Mark 2:15-20 Why did Jesus' Disciples not Fast?

15 And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him. 16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? 17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. 18 And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not? 19 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days. -Mark 2:15-20 Bible, King James Version

The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ by Levi H. Dowling

CHAPTER 119.

¹The news soon spread through all the land that Jesus was at home and then the people came in throngs to welcome him. ²And Matthew, one of the twelve, a man of wealth, whose home was in Capernaum, spread forth a sumptuous feast, and Jesus and the foreign masters and the twelve, and people of all shades of thought, were guests... ⁸A band of John’s disciples who had heard that John was dead were wearing badges for their dead; ⁹Were fasting and were pray­ing in their hearts, which when the Pharisees observed they came to Jesus and they said, ¹⁰Why fast the followers of John and your disciples do not fast? ¹¹And Jesus said, Lo, you are masters of the law; you ought to know; perhaps you will make known your knowledge to these men. ¹²What are the benefits de­rived from fasts? The Pharisees were mute; they answered not. ¹³Then Jesus said, The vital force of men depends on what they eat and drink. ¹⁴Is spirit-life the stronger when the vital force is weak? Is sainthood reached by starving, self imposed? ¹⁵A glutton is a sinner in the sight of God, and he is not a saint who makes himself a weakling and unfitted for the heavy tasks of life by scorning to make use of God’s own means of strength. ¹⁶Lo, John is dead, and his devoted followers are fasting in their grief. ¹⁷Their love for him impels them on to show respect, for they have thought, and have been taught that it is sin to lightly treat the memory of the dead. ¹⁸To them it is a sin, and it is well that they should fast... ²¹What is a sin for me to do may not be sin for you to do. The place you occupy upon the way of life determines what is sin... ²³One man may fast and in his deep sincerity of heart is blest. ²⁴Another man may fast and in the faithlessness of such a task imposed is cursed... ²⁶Why should these men who follow me resort to fasting, or to anything that would impair their strength? They need it all to serve the race...