Mark 2:18 records a question about fasting: people who were fasting asked Jesus why his disciples were not doing the same. The verse shows that religious practice was being compared and questioned, and Jesus’ answer that follows explains that a new season had arrived in his presence. The question comes from a group of people who were fasting, namely the disciples of John the Baptist together with some Pharisees, and they put it directly to Jesus.
John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, and they came and asked him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples don’t fast?”
Mark 2:18 (WEB)
What Mark 2:18 Means
The verse begins by describing a practice. John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, meaning they were going without food as an act of devotion, mourning, or seeking God’s help. Fasting in Israel was a serious and familiar discipline tied to repentance and prayer, so its presence here is not unusual in itself.
The question that follows is a comparison. Those who asked wanted to know why Jesus’ disciples did not share this discipline. The verse does not say fasting is wrong or that Jesus opposed it. It records a puzzled question from people who expected religious followers to fast, and it sets up Jesus’ reply in the verses that come next.
What the verse does not promise is a general rule that every believer must fast on a set schedule. It shows a moment of tension between two groups over practice, and it leaves room for the teaching that follows to explain what was actually happening.
The Context of Mark 2:18
Mark’s Gospel was likely written for a Greek-speaking audience, probably in the late 60s or early 70s AD, and it presents Jesus’ ministry quickly and vividly. The traditional author is John Mark, a companion of Peter, though the text itself is anonymous. The verses just before this one show Jesus eating with tax collectors and sinners, which drew criticism from religious leaders about who he welcomed.
Verse 19 and following answer the fasting question with the image of a wedding, where guests do not mourn while the bridegroom is present. Read in that setting, the question about fasting is really about whether Jesus’ presence changes the rhythm of worship. The surrounding passage suggests that the answer shapes how the verse should be understood: Jesus is not dismissing fasting but describing a time of joy that has come with him.
Key Phrases in Mark 2:18
Matthew 6:16-18
16 “Moreover when you fast, don’t be like the hypocrites, with sad faces. For they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen by men to be fasting. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward. 17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face; 18 so that you are not seen by men to be fasting, but by your Father who is in secret, and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.
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Jesus teaches about fasting in the Sermon on the Mount, urging that it be done in private before the Father rather than for show. Reading it alongside Mark 2:18 helps clarify that fasting is meant to turn the heart toward God.
Isaiah 58:6-7
6 “Isn’t this the fast that I have chosen: to release the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? 7 Isn’t it to distribute your bread to the hungry, and that you bring the poor who are cast out to your house? When you see the naked, that you cover him; and that you not hide yourself from your own flesh?
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The prophet Isaiah asks what kind of fast truly pleases God, pointing toward justice and care for the needy. This passage helps the reader see that the purpose of fasting is relational as well as personal.
A Short Prayer From Mark 2:18
Lord, you welcomed people who were not expected to be near you, and you showed that your presence brings a new kind of joy. Help me to understand the practices of faith as ways of drawing near to you rather than as measures of how I compare with others. Teach me when to fast, when to rest, and when to simply rejoice in your company. Keep my heart honest and my devotion sincere, so that whatever shape my worship takes, it points to you. Amen.
