LUKE 5:33–39
THE QUESTION ABOUT FASTING
BRIEF INTERPRETATION
Text – Luke 5:33–39
33 And they said to him, “The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and the disciples of the Pharisees do the same; but yours eat and drink.”
34 Jesus answered them, “Can you make the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?”
35 “But the days will come, and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days.”
36 And he also told them a parable: “No one tears a piece from a new cloak to patch an old one…”
37 “Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins…”
39 “And no one who has been drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.’”
Historical and Jewish Context
Fasting was a common religious practice in Jewish tradition, especially among Pharisees and John the Baptist’s followers, as a sign of repentance and mourning. It was typically practiced twice a week. Jesus’ contemporaries expected similar religious discipline from all holy men. The bridegroom imagery is rooted in Jewish wedding customs and Old Testament references to God as the Bridegroom of Israel (cf. Isaiah 62:5, Hosea 2:16). Wineskins were used to store fermenting wine—new wine required flexible skins to expand with the fermentation process, symbolizing the incompatibility between the old and the new.
Catholic Theological Perspective
Jesus identifies Himself as the Bridegroom—pointing to the divine nuptial relationship between God and His people (CCC 796). His presence marks a time of joy, not mourning. The call to fast will return when “the Bridegroom is taken away,” alluding to His Passion. The parables of the patch and wineskins illustrate that the New Covenant cannot be forced into old religious structures. The Gospel brings a radical transformation that requires openness of heart (CCC 1965–1970). Christian fasting is thus rooted not only in discipline but in the longing for Christ and preparation for union with Him.
Parallels in Scripture
Isaiah 62:5 – “As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride…”
Hosea 2:16 – The Lord calls Israel His bride
Matthew 9:14–17 – Similar question about fasting
Mark 2:18–22 – Parallel passage with wineskins
Revelation 19:7 – Marriage of the Lamb
Key Terms
Fasting – Religious discipline of self-denial and repentance
Bridegroom – Messianic title expressing intimacy between Christ and the Church
New Wine – Symbol of the new life and teaching Jesus brings
Old Wineskins – Symbol of rigid traditions unable to contain the Gospel
Joy – Proper response to the presence of Christ
Catholic Liturgical Significance
This passage is read during Ordinary Time and often referenced in teachings on fasting during Lent. It reminds the faithful that fasting is appropriate when done in relationship with Christ—either in longing for His return or in union with His suffering. The Eucharist is the ongoing wedding feast of the Bridegroom with His Church.
Conclusion
Jesus challenges the expectation that religious practice must always follow traditional forms. His coming brings something new—something that calls for interior transformation, not just external observance. True fasting and discipline are responses to Christ’s presence or absence, rooted in love, not law.
Reflection
Is my spiritual life open to the newness Christ brings, or am I clinging to old patterns?
Do I fast and pray out of love and longing for Christ, or out of obligation?
Am I allowing Jesus to transform me into a new vessel for His grace?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, You are the Bridegroom of my soul. Teach me when to rejoice in Your presence and when to fast in longing. Make me a new vessel, ready to receive the wine of Your Spirit. Help me embrace the fullness of Your Gospel with joy and surrender. Amen.
DETAILED INTERPRETATION
INTRODUCTION
Luke 5:33–39 presents a dialogue between Jesus and the religious leaders concerning fasting and religious practice. In first-century Judaism, fasting was a well-established spiritual discipline associated with repentance, mourning, and preparation for God’s intervention. The Pharisees and disciples of John practiced fasting regularly, so Jesus’ disciples’ behavior appears unconventional. Their question reflects a deeper concern: why does Jesus not conform to expected religious patterns?
Historically, Jesus responds using wedding imagery and two short parables. In Jewish culture, a wedding was a time of joy when fasting was inappropriate. By referring to Himself as the bridegroom, Jesus reveals that God’s saving presence is already among them. The parables of the new patch and new wine emphasize that Jesus is not merely reforming existing religious structures; He is inaugurating something radically new—the New Covenant—which cannot be contained within old categories without distortion.
Lk 5:33 — “And they said to him, ‘Why do the disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and the disciples of the Pharisees do the same; but yours eat and drink?’”
This verse introduces a new line of questioning that shifts the focus from table fellowship to religious practice. The concern raised is not moral failure but religious observance, specifically fasting and prayer. By comparing Jesus’ disciples with those of John the Baptist and the Pharisees, the questioners imply that authentic spirituality must conform to established ascetical patterns.
The contrast is deliberate. John’s disciples represent a prophetic movement marked by penitence and preparation, while the Pharisees embody disciplined observance of the Law. Jesus’ disciples, however, appear to live with freedom and joy. The question exposes a deeper issue: can God’s saving action take new forms that do not fit inherited expectations?
Historical and Jewish Context
Fasting was a common Jewish practice, especially on Mondays and Thursdays, and during times of repentance.
John the Baptist’s disciples fasted as part of a penitential call in preparation for God’s judgment.
Pharisaic fasting emphasized discipline, identity, and fidelity to tradition.
Catholic Theological Perspective
From a Catholic perspective, this verse highlights the tension between continuity and fulfillment. The Church teaches that Jesus does not abolish ascetical practices but reveals their deeper meaning in relation to His person and mission (cf. CCC 577–582).
Spiritually, the verse challenges believers to discern whether religious practices are rooted in living relationship with Christ or maintained merely by comparison and habit.
Key Terms
Fasting — penitence and spiritual discipline
Disciples of John — preparation and expectation
Eat and drink — joy of God’s present action
Conclusion
Lk 5:33 reveals that the presence of Jesus introduces a new moment in salvation history. Old practices must now be understood in light of what God is doing now, not only what He has done before.
Reflection
Do I evaluate my faith primarily by external practices or by my relationship with Christ? Am I open to God’s work taking forms that challenge my expectations?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, You bring new life and new joy into our faith. Help me to practice discipline with understanding, and to root every religious observance in a living relationship with You. Amen.
Lk 5:34 — “Jesus answered them, ‘Can you make the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?’”
With this image, Jesus responds not by rejecting fasting, but by revealing its proper time and meaning. He introduces a wedding metaphor—one of joy, celebration, and covenant fulfillment. By identifying Himself implicitly as the bridegroom, Jesus declares that a decisive moment in salvation history has arrived. Where the bridegroom is present, fasting gives way to rejoicing.
Jesus’ answer shifts the discussion from religious comparison to relational discernment. Fasting is appropriate in times of longing, repentance, and waiting. But the presence of the bridegroom marks fulfillment, not absence. The disciples’ joy is not neglect of piety; it is a response to God’s nearness in Christ.
Historical and Jewish Context
Wedding feasts in Jewish culture were extended celebrations marked by joy and communal festivity.
Fasting during a wedding was considered inappropriate and even offensive.
In the Old Testament, God is often portrayed as the bridegroom of Israel (cf. Hos 2:16–22; Is 62:4–5).
Catholic Theological Perspective
From a Catholic perspective, this verse reveals Jesus as the divine bridegroom who inaugurates the messianic age. The Church teaches that Christ’s presence brings a new joy that fulfills, rather than abolishes, earlier religious practices (cf. CCC 1612, 796).
Spiritually, the verse invites believers to recognize the rhythms of the spiritual life. Ascetic practices are meaningful only when rooted in relationship with Christ and responsive to His presence and purpose.
Key Terms
Bridegroom — Christ as covenantal presence
Wedding guests — disciples sharing in messianic joy
Fast — discipline ordered to longing and preparation
Conclusion
Lk 5:34 proclaims that the presence of Jesus transforms the spiritual landscape. Joy is now the appropriate response, for God has drawn near in the person of the Bridegroom.
Reflection
Do I recognize the joy of Christ’s presence in my faith, or do I practice religion without relationship? How can I allow joy in Christ to shape my spiritual disciplines?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, divine Bridegroom, You have come to dwell among us. Fill my heart with the joy of Your presence, and help me to practice discipline and devotion in harmony with a living relationship with You. Amen.
Lk 5:35 — “But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.”
With this verse, Jesus introduces a note of solemn realism into the image of joy. While affirming the present time as one of celebration, He also points forward to a coming separation. The phrase “taken away” is striking and deliberate. It hints at violence, loss, and suffering, anticipating the Passion long before it unfolds. Joy will not be uninterrupted; discipleship will pass through sorrow.
Jesus thus places fasting within a deeper theological framework. Fasting is not abolished, but transformed. It will no longer be merely ritual or customary; it will become a response to longing, absence, and suffering. When the Bridegroom is no longer visibly present, fasting becomes an expression of desire, fidelity, and hope.
Historical and Jewish Context
Fasting in Judaism often accompanied mourning, loss, and national crisis.
The idea of a bridegroom being “taken away” would have sounded ominous and unsettling to listeners.
Jesus subtly prepares His disciples for a future they cannot yet comprehend.
Catholic Theological Perspective
From a Catholic perspective, this verse points directly to the Paschal Mystery. The Church teaches that the time between Christ’s Ascension and His return is marked by longing, watchfulness, and penitential practices, including fasting (cf. CCC 672, 1438).
Spiritually, fasting becomes a way of sharing in Christ’s suffering and expressing hope for His return. It is no longer emptiness for its own sake, but love in waiting.
Key Terms
Taken away — foreshadowing of the Passion
Days will come — future time of trial
Fast — longing born of love and loss
Conclusion
Lk 5:35 proclaims that Christian joy and Christian discipline are both necessary. The disciples will one day fast—not because joy was false, but because love endures absence while hoping for reunion.
Reflection
Do I understand fasting and sacrifice as expressions of love and longing for Christ? How do I remain faithful during times when God feels distant or hidden?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, You prepared Your disciples for both joy and sorrow. Teach me to remain faithful in times of longing, to fast with love, and to wait with hope for Your abiding presence and glorious return. Amen.
Lk 5:36 — “And he also told them a parable. ‘No one tears a piece from a new cloak to patch an old one. Otherwise, he will tear the new cloak, and the piece from it will not match the old.’”
With this parable, Jesus deepens His teaching about the newness of God’s work in Him. He shifts from direct explanation to imagery drawn from everyday life. The point is clear and practical: mixing the new with the old in the wrong way leads to loss on both sides. The new garment is damaged, and the old one is not truly repaired.
Jesus is not rejecting Israel’s tradition, but warning against forcing the new reality of the Kingdom into outdated frameworks that cannot contain it. The Gospel is not a patch to improve the old; it is a fulfillment that requires renewal. Attempting to preserve the old system unchanged while adding Jesus will distort both.
Historical and Jewish Context
Clothing was valuable, and tearing a new garment would be wasteful and foolish.
New cloth would shrink and pull away from an old garment, making the tear worse.
The image would have been immediately understood by ordinary listeners.
Catholic Theological Perspective
From a Catholic perspective, this verse reveals the principle of fulfillment rather than compromise. The Church teaches that Christ brings the New Covenant, which fulfills the Old without being reducible to it (cf. CCC 577–582).
Spiritually, the parable warns against superficial conversion. New life in Christ requires interior renewal, not merely external adjustments to old habits or mindsets.
Key Terms
New cloak — new life of the Kingdom
Old cloak — former structures and expectations
Tear — damage caused by improper mixing
Conclusion
Lk 5:36 proclaims that the Gospel cannot be reduced to a minor improvement of the old life. Christ brings a newness that calls for true renewal of heart and mind.
Reflection
Am I trying to fit Christ into old patterns without allowing Him to renew me fully? What areas of my life need not a patch, but transformation?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, You bring new life that cannot be contained by old ways. Renew my heart, reshape my habits, and help me to embrace the fullness of the new life You offer. Amen.
Lk 5:37 — “Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled, and the skins will be ruined.”
With this second image, Jesus reinforces and deepens the lesson of the previous parable. The focus now shifts from clothing to wine—symbol of joy, vitality, and abundance. New wine is active and fermenting; it expands. Old wineskins, already stretched and brittle, cannot contain that expansion. The result is loss on every side: the wine is wasted, and the skins are destroyed.
Jesus is teaching that the new life of the Kingdom cannot be contained within rigid structures or unchanged mindsets. The problem is not the old wine or the old skins in themselves, but their incompatibility with what is new. The Gospel demands receptivity, flexibility, and inner renewal. Without that, even good things are lost.
Historical and Jewish Context
Wineskins were made from animal hide and could stretch only while new.
Old skins, having already expanded, would crack under renewed pressure.
Wine often symbolized joy and blessing in biblical tradition (cf. Ps 104:15).
Catholic Theological Perspective
From a Catholic perspective, this verse illustrates the necessity of interior renewal to receive the grace of Christ. The Church teaches that conversion involves a transformation of mind and heart, not merely the preservation of external forms (cf. CCC 1427–1428).
Spiritually, the “new wine” represents the grace of the New Covenant, especially life in the Spirit. To receive it, the heart itself must be made new through repentance, humility, and openness.
Key Terms
New wine — vitality and joy of the Kingdom
Old wineskins — rigid or unreformed hearts
Burst — loss caused by resistance to renewal
Conclusion
Lk 5:37 proclaims that the Gospel brings a living, expanding grace. Without inner renewal, even divine gifts can be lost through rigidity and resistance.
Reflection
Where might I be resisting renewal in my spiritual life? Do I ask Christ to fit into my old patterns, or do I allow Him to make my heart new?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, pour the new wine of Your Spirit into my life. Renew my heart, soften what has become rigid, and make me capable of receiving the fullness of Your grace without fear. Amen.
Lk 5:38 — “Rather, new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins.”
This verse states the positive principle that completes Jesus’ teaching. After warning about loss and incompatibility, He now affirms what is required for preservation and growth. Fresh wineskins are not merely repaired old skins; they are entirely new. Only renewed containers can receive and sustain the vitality of new wine.
Jesus’ words emphasize readiness and transformation. The new life of the Kingdom requires renewed hearts, minds, and structures. This renewal is not superficial but interior. God’s grace is abundant and dynamic, but it must be received with openness and flexibility. Where there is renewal, there is preservation and fruitfulness.
Historical and Jewish Context
Fresh wineskins were newly prepared hides, elastic and strong.
Using new skins was essential to preserve fermenting wine.
The image would have been familiar and practical to Jesus’ audience.
Catholic Theological Perspective
From a Catholic perspective, this verse highlights the need for interior conversion. The Church teaches that authentic renewal comes from a transformed heart open to the Holy Spirit (cf. CCC 1427, 1988).
Spiritually, fresh wineskins symbolize lives made new through grace—hearts freed from rigidity, pride, and fear, able to receive God’s work without resistance.
Key Terms
Fresh wineskins — renewed hearts and lives
New wine — grace of the New Covenant
Must — necessity of conversion
Conclusion
Lk 5:38 proclaims that the life Christ offers requires real renewal. God’s grace flourishes where hearts are made new and receptive.
Reflection
In what ways is Christ inviting me to become a “fresh wineskin”? What habits or attitudes need renewal to receive His grace more fully?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, renew my heart and make me a fresh wineskin. Remove rigidity and fear from my spirit, and help me to receive the new life You pour out through Your grace and Spirit. Amen.
Lk 5:39 — “And no one who has been drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.’”
This concluding verse offers a sober and realistic insight into the human heart. Jesus acknowledges that resistance to the new is often rooted not in ignorance, but in comfort and familiarity. The old wine has been tasted, trusted, and enjoyed. It feels safe. The new, by contrast, is unknown and unsettling—even if it is better.
Jesus does not condemn this reaction; He names it. Attachment to the familiar can quietly close the heart to God’s fresh work. The verse explains why Jesus’ message encounters resistance, especially among those deeply formed by long-standing traditions. Preference for the old becomes a barrier not because it is evil, but because it resists growth and fulfillment.
Historical and Jewish Context
Older wine was considered smoother and more desirable than newly fermented wine.
The proverb reflects common human experience and cultural wisdom.
Jesus uses this observation to explain resistance to the New Covenant.
Catholic Theological Perspective
From a Catholic perspective, this verse warns against spiritual complacency. The Church teaches that tradition is living and dynamic, not static, and must remain open to the Holy Spirit’s work (cf. CCC 84, 94).
Spiritually, the verse challenges believers to discern whether attachment to the familiar prevents deeper conversion. Love for tradition must remain open to fulfillment in Christ.
Key Terms
Old wine — familiar religious experience
Desires — human preference for comfort
Good — satisfaction that resists change
Conclusion
Lk 5:39 offers a compassionate diagnosis of resistance to renewal. The familiar can feel sufficient, yet God continually invites His people into deeper fulfillment.
Reflection
What “old wine” do I cling to in my spiritual life? Am I open to God’s new work even when it challenges my comfort or expectations?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, You know the human heart and its love for the familiar. Free me from complacency, and give me the courage to receive the new life You offer, trusting that Your grace leads to deeper joy and fulfillment. Amen.
CONCLUSION
For believers today, Luke 5:33–39 challenges us to examine how we live our faith. Religious practices are valuable, but they must serve a living relationship with Christ rather than become rigid routines. Jesus invites us to discern the spirit behind our practices—whether they express joy, freedom, and openness to God’s work, or merely habit and obligation.
This passage also reminds us that discipleship requires openness to renewal. The “new wine” of the Gospel calls for transformed hearts willing to grow and change. When we cling too tightly to familiar ways, we risk missing what God is doing now. Christ invites us into a faith that is joyful, flexible, and continually renewed by His presence.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, You bring the new wine of the Kingdom into our lives. Free our hearts from rigidity and fear of change. Help us to live our faith with joy, openness, and trust in You. Renew us daily by Your grace, that we may welcome all that You are doing in our lives. Amen.