Mark 2:18-22: Regarding Fasting

Notes:

Biblical fasting

1. Fasting is often practiced for its health, system cleansing benefits

• Daniel Fast
• Fasting as a general practice in the world

2. Fasting as a biblical practice

1. A regular practice

• A focus on denying the flesh as we seek to draw closer to the Lord

2. Specific fasting

Spiritual preparation for ministry 

• Matt. 4, Luke 4: Jesus’ own ministry

• Matt. 17:21: This kind only comes out with prayer and fasting
• Acts 13:1-3: In concert with prayer/worship for God’s wisdom and direction: direction
• Ezra 8:21-23: In concert with prayer for God’s protection

The question at hand regarding fasting

1. In the context of a wedding (the presence of the Bridegroom), fasting would be inappropriate

• The image of the wedding is often used in both the Old and New Testaments
• While the Bridegroom is here, the response should be one of joy
• There will soon come the time when the Bridegroom will be taken away, and fasting will become necessary 

2. Old/New cloth

• You wouldn’t expect to fix up an old cloth with new cloth
• Jesus didn’t come to “patch up” the Old Covenant, but to fulfill its purpose, and introduce the New Covenant

3. Old/New Wine & wineskins

• Old wineskins are inadequate to hold new wine, therefore a new/fresh wineskin is necessary for new wine
• The Law was adequate for what it was intended to hold, but not for the new wine/Covenant