The gospel of Saint Matthew relates that Lord Jesus, after giving the Sermon on the Mount where he explained the basis of the ethics of the Kingdom of God, the dominion or empire of God's perfections, he was invited to a meal where he had to explain to the guests why his disciples did not fast.
Although fasting is only obligatory according to the law of Moses one day a year with the rite of atonement (Leviticus 16:29-31), in Jesus' time fasting was considered a spiritual discipline that helped the believer in special moments, such as when the prophet Moses received the tablets of the law from God at Mount Horeb and fasted with devotion (Deuteronomy 9:9).
Like the prophet Isaiah, Jesus rejected fasting related to the works of the flesh, for Jesus, hypocrisy could not save man: "Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers" Isaiah 58:3.
For Jesus, fasting only had a valid meaning if this spiritual action was in a genuine relationship with God to spiritually approach the Lord from the heart; that is why Jesus, with his wisdom, explained that while he was on earth, fasting was not valid, the important thing was not to fast but to be in the company of him. Without saying it openly, Jesus sought to explain that with him there was a new fast, a fast according to the spirit and not according to the flesh.
In this way, with a metaphor, Jesus taught all those invited to that meal that with him the practice of fasting was not necessary:
"Then John's disciples came and asked him, ´How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?´
Jesus answered, ´How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast." Matthew 9:14-15.
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