Bursting the Wine Skins

What Jesus brings is completely new – it cannot be contained within the old structures. In fact the Pharisees who were the self appointed gatekeepers of Judaism recognized that Jesus was not prepared to keep their rules and live under the old ways. His actions and teaching undermined their authority by exposing the lie that they were living even though Jesus never went out to destroy the old structures. He just saw them for what they were – self justifying human traditions that looked like obedience but in fact were a cover up for hearts that were far from God. Jesus saw Himself as the centrepiece of God's plan – He was the Bridegroom and the Lord of the Sabbath. He did not abrogate God's law – He fulfilled it. By His actions Jesus exposed their lovelessness and compounded their hostility against Him.