Mark 2:22

KJV

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.

KJV (with Strong's)

And {G2532} no man {G3762} putteth {G906} new {G3501} wine {G3631} into {G1519} old {G3820} bottles {G779}: else {G1490} the new {G3501} wine {G3631} doth burst {G4486} the bottles {G779}, and {G2532} the wine {G3631} is spilled {G1632}, and {G2532} the bottles {G779} will be marred {G622}: but {G235} new {G3501} wine {G3631} must be put {G992} into {G1519} new {G2537} bottles {G779}.

Complete Jewish Bible

And no one puts new wine in old wineskins; if he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the skins will be ruined. Rather, new wine is for freshly prepared wineskins."

Berean Standard Bible

And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. Instead, new wine is poured into new wineskins.”

American Standard Version

And no man putteth new wine into old wine-skins; else the wine will burst the skins, and the wine perisheth, and the skins: but they put new wine into fresh wine-skins.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Mark 2:22 presents a profound parable from Jesus, illustrating the fundamental incompatibility between His revolutionary teachings and the rigid, worn-out religious systems of His era. Through the vivid imagery of new wine and old wineskins, Jesus conveys that His message of the Kingdom of God, characterized by grace, inner transformation, and a direct relationship with God, is dynamic and expansive, requiring a new, flexible spiritual framework and receptive hearts rather than attempts to contain it within outdated traditions or legalistic structures, which would ultimately lead to the destruction of both the message and the vessel.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is part of a series of confrontational encounters where Jesus challenges the prevailing religious norms and practices, particularly those upheld by the Pharisees. The immediate literary context begins with the calling of Levi (Matthew) and Jesus' controversial act of eating with tax collectors and sinners, which draws criticism from the scribes and Pharisees (Mark 2:15-17). This leads directly into questions about fasting (Mark 2:18). Jesus responds with the parable of the bridegroom and his attendants (Mark 2:19-20), explaining that mourning (fasting) is inappropriate while He, the bridegroom, is present. This is immediately followed by the parable of the new cloth on an old garment (Mark 2:21), which, like the new wine parable, underscores the impossibility of patching new spiritual realities onto old, rigid forms. Together, these parables powerfully articulate that Jesus' ministry was not merely a reform of Judaism but a radical new dispensation, a fresh move of God that necessitated a complete reorientation of understanding and practice.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** In ancient Israel, wine was stored and fermented in wineskins, typically made from animal hides. When new wine was poured into these, it would undergo fermentation, producing gases that caused the wineskin to expand. New wineskins were supple and elastic, capable of stretching with this process. However, wineskins that had been used previously would have lost their elasticity, becoming brittle and rigid from repeated expansion and contraction. Pouring new, fermenting wine into such old, inflexible wineskins would inevitably cause them to burst under the pressure of the expanding gases, leading to the loss of the valuable wine and the ruin of the wineskins. This common agricultural practice provided a readily understood metaphor for Jesus' audience, illustrating the destructive consequences of trying to contain something dynamic and new within a system that has lost its flexibility and capacity for growth. The "old bottles" represent the established Jewish religious system, particularly its legalistic interpretations and traditions, while the "new wine" symbolizes the vibrant, transformative message of the Gospel and the New Covenant.

* **Key Themes:** Mark 2:22 contributes significantly to several major theological and narrative themes within Mark's Gospel and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it highlights **The Radical Nature of Jesus' Message**, emphasizing that His teachings represented a spiritual revolution, prioritizing inner transformation, grace, and a direct relationship with God over the external legalism and traditions that had accumulated over centuries. This is evident in His challenge to Sabbath laws in [Mark 2:23-28](/mark/2-23-28 "Mark 2:23-28 - Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath") and His authority to forgive sins in [Mark 2:5-12](/mark/2-5-12 "Mark 2:5-12 - Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralytic"). Secondly, the parable underscores the **Incompatibility of Old and New**, demonstrating that new truths and spiritual realities cannot be forced into old, inflexible forms without destructive consequences. The "new wine" (Jesus' Gospel) demands "new bottles" (receptive hearts, new understanding, and new structures). This theme resonates with the shift from the Old Covenant to the [New Covenant](/jeremiah/31-31 "Jeremiah 31:31 - The New Covenant Promised"), which Jesus came to inaugurate, as described in [John 1:17](/john/1-17 "John 1:17 - Grace and Truth Came Through Jesus Christ"). Finally, the parable implicitly calls for **Receptivity and Flexibility**, urging listeners to be open to new paradigms and willing to let go of traditions that hinder spiritual growth, so they can fully embrace the dynamic truth of Christ's Kingdom.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **new (Greek, _néos'_):** From G3501, this word refers to something "new" in terms of age, youthful, or fresh. Figuratively, it can imply something regenerate or recently produced. In this context, it emphasizes the freshness and vitality of Jesus' teaching, which is not merely a modification of existing traditions but a fundamentally new spiritual reality.
* **old (Greek, _palaiós'_):** From G3820, this term describes something "antique," "not recent," or "worn out." It denotes something that has lost its original quality, elasticity, and usefulness due to age and wear. Here, it vividly portrays the religious system of Jesus' day, particularly its rigid, legalistic interpretations that had become brittle and incapable of containing the dynamic newness of the Gospel.
* **burst (Greek, _rhḗgnymi'_):** From G4486, this verb means "to break," "wreck," or "crack," specifically to "sunder" or "disrupt." It implies a violent tearing apart due to internal pressure. In the parable, it signifies the catastrophic failure that occurs when the expansive power of the "new wine" (Jesus' message) is confined within the unyielding "old bottles" (outdated religious structures), resulting in the destruction of both.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And no man putteth new wine into old bottles:"** This opening clause establishes the core premise of the parable, presenting a universally understood truth from agricultural practice. It highlights the impracticality and folly of attempting to combine incompatible elements: the dynamic, fermenting "new wine" (representing Jesus' transformative message and the New Covenant) with the rigid, worn-out "old bottles" (symbolizing the inflexible, legalistic religious system of the day). The "no man" emphasizes this as a self-evident truth, a matter of common sense.
* **"else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred:"** This section details the inevitable destructive consequences of ignoring the initial warning. The pressure generated by the fermentation of the "new wine" (the expansive power of the Gospel) will cause the brittle "old bottles" (the unyielding traditions) to "burst." This results in a double loss: the precious "wine" (the life-giving message of salvation and grace) is "spilled" and wasted, and the "bottles" (the religious structures or individuals clinging to old ways) are "marred" or destroyed, rendered useless. It underscores that attempting to force the new into the old harms both.
* **"but new wine must be put into new bottles."** This concluding clause provides the necessary solution and the central teaching of the parable. The conjunction "but" introduces a stark contrast, emphasizing the only viable path. For the "new wine" (Jesus' Gospel) to be preserved and effective, it "must be put" into "new bottles" (receptive hearts, renewed minds, and flexible spiritual frameworks). These "new bottles" are capable of expanding and adapting to contain the dynamic, life-transforming power of Christ's message, ensuring its preservation and proper function.

#### Literary Devices
Mark 2:22 is a powerful **Parable**, a short, illustrative story used by Jesus to convey a moral or spiritual lesson. Specifically, it employs **Metaphor** and **Symbolism**, where "new wine" represents the vibrant, expansive, and transformative message of the Kingdom of God, inaugurated by Jesus, while "old bottles" (wineskins) symbolize the rigid, traditional, and legalistic religious system of Judaism that had become incapable of containing this new spiritual reality. The act of "bursting" serves as a vivid **Imagery** of the destructive outcome when the dynamic truth of the Gospel is forced into an unyielding framework. The entire statement functions as an **Antithesis**, contrasting the "new" with the "old" to highlight their fundamental incompatibility and the necessity of a radical shift in understanding and practice.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Mark 2:22 powerfully encapsulates the theological tension between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant, signaling a decisive shift in God's redemptive plan. Jesus is not merely patching up or reforming Judaism; He is inaugurating a fundamentally new era of grace and truth. The "new wine" represents the Spirit-empowered life, the radical freedom found in Christ, and the direct access to God through faith, which cannot be contained by the external rituals, legalistic interpretations, and rigid traditions that characterized much of the Old Covenant system. To attempt to do so would be destructive, leading to the loss of the vibrant life of the Gospel and the marring of the old forms. This parable therefore calls for a complete reorientation of heart and mind, a willingness to embrace the new spiritual realities brought by Christ rather than clinging to outdated paradigms.

* [Jeremiah 31:31-34](/jeremiah/31-31-34 "Jeremiah 31:31-34 - Prophecy of the New Covenant"): Prophesies a "new covenant" not like the old one, where God will put His law within His people and write it on their hearts.
* [Romans 7:6](/romans/7-6 "Romans 7:6 - Released from the Law"): States that believers have been released from the law, so that they serve in the new way of the Spirit, not in the old way of the written code.
* [2 Corinthians 5:17](/2_corinthians/5-17 "2 Corinthians 5:17 - New Creation in Christ"): Declares that "if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Mark 2:22 serves as a timeless challenge for believers and the Church across generations, urging us to cultivate a spirit of adaptability and responsiveness to the ongoing work of God. It compels us to critically examine our own "wineskins"—our personal habits, theological frameworks, church traditions, and methods of ministry—to ensure they remain flexible enough to contain and express the dynamic, ever-expanding truth of the Gospel. Are we clinging to outdated practices or rigid interpretations that hinder the fresh move of the Holy Spirit, potentially causing the "wine" of God's presence and power to be "spilled" or the "bottles" of our lives and ministries to become "marred"? Embracing the "new wine" means prioritizing the transformative power of Christ's message over external forms, being open to spiritual growth, and continually allowing God to renew our minds and hearts. This parable is a call to continuous spiritual renewal, ensuring that our faith remains vibrant, effective, and capable of containing the boundless grace and truth of God.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What "old bottles" (traditions, mindsets, or practices) might I be holding onto that are hindering the "new wine" of God's work in my life or in my community?**
* **In what areas of my faith or spiritual journey do I need to cultivate greater flexibility and receptivity to new truths or the Holy Spirit's leading?**
* **How can I ensure that my understanding and expression of the Gospel remain dynamic and relevant, rather than becoming rigid and ineffective?**

### FAQ
**What exactly are "bottles" in this context?**

Answer: In the context of [Mark 2:22](/mark/2-22 "Mark 2:22 - New Wine, Old Wineskins"), the King James Version's translation of "bottles" refers to what were commonly known as wineskins. These were containers made from animal hides (typically goat or sheep skins) that were cleaned, tanned, and sealed to hold liquids, especially wine. New wineskins were pliable and elastic, allowing them to expand as new wine fermented and produced gases. Old wineskins, however, would have become brittle and rigid from previous use, making them unable to stretch further without bursting. This imagery is crucial for understanding Jesus' parable.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Mark 2:22 finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Himself as the inaugurator of the New Covenant. He is the "new wine," the very essence of God's redemptive plan, bringing a radical, life-transforming reality that transcends and fulfills the Old Covenant. The Old Covenant, with its emphasis on law, rituals, and external obedience, represented the "old bottles"—a system that, while divinely ordained for a time, was never intended to be the final container for the fullness of God's revelation. Jesus' coming marked the end of that old order's sufficiency, as [Romans 10:4](/romans/10-4 "Romans 10:4 - Christ is the End of the Law") declares, "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes." His death and resurrection established a "new and living way" ([Hebrews 10:19-20](/hebrews/10-19-20 "Hebrews 10:19-20 - New and Living Way"))—a new wineskin—for humanity to approach God. This new wineskin is the New Covenant, founded on grace and faith in Christ's atoning sacrifice, sealed by His blood ([Luke 22:20](/luke/22-20 "Luke 22:20 - The New Covenant in My Blood")), and empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit ([John 14:16-17](/john/14-16-17 "John 14:16-17 - The Promise of the Holy Spirit")). Thus, the parable is a prophetic declaration that the dynamic, expansive, and transformative power of God's salvation, embodied in Christ, necessitates a complete renewal of heart, mind, and spiritual framework—a new creation in Christ ([2 Corinthians 5:17](/2_corinthians/5-17 "2 Corinthians 5:17 - New Creation in Christ"))—to truly receive and contain the fullness of His redemptive work.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Matthew 9:17

Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.

Psalms 119:83

¶ For I am become like a bottle in the smoke; [yet] do I not forget thy statutes.

Psalms 119:80

¶ Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed.

Joshua 9:13

And these bottles of wine, which we filled, [were] new; and, behold, they be rent: and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey.

Luke 5:37

And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.

Luke 5:38

But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.

Joshua 9:4

They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up;