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 he old. And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved. No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new; for he saith, The old is better," Luke 5:33-39.
In Luke 5:33 the pharisees and scribes ask Jesus another question. They are already upset because Jesus and His disciples were eating and drinking with publicans and sinners. Christ was not eating and drinking to encourage sinful behavior, but instead He called them to repentance. It is only by God's grace that anyone sees their need for repentance. Though we proclaim repentance to all, only those who are effectually called will hear and obey. Those who are effectually called will see their need for repentance from their sins and they, by God's grace, will turn from their sins and turn to Jesus Christ. This is totally a work that only God can do in someone. "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one. There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God," Romans 3:10-11. This is another reason it is important that we believe what the bible teaches about man, not what this world teaches about man.
These pharisees and scribes carry around weight, in a figurative sense. What they said and what they did influenced everyone around them. Man looks at the outward, but God sees the heart. To see or hear the pharisees and scribes would put pressure on people to conform to their ways (Matthew 23:1-7). They were self-righteous separatist; therefore, they rebuked Christ's disciples for eating and drinking with publicans and sinners. Jesus responded in verses 31-32. Jesus is again dealing with the heart. The religious crowd can't deal with the heart; they do not want the secrets of their heart to be made known. They try to disguise the heart by outward religious actions such as fasting and public praying. What they did and what they said looked and sounded spiritual, but on the inside they were full of hatred and envy. This is made known by how they dealt with anyone who did not line up with them.
In verse 33 they viewed public fasting and prayer to be a sign of someone's spirituality. This act of asceticism looked great. They actually thought they could earn favour with God. Let us turn to Matthew 6:6-8 and 16-18. We don't fast and pray to get favour with God. We are driven to pray and fast as we see our need for our Lord and Saviour to work in our lives. This is another reason why trials and tribulations are beneficial for the Christian because they drive us to God. We are commanded to "Pray without ceasing," I Thessalonians 5:17. "Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving," Colossians 4:2. We are never told to make a public spectacle of praying or fasting. Only religious hypocrite do that.
There are times we are driven to fast as a result of circumstances, grief, and concerns. We end up with no desire to eat because of what our focus is on. We find ourselves labouring in prayer so much that we aren't focused on eating. We are begging God for our loved one, or to get us through a circumstance, etc. and since we are so focused on the Lord we end up fasting. Only those who think they have everything they need would have to schedule a time to fast. Again, we do not fast and pray to get something from God. God is not in debt to anyone.
The religious crowds are telling Christ and His disciples that they should follow their example and stick with that which appears to be spiritual. They have the right words, the right looks, but the wrong heart. This means the religious crowds have a different focus, a different message, a different way, and a different eternity. Do we have these types of religions today? Yes we do, but they are not Christian, though they claim to be. They will tell you there are certain foods you can and cannot eat; certain clothes you can and cannot wear; certain days you can and cannot worship on; and if you transgress any of these man made commands then you will lose your salvation. This is another gospel than what the Scriptures give us (Galatians 1:6-10; 2:16). Turn with me to Colossians 2:1-3:2. True Christianity trusts in the finished work of Christ. True Christianity hates sin, especially their own, and are living in the light of Christ's return. Salvation has never been by what we do or do not do, but it has always been by the grace of God. This is why we trust Christ alone for salvation, not any works of righteousness that we have done (Ephesians 2:1-9; Titus 3:5).
In Luke 5:34-35 Christ tells them that there is no need for His disciples to fast. They are not in a state of mourning, yet. That day did come. The disciples had been so ingrained by the teaching of their day that they were devastated when Christ died on the cross. Even though Christ had taught them that He must die on the cross and rise again on the third day they really didn't believe Him. Their actions proved this which shows how much they had been impacted by the teaching of the scribes and pharisees. The scribes and pharisees had been teaching the people for so long that the people thought what they were being taught was what had always been taught. They thought they were walking on the old paths (Jeremiah 6:16). This is another reason church history is so important. Some think that what they have been taught is how it has always been, only to study and research to find out that is not the case. What they considered to be the old paths was really a new teaching, or a better term may be a foreign teaching of the bible. To prove this point, Christ gave them two parables in Luke 5:36-39.
Salvation has always been by grace through faith in the promise of God. Old and New Testament saints are all saved the same way. God doesn't have two ways to get to heaven. Any teaching that adds to or takes away from the true Gospel damn's men's souls to hell. You cannot combine salvation by works with salvation by God's grace. They are not compatible. "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ," Romans 5:1. (Matthew 5:17-20). The religious crowds righteousness was external; Christ's righteousness is imputed to us at the moment He saves us. Have you trusted Christ alone to save you? If not, I beg you to turn from your works and your sins, and turn to Christ. He will save you.
Send questions and comments to richardsonbaptistchurch@gmail.com. Soli Deo Gloria.
