new and old, between the old systems of the Pharisees and of John and the new system of Christ. But Mt., who connects by δέ, understood v. 16 as the continuation of the foregoing. Christ had justified the abstention of His disciples from fasting in v. 15. He now explains why He did not graft His teaching on to the old and outworn Pharisaic system of religion; why, in other words, He did not reinforce the whole system of religious observances as taught by the orthodox Jews. He does not emphasise