NEW mindset

Mark 2:18-22

"18 And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto Him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?

19 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.

20 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.

21 No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse.

22 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles."

In these verses, Jesus defends His disciples’ failure to fast; a practice observed by John the Baptist’s followers and the Pharisees. He explains that His ministry brings a new covenant incompatible with old religious structures, using three vivid analogies:

1) The Bridegroom: Jesus presents Himself as the bridegroom. While He is present with His disciples, mourning (fasting) is inappropriate. Fasting will come later, when the bridegroom is “taken away.”

2) New Cloth on an Old Garment: Sewing unshrunk new cloth onto an old garment causes the new piece to shrink and tear the old, making the tear worse. Jesus’ message cannot merely patch existing Jewish traditions.

3) New Wine in Old Wineskins: New wine ferments and expands, bursting rigid, brittle old wineskins. The newness of the Gospel requires entirely new frameworks; rigid legalism cannot contain the transformative power of grace.

Jesus’ arrival marks a revolutionary shift from works-based righteousness to grace-based new life. His kingdom calls for new spiritual practices and mindsets, not minor adjustments to old rituals.