12. The Question of Fasting (Mark 2:18-22)

'Feasting' at the home of Levi provoked a question about 'fasting' in the minds of the religious leaders. They challenged Jesus on the point, implying the he neglected appropriate rigor in his religious discipline. Jesus meets their question with a query of his own, invoking the vivid image of a wedding celebration. He asked whether the new wine of the kingdom could be contained in the old wine skins of the law and its traditions. In so doing, Jesus brought into focus and balance a question that was important in his day, and has remained important throughout the history of the Christian movement.