{John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting} ((8873)an hoi
math(8874)ai I(9361)nou kai hoi Pharisaioi n(8873)teuontes). The
periphrastic imperfect, so common in Mark's vivid description.
Probably Levi's feast happened on one of the weekly fast-days
(second and fifth days of the week for the stricter Jews). So
there was a clash of standpoints. The disciples of John sided
with the Pharisees in the Jewish ceremonial ritualistic
observances. John was still a prisoner in Machaerus. John was
more of an ascetic than Jesus ( Mt 18f.  Lu 7:33-35 ), but
neither one pleased all the popular critics. These learners
(math(8874)ai) or disciples of John had missed the spirit of their
leader when they here lined up with the Pharisees against Jesus.
But there was no real congeniality between the formalism of the
Pharisees and the asceticism of John the Baptist. The Pharisees
hated John who had denounced them as broods of vipers. Here the
disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees (hoi
math(8874)ai I(9361)nou kai hoi math(8874)ai t(936e) Pharisai(936e)) join in
criticizing Jesus and his disciples. Later we shall see
Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herodians, who bitterly detested each
other, making com- mon cause against Jesus Christ. So today we
find various hostile groups combining against our Lord and
Saviour. See on 烘t 9:14-17| for comments. Matthew has here
followed Mark closely.