Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.”

    In today’s quote, when Jesus was challenged as to why His followers weren’t fasting as was required under the law, Jesus, by drawing an analogy, explained that the old laws of the Jews could not be applied within the new law of faith. 

    Jesus’ disciples would be required to put away the old laws of the Jews. They would, while He was with them, learn and practice the new law of faith; Therefore, they were not obliged to fast while Jesus was yet with them.

    Sadly, the majority of today’s “Christians” still cling to, and attempt force upon others, elements of the old Jewish law. Many of those old laws, such as those pertaining to water baptisms, are totally misunderstood and misapplied by Roman Catholicism and many other religious sects.~