or dead master. These disciples of John, not having transferred their devotion to Jesus by this time, were sincerely but misguidedly unable to understand the new spirit of freedom offered by Jesus. The motives of the Pharisees involved were obviously not so innocent. The question was direct, with an intentional emphasis on “your”: (literally) “Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but the disciples belonging to you (Greek dative of possession, up front for emphatic