Ruined Wineskins

No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins. Mark 2:21-22

New, but do we understand how new? Jesus brought His good news, and it quickly ran into old and established views. The Law wasn't enough for the Pharisees and they had added hundreds of traditions to it. Jesus was about to ruin some old wineskins. The Pharisees had set themselves to be strict Sabbath police. Which would seem to be a kind of work...but anyway. Jesus challenged them to apply the law with mercy and love, in place of the mean and cruel they liked. He was about to tear some old garments. The Pharisees thought themselves guardians against false prophecy and heralds of the coming Messiah. Instead they guarded against the Messiah and acted as false prophets. Garments torn, wineskins ruined.

Act in love and mercy, rejoice in Christ Jesus!

Bucky