Matthew 9:17Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

What they say comes to this, Be it that you do this as Physician of souls, but why do your disciples neglect fasting and approach such tables? And to augment the weight of their charge by comparison, they put themselves first, and then the Pharisees. They fasted as they learnt out of the Law, as the Pharisee spoke, I fast twice in the week; (Luke 18:12.) the others learnt it of John.

He mentioned that the disciples were still in a state of weakness and required compassion, explaining that the full burden of the commandments should not be imposed on them at this time. In doing so, He was instructing the disciples to extend the same mercy when they teach the world. Thus, fasting represents a new garment and new wine, while the old clothes and skins signify the frailty of the disciples.

Otherwise; Every one who rightly fasts, either humbles his soul in the groaning of prayer, and bodily chastisement, or suspends the motion of carnal desire by the joys of spiritual meditation. And the Lord here makes answer respecting both kinds of fasting; concerning the first, which is in humiliation of soul, He says, The children of the bridegroom cannot mourn. Of the other which has a feast of the Spirit, He next speaks, where He says, No man putteth a patch of undressed cloth. Then we must mourn because the Bridegroom is taken away from us. And we rightly mourn if we burn with desire of Him. Blessed they to whom it was granted before His passion to have Him present with them, to enquire of Him what they would, to hear what they ought to hear.

O boastful enquiry and ostentation of fasting much to be blamed, nor can John’s disciples be excused for their taking part with the Pharisees who they knew had been condemned by John, and for bringing a false accusation against Him whom they knew their master had preached.

He offers another illustration, referring to new wine as the rigor and strength of the commandments, while viewing wine as bringing joy to the spirits of the righteous. New wine is characterized as unfamiliar to those unprepared to receive it, and the disciples are likened to old garments, representing those who possess the teaching but are worn and feeble. The bellows are destined to rupture due to the pressure of the new wine; if the wine that cannot be contained is wasted, then the bellows will be ruined and rendered unusable for the future. A wise steward must consider both the quality of the wine and the resilience of the bellows, as well as the appropriate timing. Currently, the disciples are in a state of decline, not yet revitalized.

Figuratively; This His answer, that while the Bridegroom was present with them, His disciples needed not to fast, teaches us the joy of His presence, and the sacrament of the holy food, which none shall lack, while He is present, that is, while one keeps Christ in the eye of the mind. He says, they shall fast when He is taken away from them, because all who do not believe that Christ is risen, shall not have the food of life. For in the faith of the resurrection the sacrament of the heavenly bread is received.

The Lord referred to those who were entrenched in their old ways and spurned the new grace as remnants of antiquity, as if they had broken free from and discarded the fresh teachings of the kingdom. This is exemplified in Caiaphas, who, upon hearing his Lord proclaim that He was the Son of God, tore his garments in anguish. In contrast, Peter, who had embraced the law of the Spirit of life, neither turned away from instruction nor hesitated to acknowledge Him when questioned, thus demonstrating the truth that had been instilled in him.

The different comparisons all refer to the same thing, and yet are they different; the garment by which we are covered abroad signifies our good works, which we perform when we are abroad; the wine with which we are refreshed within is the fervor of faith and charity, which creates us anew within.

By the old garment He means His disciples, who had not yet been renewed in all things. The patch of undressed, that is, of new cloth, means the new grace, that is, the Gospel doctrine, of which fasting is a portion; and it was not meet that the stricter ordinances of fasting should be entrusted to them, lest they should be broken down by their severity, and forfeit that faith which they had; as He adds, It taketh its wholeness from the garment, and the rent is made worse.

One does not sew patches of unbleached cloth onto worn garments, nor does one pour new wine into old wineskins. What message does the Redeemer convey through this illustration? Through this analogy, the Master revealed that rigid practices devoid of the essence of genuine life do not enhance the moral framework but instead lead to chaos and destruction. To those who repent, grace is bestowed, fostering within them a resolve to serve the Lord with unwavering commitment. For those who possess such resolve, all endeavors are commendable. Conversely, for those lacking this resolve, even a stringent fast may result in struggle and eventual abandonment, leaving their lives in a much worse state afterwards.

The Lord Jesus Christ illustrated the difference between old and new through His parables about the new patch on an old garment and new wine in old wineskins in response to the inquiry, “Why do your disciples not fast while the devout Jews do?” Fasting represents a tradition, serving as a public demonstration of faith and devotion. The Lord’s message for future generations indicates that the social structures of the emerging Christian civilization will develop later. The Old Testament customs of social life are ill-suited for this new way of living; they cannot adapt to it and will ultimately be rendered obsolete.

They will not pour new wine into old wineskins; if they do, the wineskins will rupture, causing the wine to spill and the containers to be ruined. Instead, new wine must be put into new wineskins, ensuring preservation for both. Just as a child should not be introduced to profound teachings prematurely, or they may not be receptive later. Fresh patches and new wine symbolize fasting, while worn garments and old bellows represent disciples. This is why the Savior often spoke in straightforward terms when addressing His followers, explaining, "I have many more things to say to you; but now you cannot bear them" (John 16:12). Therefore, we too must exercise patience with others if we hope to succeed.

When addressing the matter of fasting, Jesus indicated that it was not yet the right time for His disciples to engage in this practice. He illustrated His point by saying that no one would patch an old garment with unshrunk cloth, just as no one would pour new wine into old wineskins. This teaching reflects the inconsistency between the demands of the Mosaic law and the new commandments He was instituting. When questioned about why His disciples did not fast, Christ inevitably touched upon the broader issue of how His teachings aligned with strict adherence to Jewish laws and elder traditions, collectively known as the law. The Apostle Paul later elaborated on this matter in his letter to the Galatians.

A new patch on an old garment symbolizes the introduction of a fresh Christian teaching atop the worn-out practices of the Old Testament. Attempting to integrate the two would only lead to a rupture of the old ways, prompting Christ to set aside those former teachings. The new bellows represent Christ's disciples, who carry and proclaim the essence of His teachings. The followers of John and the Pharisees, steeped in the belief that external rituals were essential for salvation, could not effectively communicate Christ's message. Thus, Jesus selected new vessels—disciples who were untainted by the outdated doctrines of the Pharisees. Among these new carriers is Matthew, a former tax collector.

“Old bellows” refers to a method used in the East, particularly during travel, for storing wine, utilizing bellows crafted from animal skin for this specific purpose. Over time, these bellows become worn and fragile, making them unsuitable for handling the fresh, potent wine, as the pressure could cause them to rupture. Therefore, freshly fermented wine requires new, robust bellows. This imagery conveys the same message as before: the new wine symbolizes fasting, while the old bellows represent the frailty of the disciples, which should not be overwhelmed.