Jesus was the ultimate wordsmith. He knew how to get his point across without saying something directly. It took a little thinking for his listeners to realize he had just confronted them. The Pharisees and John’s disciples asked why Jesus disciples did not fast.
His answer at first appeared to be off track. “No man uses a piece of new cloth to repair a rip in an old garment. The new cloth would pull on the old material and cause it to rip. Nor do men put new wine in old wine skins that have no more give. The old wine skins would burst and the wine would be lost” (Mathew 9:16-17).
It may have taken the listeners a moment to realize he was talking about them. They did everything the old way, ways which they had added to God’s words, called tradition. Jesus was telling them their old way of doing things was not how God’s forgiveness would be given and they would no longer be the instruments of God’s message. Instead ordinary fishermen, tentmakers and everyday people would carry God’s message.
We also need to remember that our old traditions are not holy in themselves. People may worship God differently than we do. As long as it does not conflict with God’s written word, we need to be gracious to everyone who wants to worship God and his Son Jesus Christ.
