The Parable of the Bridegroom, the New Garment, and the New Wineskin — Matthew 9:14–17

You Can’t Patch Jesus onto Your Old Life.

All of us face the temptation to hold on to old ways, traditions, and mindsets even after encountering Jesus. Just like the disciples of John and the Pharisees who questioned why Jesus’ disciples were not fasting, we often measure spiritual life by outward practices instead of the inner transformation Christ brings.Jesus uses this parable to show us that the new life He gives cannot be contained in old patterns of religion or human traditions. A new garment cannot be patched with an old piece of cloth, and new wine cannot be poured into old wineskins. 

Likewise, when Christ enters our lives, He makes all things new—we cannot mix His grace with empty rituals or add Him to a life that refuses to change. We need to hear this parable today because many of us are still trying to live with “old wineskins”—clinging to habits, sin, traditions, and self-righteousness that cannot hold the new life of the Spirit. The question is: Will we allow Christ to make us new, or will we keep trying to patch Him onto the old?

Matthew 9:14–16

John’s disciples came to Jesus and asked why His disciples did not fast like they and the Pharisees did. Jesus replied that fasting was not fitting while the bridegroom (referring to Himself) was still with them, but the time would come when He would be taken away, and then they would fast. He then used two illustrations: no one patches an old garment with new cloth (because it will tear worse), and no one puts new wine into old wineskins (because it will burst). Instead, new wine must be put into new wineskins.

The parable begins with a question. The Pharisees and John’s disciples were fasting, so they asked Jesus why His disciples didn’t fast. Jesus answered by telling them that they could not fast because they were celebrating—the Bridegroom was with them.The Bridegroom represents Christ Himself. It means that His disciples had acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah, and they were celebrating with joy because He was with them. 

The point here is not about how much you fast or how long you pray. The point is to whom you are fasting and praying. You can fast for months, but if your fasting does not involve Jesus Christ as your Bridegroom, then it is in vain.We see in this parable that Jesus Christ is the Bridegroom, the New Garment, and the New Wineskin. His disciples did not need to fast because they already had Christ in their midst. But a time would come when Christ would be crucified and taken away into heaven. Then, they would fast because of the great mission and task before them.

1. The New Garment and the Old Garment

Jesus gave another parable: no one patches an old garment with a new piece of cloth. In the Bible, garments often represent righteousness, purity, and identity. For example:

• Isaiah 61:10 speaks of being clothed with the garment of salvation.
• Zechariah 3:3–4 describes filthy garments being removed and replaced with rich robes.
• Revelation 19:7–8 speaks of the bride clothed in fine, pure linen, representing the righteousness of the saints.

Christ is the new garment. He was saying: “You cannot come to Me with your old garments of tradition and legalism.” The Jews fasted twice a week (Luke 18:12), but their fasting was contrary to God’s will. In Matthew 6:16–18, Jesus condemned the Pharisees for disfiguring their faces to show off their fasting. John’s disciples still held on to those old teachings. But Christ tells them: “I came to fulfill the Law and bring the new law of grace.” They needed to let go of old traditions and embrace the new teaching of grace and truth.

2. The New Wineskin and the Old Wineskin

Jesus also said you cannot put new wine into old wineskins. The new wine represents the new teaching of Christ—grace and truth. He is the New Wineskin. Remember at the wedding in Cana (John 2), when Jesus turned water into wine? The guests marveled that the best wine had been saved for last. This signified that the new covenant, brought by Christ, was unlike anything before. The wine also represents His blood. The Bible says that life is in the blood, and in the blood of Jesus Christ we have forgiveness, cleansing, and eternal life. Jesus Himself said in John 6, “Whoever drinks my blood will never thirst.” Religious rituals and human traditions cannot cleanse us—only the blood of Christ can wash away our sins so we can stand before God pure and without blemish. This is why Jesus and His disciples celebrated with joy—they had embraced the new teaching and no longer needed the old garment of legalism or the old wineskin of empty religion.

3. The Contrast Between Religion and the Gospel

Jesus contrasts religious rituals with the true message of the Gospel. To come to Him, we must let go of our old garments and wineskins. . No matter your religion—Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, or even traditional practices—you cannot reach God through ritualism or good works. Even in Christianity, without Christ at the center, all our religious deeds are in vain. Isaiah 64:6 reminds us that even our righteous deeds without Christ are like filthy rags. No church, no denomination, and no religion can earn your salvation. Only through faith in Jesus Christ are we accepted by God. 

Challenge

Many people come to Christ, but they still cling to their old habits, old behavior, and old self. They want the blessings of Jesus without surrendering their past. But you cannot put on the new garment of Christ while still holding on to the filthy rags of sin. You cannot pour the new wine of the Spirit into the old wineskin of your old life. Jesus is calling you today—not to patch Him onto your old ways, but to make you completely new. The question is: Are you truly ready to let go of the old and be made new in Christ? If you are still trying to live with one foot in the world and one foot in Christ, you will never experience the full joy, peace, and intimacy of knowing Him. But if you surrender—if you give Him your whole life—He will clothe you with His righteousness, fill you with His Spirit, and make you new from the inside out.

The Heart of the Parable

• Jesus is the bridegroom → He brings joy and fellowship to those who receive Him.
• Jesus is the New Garment → He covers us with His righteousness and gives us a new identity.
• Jesus is the New Wineskin → He pours new life, new teaching, and His Spirit into us.

Without Him, we are nothing. Your religion cannot take you to heaven. Only Jesus Christ—the Bridegroom, the New Garment, and the New Wineskin—can.