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Selected Verse: Matthew 9:14 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Mt 9:14	Strong Concordance	Then [5119] came [4334] to him [846] the disciples [3101] of John [2491], saying [3004], Why [1302] do we [2249] and [2532] the Pharisees [5330] fast [3522] oft [4183], but [1161] thy [4675] disciples [3101] fast [3522] not [3756]?
	King James	Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?

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Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Then came the disciples of John ... - This narrative is found also in Mar 2:18-22; Luk 5:33-39. The reference here is to 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, Luk 18:12. See the notes at Mat 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 Jesus 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 for sorrow. So, says he, John, your friend and teacher, is in captivity. With you it is a time of deep grief, and it is appropriate 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, see the notes at Mat 25:1-13. Mat 9:16 No man putteth a piece of new cloth ... - A second illustration was drawn from a well-known fact, showing also that there was "a propriety or fitness of things." None of you, says he, in mending an old garment, would take a piece of entire new cloth. There would be a waste in it. An old piece, or a piece like the garment, would be better. The word here translated "new," in the original means "rude, undressed, not fulled" by the cloth-dresser. In this state, if applied to an old garment, and if wet, it would "contract" and draw off a part of the garment to which it was attached, and thus make the rent worse than it was. So, says he, my "new" doctrines do not match with the old rites of the Pharisees. There is a fitness of things. Their doctrines require much fasting. In my system it would be incongruous; and if my new doctrines were to be attached to their old ones, it would only make the matter worse. Mat 9:17 Neither do men put new wine ... - The third illustration was taken from wine put into bottles. Bottles, in Eastern nations, were made, and are still made, of skins of beasts. Generally the skin was taken entire from a sheep or a goat, and, properly prepared, was filled with wine or water. Such bottles are still used, because, in crossing deserts of sand, they have no other conveyances but camels, or other beasts of burden. It would be difficult for them to carry glass bottles or kegs on them. They therefore fill two skins, and fasten them together and lay them across the back of a camel, and thus carry wine or water to a great distance. These bottles were, of course, of different sizes, as the skins of kids, goats, or oxen might be used. Bruce describes particularly a bottle which he saw in Arabia, made in this manner of an ox-skin, which would hold 60 gallons, and two of which were a lead for a camel. By long usage, however, bottles of skins became tender and would be easily ruptured. New wine put into them would ferment, and swell and burst them open. New skins or bottles would yield to the fermenting wine, and be strong enough to hold it from bursting. So, says Christ, there is "fitness" or propriety of things. It is not "fit" that my doctrine should be attached to or connected with the old and corrupt doctrines of the Pharisees. New things should be put together, and made to match. This account of Eastern bottles may illustrate the following passages in the Bible: The Gibeonites took "wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up," Jos 9:4. "My belly is ready to burst, like new bottles," Job 32:19. "I am become like a bottle in the smoke," Psa 119:83; i. e., like a bottle of skin hung up in a tent filled with smoke.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

Then came the disciples of John ... - This narrative is found also in Mar 2:18-22; Luk 5:33-39. The reference here is to 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, Luk 18:12. See the notes at Mat 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 Jesus 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 for sorrow. So, says he, John, your friend and teacher, is in captivity. With you it is a time of deep grief, and it is appropriate 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, see the notes at Mat 25:1-13.

Mat 9:16

No man putteth a piece of new cloth ... - A second illustration was drawn from a well-known fact, showing also that there was "a propriety or fitness of things." None of you, says he, in mending an old garment, would take a piece of entire new cloth.

There would be a waste in it. An old piece, or a piece like the garment, would be better. The word here translated "new," in the original means "rude, undressed, not fulled" by the cloth-dresser. In this state, if applied to an old garment, and if wet, it would "contract" and draw off a part of the garment to which it was attached, and thus make the rent worse than it was. So, says he, my "new" doctrines do not match with the old rites of the Pharisees. There is a fitness of things. Their doctrines require much fasting. In my system it would be incongruous; and if my new doctrines were to be attached to their old ones, it would only make the matter worse.

Mat 9:17

Neither do men put new wine ... - The third illustration was taken from wine put into bottles.

Bottles, in Eastern nations, were made, and are still made, of skins of beasts. Generally the skin was taken entire from a sheep or a goat, and, properly prepared, was filled with wine or water. Such bottles are still used, because, in crossing deserts of sand, they have no other conveyances but camels, or other beasts of burden. It would be difficult for them to carry glass bottles or kegs on them. They therefore fill two skins, and fasten them together and lay them across the back of a camel, and thus carry wine or water to a great distance. These bottles were, of course, of different sizes, as the skins of kids, goats, or oxen might be used. Bruce describes particularly a bottle which he saw in Arabia, made in this manner of an ox-skin, which would hold 60 gallons, and two of which were a lead for a camel. By long usage, however, bottles of skins became tender and would be easily ruptured. New wine put into them would ferment, and swell and burst them open. New skins or bottles would yield to the fermenting wine, and be strong enough to hold it from bursting. So, says Christ, there is "fitness" or propriety of things. It is not "fit" that my doctrine should be attached to or connected with the old and corrupt doctrines of the Pharisees. New things should be put together, and made to match.

This account of Eastern bottles may illustrate the following passages in the Bible: The Gibeonites took "wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up," Jos 9:4. "My belly is ready to burst, like new bottles," Job 32:19. "I am become like a bottle in the smoke," Psa 119:83; i. e., like a bottle of skin hung up in a tent filled with smoke.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Then - While he was at table. Mar 2:18; Luk 5:33.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
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.

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⁸³ For I am become like a bottle [04997] in the smoke [07008]; yet do I not forget [07911] thy statutes [02706].

¹⁹ Behold, my belly [0990] is as wine [03196] which hath no vent [06605]; it is ready to burst [01234] like new [02319] bottles [0178].

⁴ They did work [06213] wilily [06195], and went [03212] and made as if they had been ambassadors [06737], and took [03947] old [01087] sacks [08242] upon their asses [02543], and wine [03196] bottles [04997], old [01087], and rent [01234], and bound up [06887];

¹⁷ Neither [3761] do men put [906] new [3501] wine [3631] into [1519] old [3820] bottles [779]: else [1490] the bottles [779] break [4486], and [2532] the wine [3631] runneth out [1632], and [2532] the bottles [779] perish [622]: but [235] they put [906] new [3501] wine [3631] into [1519] new [2537] bottles [779], and [2532] both [297] are preserved [4933].

¹⁶ [1161] No man [3762] putteth [1911] a piece [1915] of new [46] cloth [4470] unto [1909] an old [3820] garment [2440], for [1063] that which is put in to fill it up [4138] taketh [142] [846] from [575] the garment [2440], and [2532] the rent [4978] is made [1096] worse [5501].

¹ Then [5119] shall the kingdom [932] of heaven [3772] be likened [3666] unto ten [1176] virgins [3933], which [3748] took [2983] their [846] lamps [2985], and went forth [1831] to meet [529] [1519] the bridegroom [3566].
² And [1161] five [4002] of [1537] them [846] were [2258] wise [5429], and [2532] five [4002] were foolish [3474].
³ They [3748] that were foolish [3474] took [2983] their [846] [1438] lamps [2985], and took [2983] no [3756] oil [1637] with [3326] them [1438]:
⁴ But [1161] the wise [5429] took [2983] oil [1637] in [1722] their [846] vessels [30] with [3326] their [846] lamps [2985].
⁵ While [1161] the bridegroom [3566] tarried [5549], they all [3956] slumbered [3573] and [2532] slept [2518].
⁶ And [1161] at midnight [3319] [3571] there was a cry [2906] made [1096], Behold [2400], the bridegroom [3566] cometh [2064]; go ye out [1831] to [1519] meet [529] him [846].
⁷ Then [5119] all [3956] those [1565] virgins [3933] arose [1453], and [2532] trimmed [2885] their [846] lamps [2985].
⁸ And [1161] the foolish [3474] said [2036] unto the wise [5429], Give [1325] us [2254] of [1537] your [5216] oil [1637]; for [3754] our [2257] lamps [2985] are gone out [4570].
⁹ But [1161] the wise [5429] answered [611], saying [3004], Not so; lest [3379] there be [714] not [3756] enough [714] for us [2254] and [2532] you [5213]: but [1161] go ye [4198] rather [3123] to them [4314] that sell [4453], and [2532] buy [59] for yourselves [1438].
¹⁰ And [1161] while they [846] went [565] to buy [59], the bridegroom [3566] came [2064]; and [2532] they that were ready [2092] went in [1525] with [3326] him [846] to [1519] the marriage [1062]: and [2532] the door [2374] was shut [2808].
¹¹ Afterward [1161] [5305] came [2064] also [2532] the other [3062] virgins [3933], saying [3004], Lord [2962], Lord [2962], open [455] to us [2254].
¹² But [1161] he answered [611] and said [2036], Verily [281] I say [3004] unto you [5213], I know [1492] you [5209] not [3756].
¹³ Watch [1127] therefore [3767], for [3754] ye know [1492] neither [3756] the day [2250] nor [3761] the hour [5610] wherein [1722] [3739] the Son [5207] of man [444] cometh [2064].

¹⁶ Moreover [1161] when [3752] ye fast [3522], be [1096] not [3361], as [5618] the hypocrites [5273], of a sad countenance [4659]: for [1063] they disfigure [853] their [846] faces [4383], that [3704] they may appear [5316] unto men [444] to fast [3522]. Verily [281] I say [3004] unto you [5213], [3754] They have [568] their [846] reward [3408].
¹⁷ But [1161] thou [4771], when thou fastest [3522], anoint [218] thine [4675] head [2776], and [2532] wash [3538] thy [4675] face [4383];
¹⁸ That [3704] thou appear [5316] not [3361] unto men [444] to fast [3522], but [235] unto thy [4675] Father [3962] which [3588] is in [1722] secret [2927]: and [2532] thy [4675] Father [3962], which [3588] seeth [991] in [1722] secret [2927], shall reward [591] thee [4671] openly [1722] [5318].

¹² I fast [3522] twice [1364] in the week [4521], I give tithes [586] of all [3956] that [3745] I possess [2932].

³³ And [1161] they said [2036] unto [4314] him [846], Why [1302] do [3522] the disciples [3101] of John [2491] fast [3522] often [4437], and [2532] make [4160] prayers [1162], and [2532] likewise [3668] the disciples [3588] of the Pharisees [5330]; but [1161] thine [4674] eat [2068] and [2532] drink [4095]?
³⁴ And [1161] he said [2036] unto [4314] them [846], [3361] Can ye [1410] make [4160] the children [5207] of the bridechamber [3567] fast [3522], while [3739] [1722] the bridegroom [3566] is [2076] with [3326] them [846]?
³⁵ But [1161] the days [2250] will come [2064], when [3752] [2532] the bridegroom [3566] shall be taken away [522] from [575] them [846], and then [5119] shall they fast [3522] in [1722] those [1565] days [2250].
³⁶ And [1161] he spake [3004] also [2532] a parable [3850] unto [4314] them [846]; [3754] No man [3762] putteth [1911] a piece [1915] of a new [2537] garment [2440] upon [1909] an old [2440] [3820]; if otherwise, then [1490] both [2532] the new [2537] maketh a rent [4977], and [2532] the piece [1915] that was taken out of [575] the new [2537] agreeth [4856] not [3756] with the old [3820].
³⁷ And [2532] no man [3762] putteth [906] new [3501] wine [3631] into [1519] old [3820] bottles [779]; else [1490] the new [3501] wine [3631] will burst [4486] the bottles [779], and [2532] [846] be spilled [1632], and [2532] the bottles [779] shall perish [622].
³⁸ But [235] new [3501] wine [3631] must be put [992] into [1519] new [2537] bottles [779]; and [2532] both [297] are preserved [4933].
³⁹ No man [3762] also [2532] having drunk [4095] old [3820] wine straightway [2112] desireth [2309] new [3501]: for [1063] he saith [3004], The old [3820] is [2076] better [5543].

¹⁸ And [2532] the disciples [3101] of John [2491] and [2532] of the Pharisees [5330] used [2258] to fast [3522]: and [2532] they come [2064] and [2532] say [3004] unto him [846], Why do [1302] [3522] the disciples [3101] of John [2491] and [2532] of the Pharisees [5330] fast [3522], but [1161] thy [4674] disciples [3101] fast [3522] not [3756]?
¹⁹ And [2532] Jesus [2424] said [2036] unto them [846], [3361] Can [1410] the children [5207] of the bridechamber [3567] fast [3522], while [1722] [3739] the bridegroom [3566] is [2076] with [3326] them [846]? as long as [3745] [5550] they have [2192] the bridegroom [3566] with [3326] them [1438], they cannot [3756] [1410] fast [3522].
²⁰ But [1161] the days [2250] will come [2064], when [3752] the bridegroom [3566] shall be taken away [522] from [575] them [846], and [2532] then [5119] shall they fast [3522] in [1722] those [1565] days [2250].
²¹ No man [3762] also [2532] seweth [1976] a piece [1915] of new [46] cloth [4470] on [1909] an old [3820] garment [2440]: else [1490] the new piece [2537] that filled it up [4138] taketh away [142] from [846] the old [3820], and [2532] the rent [4978] is made [1096] worse [5501].
²² And [2532] no man [3762] putteth [906] new [3501] wine [3631] into [1519] old [3820] bottles [779]: else [1490] the new [3501] wine [3631] doth burst [4486] the bottles [779], and [2532] the wine [3631] is spilled [1632], and [2532] the bottles [779] will be marred [622]: but [235] new [3501] wine [3631] must be put [992] into [1519] new [2537] bottles [779].