Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Matthew 9:15

"And Jesus said unto them, Can the sons of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then will they fast." — Matthew 9:15 (ASV)

For his response Jesus used three illustrations. The first, about the “guests of the bridegroom,” picks up a metaphor from the Baptist, who saw himself as the “best man” and Jesus as the groom . This metaphor would therefore be more effective with the audience confronting Jesus—Jesus is the groom and the disciples his “guests,” who are so overjoyed at being with him that for them to fast is inappropriate.

In exonerating his disciples’ eating, Jesus used messianic-eschatological terms. In the OT the bridegroom metaphor was repeatedly applied to God (Isaiah 54:5–6; Isaiah 62:4–5; Hosea 2:16–20); and Jews sometimes used it of marriage in connection with Messiah’s coming or with the messianic banquet (cf. Matthew 22:2; 25:1; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:22–32; Revelation 19:7, 9; Ephesians 21:2). Thus Jesus’ answer was implicitly Christological: he himself is the messianic bridegroom, and the Messianic Age has dawned.