Luke 5:34 kjv
And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?
Luke 5:34 nkjv
And He said to them, "Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them?
Luke 5:34 niv
Jesus answered, "Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while he is with them?
Luke 5:34 esv
And Jesus said to them, "Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?
Luke 5:34 nlt
Jesus responded, "Do wedding guests fast while celebrating with the groom? Of course not.
Luke 5 34 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Matt 9:15 | And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them?... | Parallel account of Jesus identifying as bridegroom. |
| Mark 2:19-20 | Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?... | Parallel account, emphasizing the bridegroom's presence. |
| John 3:29 | The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. This joy of mine is now complete. | John the Baptist refers to Jesus as the bridegroom, completing his joy. |
| Lk 5:35 | But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.” | Prophecy of Jesus's crucifixion and future fasting by disciples. |
| Matt 25:1-13 | The Parable of the Ten Virgins... to meet the bridegroom. | Jesus uses bridegroom imagery for His Second Coming. |
| Rev 19:7-9 | Let us rejoice and exult... for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready. | The culmination of the spiritual marriage feast between Christ and His Church. |
| Rev 21:2 | And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. | The Church as the bride of Christ. |
| Isa 62:5 | ...as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you. | God's joyful relationship with His people (Israel/Church). |
| Joel 2:16 | ...Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber. | Old Testament context of a wedding, setting for urgent fasting for judgment. |
| Zech 8:19 | Thus says the Lord of hosts: The fasts of the fourth month... shall be seasons of joy and gladness... | Fasting turning into joy in the presence of God's blessing. |
| Lk 15:23-24 | Bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. | Parable of the lost son illustrating joy over repentance. |
| Lk 5:36-39 | He also told them a parable: “No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old garment... Nor does anyone put new wine into old wineskins...” | Parable following this verse, signifying the new era Jesus brings. |
| 1 Pet 1:8 | Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy. | Believers experience joy through faith in the unseen Christ. |
| Phil 4:4 | Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. | General commandment for believers to always find joy in Christ. |
| Rom 14:17 | For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. | The essence of God's kingdom as joy through the Spirit. |
| Acts 2:28 | You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence. | Prophetic Psalmic fulfillment regarding gladness in God's presence. |
| Ps 16:11 | You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. | David's Psalm on the joy found in God's presence. |
| Jer 31:31-34 | Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah... | Prophecy of the New Covenant that Jesus inaugurates, transforming traditions. |
| Heb 8:8-13 | For he finds fault with them when he says: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah..." | Fulfillment of the New Covenant, making the old obsolete. |
| Isa 58:3-7 | ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you have not seen it?... No, this is the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke... | True fasting involves justice and mercy, not mere ritual, showing Jesus' shift in focus. |
| Hos 2:19-20 | And I will betroth you to me forever... in righteousness and in justice... in steadfast love and mercy. | God's betrothal to Israel, providing an OT foundation for bridegroom imagery. |
Luke 5 verses
Luke 5 34 Meaning
Jesus responds to the criticism about His disciples not fasting by posing a rhetorical question. He compares His presence with His disciples to a wedding feast, where joy and celebration are the norm. The implication is that His very presence inaugurates a new time, a time of spiritual feasting and gladness, making it inappropriate for His companions—the "friends of the bridegroom"—to engage in the usual acts of fasting associated with mourning or repentance. This powerfully identifies Jesus as the "bridegroom," signifying a period of profound spiritual rejoicing and establishing a new order where relationship with Him supersedes rigid adherence to religious traditions.
Luke 5 34 Context
Luke 5:34 is part of a series of confrontations between Jesus and the religious authorities (Pharisees and scribes) concerning His practices and the nature of His ministry. It directly follows Levi's (Matthew's) call to discipleship and Jesus' subsequent dining with tax collectors and "sinners." This meal sparks the Pharisees' and scribes' criticism, who question Jesus and His disciples regarding their eating with outcasts and, pointedly in verse 33, their lack of fasting compared to the disciples of John the Baptist and the Pharisees themselves. Jesus' response in Luke 5:34 uses the culturally familiar and significant metaphor of a wedding feast to explain why His disciples are not fasting. This verse also immediately precedes the parables of the new patch on an old garment and new wine in old wineskins (Luke 5:36-39), which further illustrate the radical newness of Jesus' message and kingdom compared to old traditions and structures. Historically, regular fasting, especially on Mondays and Thursdays, was a prominent act of piety among the Pharisees (Lk 18:12), seen as a mark of righteousness and devotion, thus making Jesus' and His disciples' non-fasting a noticeable point of contention.
Luke 5 34 Word analysis
- And Jesus said: Introduces a direct pronouncement from Jesus, carrying divine authority and explanation.
- to them: Refers to the Pharisees and scribes who posed the question in the preceding verse.
- Can you make: From the Greek dynasthe (δύνασθε), meaning "are you able" or "can you compel." It implies a rhetorical question, suggesting the absurdity or inappropriateness of the action. It's not a question of physical capability, but of ethical/situational propriety.
- the friends: From the Greek huioi (υἱοὶ), literally "sons." In this context, huioi tou nymphōnos (υἱοὶ τοῦ νυμφῶνος) means "sons of the bridechamber," idiomatically referring to the wedding guests or close attendants, often the best man and his associates, who are intimately involved in the wedding festivities and share in the bridegroom's joy. Their primary role is to celebrate.
- of the bridegroom: From the Greek nymphiōs (νυμφίος). This is the pivotal identifying metaphor. In Jewish culture, the bridegroom was the central figure of the wedding, signifying joy, celebration, and new beginnings. Jesus subtly but powerfully identifies Himself with this role. This term is rich in Old Testament prophetic imagery where God is portrayed as the husband/bridegroom to Israel (e.g., Isa 54:5, Jer 31:32, Hos 2:16).
- fast: From the Greek nēsteuein (νηστεύειν), meaning "to abstain from food," typically for religious or spiritual reasons, often associated with mourning, repentance, or seeking God's favor during times of distress or prayer. Its antithesis is feasting and celebration.
- while: From the Greek eph' hō (ἐφʼ ᾧ), indicating "during which time" or "so long as." It denotes the specific circumstance or period.
- the bridegroom is with them? This phrase emphasizes the joyful and unique presence of Jesus among His disciples. His very person and ministry usher in a period of celebration, making fasting, an act of mourning or repentance, entirely incongruous with the joyous reality of His companionship. The physical presence of Jesus Himself signifies an unparalleled season of spiritual celebration.
Words-Group analysis
- Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast: This entire phrase challenges the religious assumption that external observances (like fasting) are always appropriate or necessary. Jesus highlights the incongruity: compelling joy-bearers to engage in an act of mourning.
- while the bridegroom is with them: This is the core reason for the rhetorical question. The 'presence' (σὺν αὐτοῖς - syn autois) of the bridegroom implies an overwhelming season of gladness. It contrasts the anticipated separation mentioned in Lk 5:35, pointing to Jesus' unique redemptive work and its joyous initial phase. His direct, embodied presence defines the spiritual atmosphere as one of celebration, not sorrow.
Luke 5 34 Bonus section
The "friends of the bridegroom" (huioi tou nymphōnos) in Jewish custom often referred to the groomsmen or "ushers," particularly the one most intimate with the bridegroom, tasked with organizing the wedding and leading the festive atmosphere. Their role was to ensure the smooth flow of the joyful occasion. Jesus' disciples, by implication, were His closest associates, privy to the joy of His immediate presence. The analogy directly confronts the legalism of the Pharisees by re-centering spiritual practice on relationship and context. The Kingdom of God is characterized by joy because the King is present. This verse lays the groundwork for understanding the new wine and new wineskins parable (Luke 5:36-39), where old religious forms cannot contain the explosive, joyful reality of Christ's new era. It is not that fasting is inherently bad (as Jesus anticipates its place after His departure in the next verse, Luke 5:35), but rather that its purpose and timing must align with God's work and presence, which in Jesus' ministry was a time for rejoicing, not sorrowful austerity.
Luke 5 34 Commentary
Luke 5:34 encapsulates Jesus' foundational message that His coming inaugurated a radically new reality, distinct from the old covenant's focus on rigid adherence to law and ritualistic acts. By identifying Himself as the "bridegroom," Jesus implicitly asserts His divine authority and position. A wedding feast is a time of unbridled joy and festivity; to fast during such an event would be profoundly out of place and disrespectful to the occasion and the bridegroom. Jesus uses this common cultural understanding to explain that His very presence among His disciples constitutes a period of unparalleled spiritual rejoicing—a "feast"—where fasting, typically associated with sorrow, repentance, or lament, would be inappropriate. This highlights a critical tension: the new covenant, ushered in by Christ, brings inherent joy and freedom, often clashing with the outward legalistic practices valued by the Pharisees. It suggests that true spiritual discipline is rooted in the appropriate response to the presence of God, not in rote observance.
Example: Consider a celebration of a newborn. It would be counter-intuitive to mourn and lament during such a joyous event. Similarly, with Jesus, the presence of the Messiah marked a joyous dawn.