34 He said to them, "Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast, while the bridegroom is with them?
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
(7) And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?
(7) Laws generally made without any consideration of circumstances; for fasting and other things of like sort are not only tyrannous but very harmful to the Church.
And he said unto them,.... The disciples of John, or the Scribes and Pharisees:
can ye make the children of the bride chamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? signifying, that he was the bridegroom, and his disciples the children of the bride chamber; and that as it is unreasonable to expect, and morally impossible, that persons, attending the festivals of a nuptial solemnity, should be engaged in severe fastings; so it was not to be thought, that whilst Christ was corporeally present with his disciples, that they should be prevailed upon to live such an austere and mortified life.
Can ye make - That is, is it proper to make men fast and mourn, during a festival solemnity?
*More commentary available at chapter level.