The Parable of the New Cloth on an Old Garment

 

Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made. Neither is new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.” (Matthew 9:14-17 ESV).

 

Today’s parable is actually a dual teaching. Jesus explains that a new, unshrunk piece of cloth would shrink and tear an old, already worn garment, making the tear worse. The parable teaches that Jesus' new teachings and the new covenant are fundamentally different and incompatible with the old ways and laws, which are rigid and unable to contain the fresh vitality of the new covenant. Therefore, the new cannot be mixed with the old; new spiritual realities require a completely new framework, just as new wine needs new wineskins. 

 

It is a story that is not as familiar to us as it was to Jesus’ original audience. They were people who often found ways to repair their possessions rather than replace them. We have come to a point in our culture where we view things as disposable. The mindset is that it is “cheaper to get a new one, than fix the old one.” I must confess that I have fallen into that practice more than once. However, that is not always a good thing. That’s why we need to be very careful in our interpretation of these parables.

 

Jesus is not saying the old is no longer useful and must be discarded. He is saying the old has been fulfilled in Him in a way that requires more careful attention to the need for the old. Understanding this is essential. The original question that prompted the teaching concerned the practice of fasting as prescribed by the rules developed by the Pharisees. The original intent found in the Old Testament was the fasting on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). However, fasting was a common practice for Israelites in response to various situations, including seeking God's guidance, repenting for sin, grieving loss, expressing sorrow, or preparing for a spiritual encounter. Other significant fasts included David's fast for his sick child, Daniel's prayer fast for his people, and the fast called by Esther and the Jews to save their lives. These were all a part of developing a relationship with God through the desire of the individual that He would intervene in their intercession. Jesus is saying that is no longer necessary since He was indeed God present in their midst; He is “Immanuel” (God with us).

 

We also have “God with us” today. The presence of the Holy Spirit within the believer is the great gift of grace secured by the atoning work of Jesus. Of course, our sin makes it more difficult for us to experience that presence; but it doesn’t change the truth that He is in us! Fasting can help us in repentance. It can help us focus on the relationship we have with our Father, hearing His direction more clearly. However, this is not a “patch” placed on an old garment, or pouring new wine in an old wineskin; it is the conclusion of the work of Jesus to give us new garments that will last for eternity! We no longer need to “fix” our relationship with God. Jesus did that in His finished work on the cross. Now, we simply need to grow into all He desires for us!