Lecture 3 — The bridegroom

^9:14^ Then the disciples of John came to him, saying: why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast? [n. 767]

^9:15^ And Jesus said to them: can the children of the bridegroom mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. [n. 768]

^9:16^ And nobody puts a piece of raw cloth unto an old garment. For it takes away from the fullness of the garment, and there is made a greater tear. [n. 771]

^9:17^ Neither do they put new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise the wineskins break, and the wine runs out, and the wineskins perish. But new wine they put into new wineskins: and both are preserved. [n. 772]

767. Here the question about the banquet is set down; and the response follows, at and Jesus said.

But there is a literal question here. Why does it seem in Mark and Luke that the question was asked by others (Mark 2:18; Luke 5:30)? It is said, why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast; but your disciples do not fast? (Mark 2:18). So the disciples did not speak.

Augustine resolves it in this way, saying that the Pharisees were plotting against Christ, and hence sometimes they brought Herodians with them; but this time they brought John’s disciples. Hence it could be asked both by others and by John’s disciples.

But where is this from, that they fasted? It is responded that this was from their own traditions, or from the law, as it is written that they were bound to fast on the day of propitiation. And, thus said the Lord of hosts: the fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth will be to the house of Judah, joy, and gladness, and great solemnities (Zech 8:19). Similarly, John’s disciples fasted by the example of their teacher, who was of great austerity; but Christ’s disciples did not fast.

768. And Jesus said to them. Here Jesus responds, and subtly.

First, he gives a cause on his part,

then on the part of his disciples.

Concerning the first, he does two things:

first, he determines the time of feasting;

second, the time of fasting, at but the days will come, when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

769. He says then, can the children of the bridegroom mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? Where this Gospel says, mourn, another says fast; for although fasting has a certain joyful spirit, yet, as it is said, now all chastisement for the present indeed seems not to bring with it joy, but sorrow (Heb 12:11). Hence there is a fast of spiritual joy, as is found: and I set my face to the Lord my God, to pray and make supplication with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes (Dan 9:3). Likewise, there is also a mournful thing of affliction, and sometimes on account of sorrows.

He responds concerning both. For the bridegroom is Christ: he who has the bride, is the bridegroom (John 3:29). For he is the bridegroom and the first beginning of the whole Church. The old law had one first beginning, and the new law another; for the old law had its first beginning in fear, the new law in love. Hence, for you have not received the spirit of bondage again in fear; but you have received the Spirit of adoption of sons (Rom 8:15). And, but you are come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God (Heb 12:22). Since therefore the first beginning of the new law was in love, he had to nourish his disciples in a certain love. For this reason he calls himself a bridegroom, and the disciples children, because these are names of love. Hence it is good that I should keep them safe; and therefore I do not wish to impose anything heavy on them, lest they shrink from it, and thus draw back.

And therefore those who are new in religion should not be heavily burdened. Hence Ambrose says in the book On Parables: he reproached those who burdened novices heavily. And this is what Christ says: can the children of the bridegroom mourn? As though to say: it is not necessary that they fast, but rather to live and to love in a certain sweetness, that in this way they may receive my law in love; as is said: as Christ is risen from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also may walk in newness of life (Rom 6:4). Hence there is no fasting from Easter until Pentecost, because at that time the Church recalls the newness of the law.

770. But the days will come. And this literally. But the days will come, when the bridegroom will be taken away, namely by your efforts, and then they will fast. And he predicted this to them, saying, you will lament and weep . . . but your sorrow will be turned into joy (John 16:20). For those who were before Christ desired Christ’s presence, as did Abraham, and Isaiah, and the other prophets. Similarly, after his death he was desired by the apostles. Hence Peter was so to speak in continual sorrow because of Christ’s absence; and Paul said, but I am straitened between two: having a desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ (Phil 1:23). So then there was a time of fasting.

Another reason why they are not bound to fast in his presence is that one should choose fasting insofar as it chastises the body, lest it become powerful against the spirit; but when he was present, he guarded them from excess, so it was not necessary for them to fast. Hence, while I was with them, I kept them in your name (John 17:12). But John the Baptist did not have this power, so his disciples had to fast. But when Christ was taken away, it was necessary for them to fast. Hence Paul says, but I chastise my body, and bring it into subjection (1 Cor 9:27).

771. And nobody puts a piece of raw cloth unto an old garment. Here he sets forth another argument from the part of the disciples, and he sets out two examples: one according to Augustine, the other according to Jerome.

Hence according to Augustine he wishes to say: it was said that the disciples should not fast in Christ’s presence, nor also in their condition, because heavy loads should not be imposed on the imperfect. Therefore, since these men are imperfect, fasting should not be imposed on them. Therefore, to signify this, he touches upon it under the metaphor of cloth and wine.

Since justice consists in exterior works and in the newness of affections, he sets out two examples. He says then, nobody puts, just as, if one wished to join together a new cloth, he would not put on a piece of raw cloth, i.e., of the new on the old garment, because it would take away its beauty. In this way, if someone imperfect has a customary way of life, and if you wish to impose another yoke on him, he withdraws from that to which he was accustomed, and there is made a greater tear, as is said below.

772. Neither do they put new wine into old wineskins. Here he sets forth another example, about wine, as though to say: my disciples are like old wineskins. The new wine is the new law, by reason of its newness; hence when they had received the Holy Spirit, the crowds said that they were soaked with new wine (Acts 2:13). Hence, neither do they put new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise the wineskins break. Thus, if you impose a new manner of living on an old man, who had for some time a certain custom, his heart is rent by the inability to bear it. Likewise, the wine runs out, i.e., he is not guarded, and the wineskins perish, because he trampled upon the commands of God; and this is why they perish. But new wine they put into new wineskins, renewing spiritual teaching by desire, as the Apostle says, comparing spiritual things with spiritual (1 Cor 2:13). If wisdom will enter into your heart, and knowledge please your soul: counsel will keep you, and prudence will preserve you, that you may be delivered from the evil way, and from the man that speaks perverse things (Prov 2:10–12).

773. Jerome explains it in another way, for he calls the custom of the Pharisees the old garment, the new, the Gospel teaching; as though to say: it is not good that they keep your doctrines, because thus they rend the old and are unable to receive the new teaching, just as we see that the man who was not steeped in a contrary teaching more easily receives his teaching than one who was steeped. And therefore it is not good that they are steeped in your teaching.