R. J. LAWRENCE by R. J. Lawrence

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 4, 1871

R. J. LAWRENCE

By R. J. Lawrence

Mark 2: 18–22.

“AND the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast; and they come unto him and say, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not? And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bride-chamber fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. But the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days. No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment; else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse. And no man putteth new wine into old bottles, else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred; but new wine must be put into new bottles.”

What is termed fast here, in Matt. 9: 15, is called mourn; so that abstinence from food, or the use of plain food in times of affliction or mourning, and prayer, were practiced anciently. See 1 Sam. 1: 8–17; 2 Sam. 12: 16–23; Dan. 10: 2, 3. From these quotations we learn that seasons of fasting were seasons of abstinence, at least from pleasant food, and of mourning, or humiliation, and prayer. The question in the text is, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not? This is the same as saying, We, the disciples of John and of the Pharisees, mourn and afflict ourselves, and pray, but yours are happy, yours are not afflicted. Now, why is this? Jesus says, Can the children of the bride-chamber fast while the bridegroom is with them? They cannot now mourn, they cannot be afflicted; but when the bridegroom is taken away, then shall they mourn, or fast. The Jewish system pointed to Christ or the bridegroom; so that as long as he remained away they fasted or mourned. John came, baptizing, and pointing the people to One yet to come. These fasted, or mourned, for the coming of One who had already come. Who are these referred to? The Pharisees and the disciples of John, and not the disciples of Christ. His disciples had received the bridegroom. Christ was with them. How, then, could they mourn, or fast? They could but rejoice. But the bridegroom shall be taken away, then shall they fast. This refers to the death, resurrection, and ascension, of Christ. He was taken from them; did they then fast? Acts 13: 2: “As they ministered to the Lord and fasted [or mourned],” &c. So long, then, as the bridegroom remains away, the children of the bride-chamber mourn.

Now, the parables are introduced to make the point more plain. The new cloth on the old garment, and the new wine in the old bottles, are different figures to illustrate the same thing; viz., That for the disciples of Christ to mix their joy and rejoicing with the mourning and fasting of the Pharisees, for that to take place which had already taken place, would be like putting new cloth in an old, worn garment, or like putting new, unfermented wine into old, tender goatskin bottles. Could they unite in those fastings? Experience teaches us that to unite with those we have left, or to talk out the source of our joy, would be to wake up a terrible prejudice or cause a terrible rent among them. Understand, the rent is in the old cloth and not in the new. The new remains whole. So in the parable. But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved; Luke 5: 38; that is, the truth of the gospel must be put into honest and true hearts converted to God; for the old or carnal heart cannot retain it, though it be deposited there. “No man having drunk old wine straightway desireth the new; for he saith the old is better.” Luke 5: 38, 39. That is, the Pharisees held on to their system of types and ceremonies, saying, We are Moses’ disciples, away with this man. Therefore they continue fasting, and are still mourning for the bridegroom to come.

R. J. LAWRENCE

Brockway Center, June 22, 1871.