Very tenderly Jesus answered them. He did not try to correct their erroneous conception of fasting, but only to set them right in regard to His own mission. And He did this by employing the same figure that the Baptist himself had used in his testimony to Jesus. John had said, "He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of 277 the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled." John 3:29. The disciples of John could not fail to recall these words of their teacher, as, taking up the illustration, Jesus said, "Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?"

Jesus gav dem et meget mildt svar. Han gjorde ikke noget forsøg på at rette deres forkerte opfattelse af at faste, men prøvede blot at retlede dem med hensyn til sin egen opgave. Og dette gjorde han ved at benytte det samme eksempel, som Døberen selv havde brugt, da han vidnede om Jesus. Johannes havde sagt: "Den, som har bruden, er brudgom; men brudgommens ven, som står og hører på ham, glæder sig inderligt over brudgommens røst. Så er nu denne min glæde blevet fuldkommen." Joh. 3,29. Johannes' disciple kunne ikke undgå at huske disse deres lærers ord, da Jesus, idet han brugte det samme billede, sagde: "Kan brudesvendene sørge, så længe brudgommen er hos dem?"