New wineskins

As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up and followed him.

And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax-collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax-collectors and sinners?’ But when he heard this, he said, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.’

Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, ‘Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?’ And Jesus said to them, ‘The wedding-guests cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old cloak, for the patch pulls away from the cloak, and a worse tear is made. Neither is new wine put into old wineskins; otherwise, the skins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the skins are destroyed; but new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.’

- Matthew 9:9-17

For the Jews of the period during which these events of Jesus' earthly life take place, tax collectors were particularly looked down upon. This tax collector, Matthew (who is the author of our gospel), is also called Levi. Tax collectors were Jewish workers who were selected by Roman overlords to collect taxes from certain specific areas. The tax collectors were also free to collect extra money for themselves. According to my study bible, their fraud and corruption and their association with Gentiles caused them to be considered unclean. Of course, they were also widely despised by their fellow Jews. Jesus calls Matthew to "follow Him." Jesus then goes and dines with Matthew and his fellow "tax collectors and sinners."

We've already seen, in this gospel, that Jesus has the power to forgive sins (see yesterday's reading). In other readings, we've become familiar with the idea that Jesus' healing capacities not only are forgiving and cleansing, but that to one such as he there is nothing unclean. Jesus, the great Healer, does not become defiled by touching or by associating with those who are considered unclean. This is an important spiritual lesson, one that must carry over into our understanding of what it is to minister. Jesus' call to Matthew, "Follow me," is an indication that he wishes Matthew to become whole, healed, and clean via repentance. We recall that the Greek word for repentance, metanoia, means "change of mind." It indicates a turning within a person, from following one way to following another. So Matthew's choice to accept this invitation to follow Christ is an indication of repentance, of turning away from that which was wrong, harmful and destructive. Jesus' power of forgiveness, then, is healing and restoring. Matthew is restored to community, and he's welcomed among the disciples.

But the Pharisees' perspective is different. They cannot understand why Jesus would be dining with such people if he is truly the teacher he seems to be. Jesus puts them straight: 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.' He is here to heal: his work of forgiveness and his use of his power and teaching and ministry is for the sake of an ailing humanity. 'Go and learn what this means, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.”' My study bible notes that this is not a condemnation of sacrifice in the temple; it is rather a statement of the priority of the love of God. Jesus' actions of healing and mercy are a practice of love in action, and we are called to do likewise.

Then a question arises about fasting, from the disciples of John the Baptist. The typical rules of fasting at that time meant that Jews fasted twice a week. Jesus replies, 'The wedding-guests cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.' My study bible notes that, in addition, public fasts were regularly observed and occasionally proclaimed: especially on the Day of Atonement and in times of mourning. But in the Jewish perspective, the day of the Messiah was viewed as a wedding feast - a time of joy and celebration, not mourning and sorrow. So, in this symbolic way, Jesus is once again indicating his Messianic identity, by referring to himself as Bridegroom.

'The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old cloak, for the patch pulls away from the cloak, and a worse tear is made. Neither is new wine put into old wineskins; otherwise, the skins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the skins are destroyed; but new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.’ Moreover, Jesus indicates there will be days coming when the bridegroom will be taken away, and his disciples will fast again. But the language of the "new wineskins" is our indication of a new covenant which he is building among us, in his ministry. This is a new covenant being brought into the world at this marriage feast. So - it's not a new patch on the old covenant. It's rather fresh wineskins necessary to contain the new wine of this wedding celebration. My study bible has an interesting note: "Wine represents the spirit and energy devoted to a covenant; the new wine of the New Covenant is the Holy Spirit dwelling within renewed men, the inauguration of a long-awaited Kingdom." On a personal note, I recall that Jesus will refer to the wine of the Eucharist as his blood, "shed for many for the forgiveness of sins." We are being given hints about what is to come: first he tells of the celebration, the wedding feast, and then he hints of the days to come when his disciples will fast - when he will no longer be with them. In those days we will drink of this new wine to remind us of our joy in this relationship, this new covenant.

Forgiveness always has the power to renew. These words and teachings have now been with us for thousands of years. But what is most important, perhaps, is their powerful effect in the present. Yesterday we read about paralysis, and I wrote in commentary about "spiritual paralysis." Forgiveness is so often the means by which we are renewed and relieved of our paralysis. Is there something we're "stuck" on in life? Some way in which we can't see a way forward? Love and mercy are the healing balm, the "new wine" of a covenant designed to get us unstuck, to relieve us of whatever binds. Take the ailments to this spiritual doctor, and seek help. Love and mercy works here and now, through prayer, and it is always available.