Fasting. The Old and the New (Mark 2:18-22 *, Luke 5:33-39). Mt. makes the disciples of John (who were more numerous and important for two or three centuries than is usually recognized; cf. p. 797) put the question. Sons of the bride-chamber means, by a common Heb idiom, wedding-guests; John 3:29 has its root here. The old garment is the system deduced from the Law rather than the Law itself; there is no contradiction of Matthew 5:17. Lk. takes the patch from a new garment a double disaster. Note the necessity of new forms (Matthew 9:17) unless the new spirit is to be lost; yet Jesus leaves it to His Church to provide them. On fasting cf. Matthew 6:16-18.
Related Commentaries of Matthew 9:14
Matthew 9:14-17
14 Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?
15 And Jesus said unto them,Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.
16 No man putteth a piece of newa cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse.
17 Neither do men put new wine into old bottles:b else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.