Jesus continues the theme of the right thing in the right place with two
illustrations that make the point. He talks about not using a new piece of
cloth to repair an old garment. The point is that cloth tends to shrink and
that adding a piece that has not been washed and shrunk is likely to have an
interesting effect on the garment that it is supposed to repair.
He then makes a similar point about putting wine into wineskins. New wine needs fresh wineskins. These images take the previous comment about fasting that little bit further. In the end what we are addressing here is that Jesus is bringing something new. As Paul puts it, writing to the Corinthians, so if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Edwin Broadhead (Readings: A New Biblical Commentary – Mark) helps us understand what is being suggested here – “These images share a common message that goes well beyond the initial message of fasting. Those who follow Jesus take part today in a fellowship of wondrous joy. Something new has come that old traditions cannot contain, and this wonder must be celebrated. In this way Jesus’ eating and drinking with sinners is presented as the advent of a new time; and the reader should know that this is the time of the Kingdom.”
As with much of the Jesus story, as well as being about what is new, so much of this is about crossing boundaries. Jesus takes us into new places that challenge us because we would tend towards the way of the world that avoids and marginalises so many. The Kingdom is exciting and full of possibility, but these thoughts remind us that God’s way so often does not match our expectations.
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