Matthew 9 · Verse 14

Matthew 9:14

Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?
Matthew 9:14, King James Version

Matthew 9:14 in other translations

BSBAt that time John’s disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast so often, but Your disciples do not fast?”
WEBThen John’s disciples came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples don’t fast?”
ASVThen come to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?
YLTThen come to him do the disciples of John, saying, ‘Wherefore do we and the Pharisees fast much, and thy disciples fast not?'
DARBYThen come to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees often fast, but thy disciples fast not?
BBEThen the disciples of John came to him, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees frequently go without food, but your disciples do not?
WebsterThen came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but thy disciples fast not?

What does Matthew 9:14 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verses 14,15. Then came to him the disciples of John, etc. See also Mk 2:18-22, Lk 5:33-39. That is, of John the Baptist. It is probable that they had understood that John was the forerunner of the Messiah; and if such was the case, they could not account for the fact that there was such a difference between them and the disciples of Jesus. The Pharisees fasted often, regularly twice a week, besides the great national days of fasting, Lk 18:12. Mt 6:16-18. This was the established custom of the land, and John did not feel himself authorized to make so great a change as to dispense with it. They were desirous of knowing, therefore, why Jesus had done it.

Besides, it is probable that this question was put to him when John was in prison; and his disciples, involved in deep grief on account of it, observed days of fasting. Fasting was the natural expression of sorrow, and they wondered that the followers of Jesus did not join with them in lamenting the captivity of him who was the forerunner and baptizer of their Lord.

Christ, in reply to them, used three illustrations, all of them going to establish the same thing, that we should observe a fitness and propriety in things. The first is taken from a marriage. The children of the bride-chamber--that is, the bridemen, or men who had the special care of the bridal chamber, and who were therefore his special friends--do not think of fasting while he is with them. With them it is a time of festivity and rejoicing; and mourning would not be appropriate. When he is removed, or taken away, then their festivity will be ended, and then will be the proper time of sorrow. So, says he, John, your friend and teacher, is in captivity. With you it is a time of deep grief, and it is fit that you should fast. I am with my disciples. It is, with them, a time of joy. It is not fit that they should use the tokens of grief, and fast now. When I am taken away, it will then be proper that they should fast. For an account of the ceremonies of an eastern marriage, Mt 25:1-13.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 14 Thy disciples fast not? - Probably meaning that they did not fast so frequently as the others did, or for the same purposes, which is very likely, for the Pharisees had many superstitious fasts. They fasted in order to have lucky dreams, to obtain the interpretation of a dream, or to avert the evil import of a dream. They also fasted often, in order to obtain the things they wished for. The tract, Taanith is full of these fasts, and of the wonders performed thus by the Jewish doctors.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 9:14-17
John was at this time in prison; his circumstances, his character, and the nature of the message he was sent to deliver, led those who were peculiarly attached to him, to keep frequent fasts. Christ referred them to John's testimony of him, Joh 3:29. Though there is no doubt that Jesus and his disciples lived in a spare and frugal manner, it would be improper for his disciples to fast while they had the comfort of his presence. When he is with them, all is well. The presence of the sun makes day, and its absence produces night. Our Lord further reminded them of common rules of prudence. It was not usual to take a piece of rough woolen cloth, which had never been prepared, to join to an old garment, for it would not join well with the soft, old garment, but would tear it further, and the rent would be made worse. Nor would men put new wine into old leathern bottles, which were going to decay, and would be liable to burst from the fermenting of the wine; but putting the new wine into strong, new, skin bottles, both would be preserved. Great caution and prudence are necessary, that young converts may not receive gloomy and forbidding ideas of the service of our Lord; but duties are to be urged as they are able to bear them.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Matthew 9:14 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΤότεToteThenG5119
προσέρχονταιproserchontaicomeG4334
αὐτῷautōto HimG846
οἱhoitheG3588
μαθηταὶmathētaidisciplesG3101
ἸωάννουIōannouof JohnG2491
λέγοντες·legontessaying;G3004
διὰdiaBecause ofG1223
τίtiwhyG5101
ἡμεῖςhēmeiswe ourselvesG3165
καὶkaiandG2532
οἱhoitheG3588
ΦαρισαῖοιPharisaioiPhariseesG5330
νηστεύομενnēsteuomendo fastG3522
πολλά,pollamany times,G4183
οἱhoitheG3588
δὲdehoweverG1161
μαθηταίmathētaidisciplesG3101
σουsouof YouG4771
οὐounotG3756
νηστεύουσιν;¶nēsteuousinfast?G3522

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 9:14

  • Luke 5:33-39

    And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink? And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days. And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old. …

  • Mark 2:18-22

    And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, 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 bridechamber 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. …

  • Matthew 6:16

    Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

  • Matthew 11:18-19

    For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.

  • Luke 18:9-12

    And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

  • John 3:25

    Then there arose a question between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purifying.

  • Proverbs 20:6

    Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?

  • Matthew 11:2

    Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,

  • John 4:1

    When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the disciples.
11:2; Joh 3:25; 4:1
Why.
6:16; 11:18,19; Pr 20:6; Mr 2:18-22; Lu 5:33-39; 18:9-12

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Matthew 9:13

    But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

  • Matthew 9:14

    Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?

  • Matthew 9:15

    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.

Read all of Matthew 9

Matthew 9:14 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces los discípulos de Juan vienen á él, diciendo: ¿Por qué nosotros y los Fariseos ayunamos muchas veces, y tus discípulos no ayunan?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Alors les disciples de Jean viennent à lui, disant: Pourquoi, nous et les pharisiens, jeûnons-nous souvent, et tes disciples ne jeûnent pas?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Dann kommen die Jünger des Johannes zu ihm und sagen: Warum fasten wir und die Pharisäer oft, deine Jünger aber fasten nicht?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Tunc accesserunt ad eum discipuli Joannis, dicentes: Quare nos, et pharisæi, jejunamus frequenter: discipuli autem tui non jejunant?