Matthew 9:16

KJV

No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse.

KJV (with Strong's)

{G1161} No man {G3762} putteth {G1911} a piece {G1915} of new {G46} cloth {G4470} unto {G1909} an old {G3820} garment {G2440}, for {G1063} that which is put in to fill it up {G4138} taketh {G142}{G846} from {G575} the garment {G2440}, and {G2532} the rent {G4978} is made {G1096} worse {G5501}.

Complete Jewish Bible

No one patches an old coat with a piece of unshrunk cloth, because the patch tears away from the coat and leaves a worse hole.

Berean Standard Bible

No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. For the patch will pull away from the garment, and a worse tear will result.

American Standard Version

And no man putteth a piece of undressed cloth upon an old garment; for that which should fill it up taketh from the garment, and a worse rent is made.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
In Matthew 9:16, Jesus employs a poignant and practical parable to illustrate the profound incompatibility between the radical newness of His kingdom message and the rigid, worn-out religious traditions of the day. This vivid analogy of patching an old garment with unshrunk new cloth serves to explain why His ministry cannot simply be integrated into or reform existing systems, but rather necessitates a complete transformation, lest the old structures be utterly destroyed and the spiritual "rent" made worse.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is part of a series of encounters in [Matthew 9](/matthew/9 "Matthew 9 - Jesus' Authority and Call to New Life") where Jesus demonstrates His authority and introduces the nature of His kingdom. Immediately preceding this parable, Jesus is questioned by the disciples of John the Baptist and the Pharisees about why His disciples do not fast, unlike their own ([Matthew 9:14](/matthew/9-14 "Matthew 9:14 - The Question of Fasting")). Jesus responds first with the analogy of wedding guests not fasting while the bridegroom is present, implicitly identifying Himself as the bridegroom ([Matthew 9:15](/matthew/9-15 "Matthew 9:15 - The Bridegroom Analogy")). The parable of the new cloth and the old garment, followed by the parable of new wine in old wineskins ([Matthew 9:17](/matthew/9-17 "Matthew 9:17 - New Wine in Old Wineskins")), together form a powerful two-part illustration emphasizing the distinct and transformative nature of His ministry, which cannot be contained or reconciled with the old, decaying religious paradigms.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** In ancient Jewish society, garments were valuable possessions, often repaired and reused until they were completely worn out. The practice of patching was common. However, the specific detail of using "new cloth" (unshrunk, unfulled) on an "old garment" (shrunk, worn) highlights a practical problem familiar to anyone involved in textile care. New, untreated cloth would shrink significantly when washed, causing it to pull away from the weaker, older fabric, thereby exacerbating the original tear. This common understanding would have made Jesus' illustration immediately relatable and impactful to His audience, underscoring the futility and destructive nature of attempting to force an unnatural union between two incompatible realities.
* **Key Themes:** This parable contributes significantly to several overarching themes in Matthew's Gospel and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it powerfully conveys the **radical discontinuity** between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant inaugurated by Christ. Jesus is not merely a reformer of Judaism, but the bringer of a fundamentally new spiritual order, fulfilling the Law but transcending its external applications ([Matthew 5:17-20](/matthew/5-17-20 "Matthew 5:17-20 - Jesus Fulfills the Law")). Secondly, it emphasizes the **transformative nature of the Kingdom of God**, which demands a new heart and a new way of life, rather than superficial adjustments to existing traditions ([Jeremiah 31:31-34](/jeremiah/31-31-34 "Jeremiah 31:31-34 - The New Covenant Promised")). Lastly, the parable warns against the **danger of syncretism or forced integration**, demonstrating that attempting to blend the dynamic, living truth of Christ with rigid, dead religious forms will not preserve the old but destroy both, leading to greater spiritual damage and a distorted understanding of God's will.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **new (Greek, _ágnaphos'_):** From the Strong's G46, this word literally means "unfulled," implying cloth that has not been shrunk or treated. It refers to raw, unshrunk fabric. In the context of the parable, it signifies something fresh, unadulterated, and possessing inherent properties (like shrinking upon washing) that make it incompatible with older, already processed material. This "newness" represents the vibrant, dynamic, and expansive nature of Jesus' teachings and the New Covenant.
* **old (Greek, _palaiós'_):** From the Strong's G3820, this term describes something "antique," "not recent," or "worn out." It denotes something that has served its purpose, is aged, and is no longer fit for new applications. In the parable, the "old garment" symbolizes the worn-out, rigid, and ultimately insufficient religious systems and traditions of the day, particularly the legalistic interpretations of the Mosaic Law by the Pharisees, which had become burdensome and devoid of true spiritual life.
* **rent (Greek, _schísma'_):** From the Strong's G4978, this word means "a split or gap," from which we derive the English word "schism." It refers to a tear or division. In the context of the parable, it highlights the destructive outcome of attempting to force the new onto the old. The new, shrinking cloth would tear away from the weakened old fabric, making the original damage (the "rent") even larger and more irreparable. Theologically, this signifies the spiritual damage and ultimate failure that results from trying to patch the living truth of Christ onto dead forms.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment,"**: This opening clause establishes the central premise of the parable, presenting a universally understood, impractical action. "No man" emphasizes the foolishness and destructive nature of such an attempt. The "piece of new cloth" (G1915 _epíblēma_, a patch) refers to unshrunk, unfulled fabric (G46 _ágnaphos_). The "old garment" (G3820 _palaiós_ and G2440 _himátion_) signifies something worn out and already shrunk from repeated use and washing. Jesus immediately sets up a scenario of fundamental incompatibility.
* **"for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment,"**: This clause explains the reason for the incompatibility. The "new cloth" (G4138 _plḗrōma_, that which is put in to fill up, a patch) possesses inherent properties that make it unsuitable for the "old garment." When the new, unshrunk patch is washed, it will contract. This contraction causes it to pull vigorously against the weaker, already shrunken threads of the old garment. The verb "taketh" (G142 _aírō_) implies a forceful removal or tearing away, highlighting the destructive consequence.
* **"and the rent is made worse."**: This final clause describes the inevitable and negative outcome. The original tear (G4978 _schísma_, a split or gap) in the old garment, which the patch was intended to repair, is not mended but rather exacerbated. The action of the new cloth causes the tear to become larger and more severe (G5501 _cheírōn_, worse). This serves as a stark warning: attempting to force the new spiritual reality of Christ into the confines of old, rigid religious systems does not preserve the old but utterly destroys it, leading to a greater spiritual rupture.

#### Literary Devices
Jesus masterfully employs **Analogy** and **Metaphor** in this verse to communicate profound spiritual truths through a common, relatable scenario. The act of patching an old garment with new, unshrunk cloth serves as an analogy for attempting to integrate the transformative message of the Kingdom of God into the established, legalistic framework of Judaism. The "new cloth" is a **Metaphor** for the radical, dynamic, and expansive nature of Jesus' teachings and the New Covenant, while the "old garment" is a **Metaphor** for the rigid, worn-out, and insufficient religious systems of the Pharisees. The consequence—that "the rent is made worse"—uses **Hyperbole** to emphasize the destructive futility of such an attempt, underscoring that the new cannot merely be an addendum to the old but demands a complete transformation.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Matthew 9:16 is a foundational statement on the nature of the new covenant and the Kingdom of God. It asserts that Jesus did not come to merely mend or reform the existing religious structures of Judaism, particularly as they had devolved into legalism and external observance. Instead, He inaugurated a fundamentally new spiritual reality that is incompatible with old, worn-out forms. This newness is characterized by grace, inner transformation, and a direct relationship with God, which cannot be contained within or appended to a system focused on external rules and rituals. To attempt such a forced integration would not preserve the old, but rather destroy it and distort the new, leading to greater spiritual damage and a failure to grasp the true essence of God's redemptive plan.

* [Hebrews 8:13](/hebrews/8-13 "Hebrews 8:13 - The New Covenant Makes the First Obsolete")
* [Romans 7:6](/romans/7-6 "Romans 7:6 - Released from the Law")
* [2 Corinthians 5:17](/2_corinthians/5-17 "2 Corinthians 5:17 - A New Creation in Christ")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The parable of the new cloth and old garment challenges us to critically examine our own spiritual frameworks and practices. Are we attempting to patch the vibrant, transformative life of Christ onto old, worn-out habits, mindsets, or traditions that are fundamentally incompatible with His Spirit? This verse calls for a radical openness to the newness that Christ brings, recognizing that genuine spiritual growth often requires a complete overhaul rather than superficial adjustments. It encourages us to shed legalistic tendencies, outdated spiritual disciplines that no longer serve true communion with God, or any attempt to fit the dynamic power of the Holy Spirit into rigid, man-made boxes. Embracing the Kingdom of God means embracing a new way of living, thinking, and relating to God and others, one that is characterized by grace, freedom, and inner renewal, even if it means letting go of familiar, but ultimately hindering, old forms.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What "old garments" (worn-out habits, rigid traditions, or outdated ways of thinking) might I be trying to patch the "new cloth" of Christ's teaching onto in my life?**
* **In what areas of my faith or spiritual practice am I resisting the radical, transformative nature of Jesus' call, preferring to simply "mend" rather than be made "new"?**
* **How can I cultivate a greater openness to the new wine and new wineskins that Christ offers, allowing Him to truly reshape my inner being rather than just my external practices?**

### FAQ

**Does this verse mean that the Old Testament Law is completely irrelevant for Christians?**

Answer: Not entirely. This parable, along with the parallel of new wine in old wineskins, emphasizes the incompatibility of the *spirit* of the New Covenant with the *rigid, legalistic application* of the Old Covenant's external forms, particularly as interpreted by the Pharisees. Jesus Himself stated that He did not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets, but to fulfill them ([Matthew 5:17](/matthew/5-17 "Matthew 5:17 - Jesus Fulfills the Law and the Prophets")). The Old Testament Law, especially its moral principles and prophetic foreshadowings, remains foundational for understanding God's character and His redemptive plan. However, the ceremonial and sacrificial aspects of the Law found their ultimate fulfillment in Christ, rendering them obsolete for salvation and righteousness ([Hebrews 10:1-10](/hebrews/10-1-10 "Hebrews 10:1-10 - Christ's Sacrifice Fulfills the Law")). The "new cloth" represents the new way of righteousness through faith in Christ, which cannot be merely patched onto a system of works-based righteousness without destroying both.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Matthew 9:16 finds its profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus as the inaugurator of the New Covenant. He is the "new cloth," the very embodiment of God's fresh, dynamic, and ultimate revelation, which cannot be contained within the "old garment" of the Mosaic Law's external forms or the rigid traditions that had supplanted its spirit. Jesus did not come to simply reform Judaism, but to establish a fundamentally new way of relating to God, rooted in grace, faith, and an internal transformation of the heart ([Romans 10:4](/romans/10-4 "Romans 10:4 - Christ is the End of the Law")). His perfect life, atoning death, and glorious resurrection signify the complete fulfillment of the Old Covenant's types and shadows, rendering its sacrificial system and ceremonial laws obsolete ([Hebrews 9:11-14](/hebrews/9-11-14 "Hebrews 9:11-14 - Christ's Superior Sacrifice")). Through Christ, believers are not merely patched up but are made entirely new creations, receiving a new spirit and a new heart ([2 Corinthians 5:17](/2_corinthians/5-17 "2 Corinthians 5:17 - A New Creation in Christ"); [Ezekiel 36:26-27](/ezekiel/36-26-27 "Ezekiel 36:26-27 - New Heart and Spirit")). This parable thus foreshadows the radical shift from a covenant of external regulations to a covenant of internal transformation, all made possible by the "newness of life" found in Christ Jesus ([Romans 6:4](/romans/6-4 "Romans 6:4 - Newness of Life in Christ")).

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

1 Corinthians 3:1

¶ And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, [even] as unto babes in Christ.

1 Corinthians 3:2

I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able [to bear it], neither yet now are ye able.

John 16:12

I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

Psalms 125:3

For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.

1 Corinthians 13:13

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these [is] charity.

Isaiah 40:11

He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry [them] in his bosom, [and] shall gently lead those that are with young.

Genesis 33:14

Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant: and I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the children be able to endure, until I come unto my lord unto Seir.