Wine

In Mark 2:17-22, disciples of John and the Pharisees question Jesus’ action of not requiring his disciples to fast. Traditional Judaism required them only to fast on the Day of Atonement, but human tradition had won out and they fasted on a more regular basis.

Fasting was voluntary, but it was forbidden during a Jewish wedding feast because fasting is meant for times of penitence and reflection-weddings are joyous! Jesus responds to the criticism by telling the disciples of John and the Pharisees that they are actually participating in the messianic wedding feast (which the Pharisees believed in) at the present time.

At this time I feel like I just stepped into a scene from Westside story where the Jets and the Sharks are facing off. I guess if you put the 1^st Century twist on it. I can just see one side walking towards the other bent over, arms all snapping strategically and amazingly at the same time as they sing about the awful nature of one side’s lack of willingness to adhere to old traditions.

Jesus comes back with talk of old and new wineskins and how you cannot put new wine in the old wineskin because the old wineskin will break and you will ruin the new wine.

I think Jesus is trying to say that he is bringing a new word, obviously revolutionary. And because he brings something new, they need to put aside the old to focus on the new.

The question is, what is the wine, and what is the wine skin?

Jesus is saying that he is the new wine and the traditions of pharisaical Judaism are the old wineskin. What he brings to the table is not going to fit in with what they are used to. I think he is talking more about an ideology and heart action than physical actions and traditions.

The Pharisees based the Messiah’s return on their works and their ability to follow or not follow the law. So when you have the Messiah coming onto the scene, you no longer have any reason to be fasting with intent of Messianic reception. So their ideology did not match up with the teaching of Jesus. The new wine was ripping apart the old wine skin.

I don’t think that Jesus was downplaying the importance of fasting. He himself fasted at times. What he was doing was creating a new system for people to follow; one that did not rely on acts of piety but on acts of love.

Part of attending a wedding is showing your love and support for the couple getting married. They are making a commitment to God and to each other that they will remain committed. The reception afterwards is a continuation of the support. You cannot help but smile when you witness the love of a newly wed couple. Jesus wanted all eyes to be on him and what he was doing with his people. The bridegroom had come for the bride and he wanted his followers focused on him. Not on their past lives/lovers, but on their new life/lover that they had in him.

If we are honest with ourselves, the new wine of Jesus just won’t mix with the old wine or the old wine skin that we embraced away from Jesus. That’s part of dying, throwing of the old clothes so that we can put on new ones. Getting rid of the old way of viewing how our lives should be led and looking instead at how we should engage life in light of our new lover; in light of the new wineskin and new wine.