Following Jesus: The Gospel of Mark | Jesus Changes Everything

February 5, 2023

Mark 2:18-22

Study Questions

1. Read Mark 2:18-22. For what reasons did John’s disciples and the Pharisees fast, and what outcomes were they expecting? Why did the people expect Jesus’ disciples to do the same thing, and what judgments might they have been making about them because of their lack of fasting?

2. What is your understanding of biblical fasting? (See also Matthew 5:16-18.) Do you fast? If not, why not, and if so, what is involved in your decision?

3. At an actual wedding feast, why would it be absurd for wedding guests to fast while the bridegroom is with them?

4. What is Jesus claiming about Himself when He refers to Himself as the Bridegroom in Mark? What “day” is Jesus referring to by saying “when the bridegroom is taken away” (Mark 2:20) and why is this a cause for fasting?

5. Explain what happens when unshrunk cloth is used to repair old garments, and what happens when new wine is placed into old wineskins. To what does the new patch/new wine refer?

6. How has your life changed since putting your faith in Jesus as your Lord and Savior? (See also Romans 6:4-11 and Colossians 3:5-13.)

7. Rather than following Jesus on His terms, sometimes we “come to Jesus” on our own terms. Can you think of some ways people come to Jesus wanting to continue using old wineskins or wearing old garments? Why is it important that we receive Jesus on His terms and not ours? What needs to change in order for that to be true in your life?