Is there a contradiction between Matthew 9:14-15 and Mark 9:28-29 regarding when and why fasting should be practiced?

Question

[Matthew 9:14-15 KJV] 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.

[Mark 9:28-29 KJV] ²⁸ And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? ²⁹ And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.

In Matthew 9:14-15, Jesus explains that his disciples do not fast while he (the "bridegroom") is present, but that they will fast after he is taken from them, implying that fasting is associated with his physical absence and a time of mourning.

However, in Mark 9:28-29, Jesus tells his disciples that certain demons can only be cast out by prayer and fasting, suggesting that fasting is necessary even while he is still present with them.

Is this a contradiction? Was fasting required before Jesus’s ascension, or only afterward?

Answer 1

The text of Mark 9:29 is debated.

The Text of NA28/UBS5, W&H, SBL, NIVGNT, etc

... μὴ ἐν προσευχῇ = " ... only by prayer"

The text of Textus Receptus (TR), Byzantine text, Majority text, etc

... μὴ ἐν προσευχῇ καὶ νηστείᾳ = "... only by prayer and fasting"

For details of which manuscripts support which readings (with another variant text) see UBS5.

Bruce Metzger in his "Textual Commentary on the GNT" offers these remarks about this verse:

In light of the increasing emphasis in the early church on the necessity of fasting, it is understandable that καὶ νηστείᾳ is a gloss that found its way into most witnesses. Among the witnesses that resisted such an accretion are the important representatives of the Alexandrian and western types of text.

This means that if the original text of just "only by prayer" is correct, the OP's contradiction vanishes.

Answer 2

Just an extra note on top of Dottard's great answer. Jesus wasn't forbidding fasting during his time before the ascension. In fact, we see Jesus himself fasting:

Matthew 4:2 ESV

And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.

He even taught on how to fast:

Matthew 6:16-18 ESV

¹⁶ “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. ¹⁷ But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

It seems, then, that Jesus was speaking more about routine fasting practices.

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That said, the earliest and most reliable manuscripts omit "and fasting" completely

We see "and fasting" appear in later manuscripts such as the Textus Receptus (which was used for the KJV you quoted from).

You will also note that many of the more recent and academic translations omit "fasting." You will see a comment in most of the footnotes, however.

Mark 9:28-29 English Standard Version

28 And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” 29 And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”[a]

Footnotes: Mark 9:29 Some manuscripts add and fasting

Mark 9:28-29 New International Version

28 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

29 He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.[a]”

Footnotes: Mark: 9:29 Some manuscripts prayer and fasting

Mark 9:28-29 New King James Version

28 And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?”

29 So He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer [a]and fasting.”

Footnotes: Mark 9:29 NU omits and fasting

Answer 3

The context surrounding the discussion of fasting and prayer in Matthew 9 and Mark 9 are different. Jesus addresses two different needs here of praying and fasting.

Matthew 9:14

Then the disciples of John *came to Him, asking, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?”

The question was raised in response to the cultural fasting practiced by the Pharisees (on Mondays and Thursdays every week). Now it is obvious that the Pharisees traditional practices were considered the gold-standard among the Jews, greatly influencing their ways. As evidenced with John the Baptist's disciples also similarly fasting, following in the same practice (Mark 2:18).

Jesus in reply associates fasting with mourning and not a joyful affair, while comparing it to a wedding. Fasting is therefore a response (a travailing cry) to our separation from Christ (the bridegroom) because of sin and its corruption (Rom 8:18-25). And also a means of instilling the hope of future redemption as opposed to appear righteous like the hypocritical Pharisees (Matthew 23:27-28). This is the new-covenant way of fasting.

In Mark 9:29, as Dottard's answer points out. Fasting is a later addition to the original text, given how both practices went hand-in-hand with each other. And here Jesus is specifically addressing unbelief as the reason to pray. This is clearer in the parallel passage in Matthew 17:19-21

19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not drive it out?” 20 And He *said to them, “Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. 21 [But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”]

With the note for v21 saying: Early manuscripts do not contain this verse

All references are from NASB1995

Answer 4

According to Romans 14: 5,6 Christians are neither under command to fast nor prohibited from doing so.

Fast: Abstinence from all food for a limited period. Rightly motivated fast were to show godly sorrow and repentance concerning past sins. Read 1 Sa 7:6; Joe 2:12-15; Jon 3:5. To be acceptable, the fast had to be accompanied by correction of past sins. When Jesus was on earth he gave instruction to his disciples: " When you are fasting, stop becoming sad-faced like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that they appear to men to be fasting etc... Read Matthew 6: 16-18.

Some have taken Matthew 9: 15 as a command for Christians to fast. In reality, Jesus was merely making a statement of what was goung to happen when he died. While not fasting as a religious requirement the early Christians did fast on special occasions. Read Ac 13: 2,3; 14: 23.

With this in mind and according to your question if there is any contradiction concernig Matthew 9: 14,15 and Mark 9: 28,29.

Matthew 9: 14,15 is all about the statement made by Jesus of what was going to happen when he died. While Jesus was with his disciples on earth, it was not appropriate for them to fast. When he died, they did mourn and fast. But they had no cause for mournful fasting after his resurrection and especially after the marvelous outpouring of holy spirit. Read Mark 2: 18-20; Luke 5: 33-35.

"Friends of the bridegroom" are mentioned at Matthew 9: 15. Here reference is made to other friends who joined the marriage procession and who were invited to the marriage feast. John 3: 28,29 spoke of Jesus as a bridegroom and accordingly, while Jesus was present, Jesus' disciples did not fast. later when Jesus died, his disciples mourned and had no desire to eat.

Mark 9: 28,29 is all about Jesus who rescued a demon-possessed child since his childhood.. Read Mark 9: 17,18; 20-27.

Mark 9: 28,29 show that after that event Jesus disciples asked Jesus why they were unable to expel the demon that was in the child. Jesus' respond was it was only by prayer and faith in God and not by their own power. Because earlier, when disciples had been sent forth to preach, they had expelled demons. So now, when they enter a house, they asked Jesus privately: " Why could we not expel the demon from the child?

So to answer your question about Matthew 9: 14,15 and Mark 9: 28,29, which show two different events that has nothig to do with fasting.

Kind regards .