The Parables (23)
The Bridegroom, Patached Cloth, New Wine
(Bible Study - November 1999)

Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? asked the disciples of John. In answer to this question our Lord Jesus Christ tells a series of short parables ending with a comment about men preferring vintage wine! The act of fasting was entrenched in the religion of the Pharisees, but it is not an act that Christadelphians subscribe to at all. As a visitor to many ecclesias around the world, I can attest to the virtually universal quality and generosity of ecclesial buffets and hosting tables. Never once has anyone ever suggested to me that fasting was appropriate. Why then did the Pharisees and disciples of John fast oft and we don’t ever?

Old Testament precedents
The Psalmist says he humbled and chastened his soul with fasting (Psa. 35:13; 69:10). There are many other occasions where the act of fasting is practiced in the Old Testament for entirely proper reasons. We might recall, for example, the dedicated fasting of Daniel (Dan. 6:18; 9:3), or the fasting performed by the entire nation of Israel during the days of Esther (Est. 4:3) and Nehemiah (Neh. 9:1). Each of these instances was entirely appropriate and was acceptable to the Lord God. The Pharisees built their lives on such piety and considered the act of fasting an important ritualistic part of their religion. It is reported that the most devout Pharisees would fast every second and fifth day of the week (i.e. Monday and Thursday) in honor of the presumed days in which Moses had ascended and then descended Mount Sinai with the second Tablets of the Law. Fasting as an act of mourning for sin was thus ingrained in the Jewish religion and in this regard the Pharisees probably thought they had "right" wholly on their side. The fact they were able to enlist the disciples of John the Baptist in their cause attests to the general acceptance among the pious of their view on fasting.

John Baptist in prison
What can we say about the disciples of John? For them this was a most difficult time; their master was imprisoned by Herod the tetrarch (Matt. 14:1-12) and they had every reason to fear for his life. Matthew says that only fear of the reaction of the masses had prevented Herod from immediately slaying him (Matt. 14:5).

In those days crossing a ruling monarch meant certain death; it was only a matter of time before Herod could find the auspicious occasion, then the horrible deed would be carried out. In such circumstances the disciples of John were, no doubt, fasting with all sincerity of heart. To see Jesus and his disciples in the midst of a joyous feast while John lay at death’s door in prison must have been greatly troubling to their spirits.

Matthew’s feast
The occasion for the joyous feast was set by the acceptance by Matthew of the call of his Master Jesus Christ: Jesus "saith unto him [Matthew], Follow me. And he arose, and followed him" (Matt. 9:9). It appears that Matthew then arranged to throw a big reception at his home to announce to all his acquaintance the action he had taken. It was indeed a happy occasion and one very similar to the kind of "tea" or "refreshments" we might serve after a baptism to welcome a new brother or sister to our midst. Jesus and his disciples attended this party, which no doubt gave them a wonderful opportunity to further preach the gospel message. Here was one last chance to reach out to all the friends and colleagues of Matthew, to offer them repentance from their past misdeeds and give them hope of salvation.

The Pharisees could not appreciate this feast because their ritualistic approach to repentance required sorrow and mourning. Neither could the disciples of John feel comfortable with this joy given the circumstances of their leader.

Our Lord Jesus responds with this series of parables which at first gently explain to the disciples of John why Matthew’s feast was permissible, indeed essential. In this regard Jesus uses the very metaphors that John the Baptist had used in his teachings, hence linking himself directly with him in a way his followers could not fail to appreciate. Jesus concluded with three more parables that aim more directly at the Pharisees and their reliance on their rituals as a means for purifying themselves from sin. The crux of the matter was that public fasting no longer served its purpose. We read that the newly baptized brethren and sisters in Acts "did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart" (Acts 2:46). There is no hint of fasting. Finally, the Apostle Paul tells the Colossians:

"Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions" (Col. 2:16-18 NIV).

Public fasting had led to public show, which in turn had created a false attitude of mind. In effect it was all too easy for the person fasting to do it entirely for the wrong reasons, that is, to be seen of men! Such wrong motives led to false religion. If we want to fast at all (which of course is not explicitly forbidden) it is strictly between us and our God; we ought to do it, as it were, in a closet (Matt. 6:5, 6).

Bridegroom
Given this background, the parables that follow can be readily appreciated. The parable of the Bridegroom speaks of the joy that is always present at a wedding reception. Our Lord Jesus Christ uses a figure of speech here that must surely have resonated with the disciples of John. Jesus identifies himself with the Bridegroom and in so doing he quotes directly from John the Baptist.

Earlier the Jews had tried to drive a wedge between Jesus and the disciples of John. Sensing the rising popularity of Christ they were envious and appear to have tried to stir up jealousy in John and his disciples, perhaps reasoning they could use them as a foil against our Lord Jesus. The Gospel of John records the Jews had gotten into a debate with the disciples of John Baptist about the doctrine of purification. Coming to John, the Jews said: "He [Jesus] that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him" (John 3:26).

"All men come to him" – it was a clear attempt to stir up jealousy. John the Baptist does not take up the bait, however, but unambiguously proclaims that he is the best man, or "friend of the bridegroom," as it is styled in the authorized version (Jn. 3:29). Jesus is the bridegroom and the Lord must increase, but John must decrease (Jn. 3:30). John the Baptist displays not one tinge of jealousy, clearly understanding and yielding to his role in the affairs of the Lord God. Hence when Jesus tells the disciples of John that he was the bridegroom, they knew exactly what he meant and they may even have been somewhat astonished that Jesus was aware of the exact expression that their master John had used.

The coming of the Messiah was, and is, a time of rejoicing. We eagerly await the full consummation of the marriage of the bridegroom to his bride (the ecclesia). These are matters of joy, not sorrow, these are issues of hope, not despair, for through the gospel we have been offered eternal life. Our religion should be one of joy, not of emaciation; as the Apostle Peter could say: "But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy" (I Pet. 4:13).

The true gospel has freed us from doubt and superstition, from fears of eternal torments and from dread of the unknown. The gospel has made us aware that by identifying ourselves through baptism with the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, by walking in newness of life and, most of all, by the grace of our Lord God, we can overcome our sins. Thus the pangs of death need not have dominion over us.

Garments old and new
Jesus goes on to explain that no one can repair a worn, old garment by patching it with new cloth. The strength of a garment is only as good as its weakest component. The patch might be pristine, but the very fact of patching it to the "old" worn cloth weakens all the area around the patch where the needle penetrates the weakened, aged material.

What Jesus was saying is poignantly true; the old religion of ritualistic fasting and false humility could not be fixed by merely patching it with some new ideas. The "old" had to be discarded and garments made out of new cloth. That is exactly what Jesus did when he nailed the ordinances of tradition to the cross (Eph. 2:15,16).

Old wine bottles and new
The story of the new wine in old bottles illustrates the same general principle, but from a slightly different perspective. In the process of wine making, the initial fermentation step creates gases, which in modern wineries are allowed to vent from the fermenting tanks through a one-way valve. Thus the fermenting gas must escape, but air must not get back into the vessel or it will spoil the wine and turn it to vinegar.

The bottles spoken of by Christ were not the glass type we are familiar with today, but rather were fashioned from animal hides. The one-way valve had not been invented yet, hence the solution in the Middle East at the time of Christ was to seal the new wine into bottles made from new skins. These could expand and take the internal pressure of the fermenting wine while at the same time preventing back diffusion of air from the environment. If old containers were used they were liable to have exhausted their elasticity and would more than likely burst.

The gospel message that Christ brought could not be poured into the old Pharisaic bottles. The rituals and traditions of the nation at the time of Christ had caused the old goatskins to completely lose their elasticity. Their traditions could not be changed by simply pouring new wine, or new teaching into the same old bottles. An entirely new way of thinking was necessary.

Lesson of vintage wine
The Luke record adds one other thought by expounding on vintage wine: "And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for he says, ‘The old is better’" (Luke 5:39 NIV). No doubt Jesus was thoroughly familiar with winemaking and the enhanced quality that wine achieved through the aging process. Red wines particularly benefit from aging; they become mellower and less acidic (provided they are sealed properly and no air is allowed to enter the bottle).

In Biblical times wine was not simply sometimes drunk by connoisseurs; it was a daily commodity of life. Wine was generally mixed with water to purify the water in a ratio of 20:1 and everyone drank from the mixing crater, including the smallest children. Vintage wine was aged beyond the immediate growing season and saved for very special occasions. Hence, then as now, truly high quality vintage wine was in limited supply and expensive. It was drunk only on occasion of special feasting such as a wedding or other celebration (e.g. the circumcision of a firstborn son!).

The parable of the vintage wine illustrates a painful truth, namely that once we get used to something we prefer it, even if it no longer serves its purpose, and are loath to change. We prefer vintage wine because it is mellow and easy to drink. As long as men had vintage religion replete with comforting "black and white" traditions to follow, they were not about to change. What the Pharisees had was a system of do’s and dont’s that were comfortably clear-cut -- touch not, taste not, fast on certain days, don’t associate with low-life publicans and sinners, stay away from defilement from lepers and dead bodies, and so on. Follow all the rules, get a passing grade and you were sure to earn the kingdom of heaven.

But that is not what our Lord Jesus was teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, in his parables and through the power of his healing miracles. What was needed was a change in character; a new heart had to accompany the new man, and salvation was now to be available to all, Jew and Gentile alike, who embraced the Truth of the gospel message. We thank our Lord Jesus, for without him there would be no bridegroom preparing a wedding feast for his elect. Without him there would be no new garments woven with brand new cloth to cover our sins. Neither would there be the new wine which we take each first day in remembrance of him. The disciples of John the Baptist must have understood and were glad; may we perceive these same truths and rejoice.

Next: How to choose real estate.

John C. Bilello

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