Mark 2:22Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

They posed a question to Him: Why do your disciples not fast and pray as we do, or as John’s disciples do? The Lord responded, and His answer was perfectly reasonable. First, it was crucial to recognize the differing circumstances of these disciples. Secondly, one must understand how this requirement aligns with the other tenets of My teachings. Fasting signifies sorrow; when in mourning, thoughts of food are irrelevant, rooted instead in the heartbreak over loss. As long as I am with them, My disciples have no cause for sorrow, just as the wedding guests have no reason to mourn while the bridegroom is present. The disciples of John have every right to fast now, as their bridegroom is absent (he is imprisoned). The Pharisees, standing apart from both John and Jesus, possess an unending rationale for fasting, even if their religious observances do not carry the significance they believe they have in God’s eyes. A different time will come for My disciples. Yet, when tribulations commence for them, this practice, as an external form, should still align with other external practices and the new internal truths. To merely imitate the disciples of John by altering one aspect of their way of life is akin to sewing a new patch onto old garments, only to exacerbate the tear. Conversely, to blindly follow the Pharisees, adhering to all former customs, would be to place new wine in old wineskins, risking the loss of both the wine and the skins. Hence, everything has its proper time and measure. Therefore, the commands issued by the Pharisees, which sought to impose their standards on Jesus, were dismissed, serving instead to help the Lord's disciples more clearly understand their relationships with both the Pharisees and the disciples of John, from whom some had originated. From that moment, the scribes and Pharisees recognized that the Lord was not inclined to conform to their expectations or regulations, desiring to operate with complete autonomy.

To better understand the message behind Jesus' parable about old clothes and old wineskins, it is worthwhile to include some insights from Paul’s letter, along with the interpretations of John Chrysostom.

Apostle Paul confronted Apostle Peter for living in a manner inconsistent with Jewish law, yet expecting Gentile converts to adhere strictly to all the stipulations of the so-called Jewish law. Paul asserted that justification cannot come from the works of the law—salvation is found through faith in Jesus Christ and obedience to His commandments. He stated that if one could be justified by the law, then Christ’s sacrifice would be rendered meaningless (see Galatians 2:16-21). John Chrysostom elaborates on this, noting that if the law is reinstated, then the entirety of it must be adhered to; if not, there is no requirement to observe any part. He challenges the necessity of fulfilling the entire law by questioning the practices of Sabbath observance and circumcision. If the whole law must be met, one might as well reject Christ, for He has permitted deviations from the law and instructed others to do the same.

Returning to the parable of Christ, we observe that the Pharisees frequently criticized His disciples for their perceived neglect of the law—such as picking grain on the Sabbath, not observing fasts, and eating with unwashed hands. In each instance, Christ defended them. At this moment too, when the Pharisees and John’s disciples accused His followers of not fasting, the Lord not only justified them but also articulated His position on the incompatibility of His teachings with strict adherence to the Jewish law. He conveyed this through a parable, the interpretation of which can vary.

It is unclear how the Pharisees understood this parable, but following the insights of Apostle Paul and John Chrysostom, we might interpret it as follows: You, Pharisees, seek for My disciples to wrap themselves in the old garments of your rituals and the traditions of the elders; I call them to embrace the new garments of love and forgiveness. Understand that one cannot don a new garment without removing the old. Similarly, it is impossible to repair a worn-out garment with pieces from a new one; doing so will only damage both. Just as young wine cannot be placed into old wineskins—because they cannot hold it—so too, My disciples must be made new to accept My teachings. While they may not yet be fully transformed by My message, they already recognize its superiority over yours; and just as one who has savored good wine would not desire inferior wine, those who follow Me will not return to you.

This parable introduces the notion that no one who has tasted good wine wishes for inferior wine (Luke 5:39), which may appear contradictory to the earlier metaphor of old clothing and wineskins. However, this contradiction can be resolved by understanding that good wine is valued, while young wine is perceived less favorably. By substituting these terms in the parable, the true meaning is unveiled: no one who has enjoyed good wine will immediately seek something of lesser quality.