Mark 2:21 - No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, or else the patch shrinks and the new tears away from the old, and a worse hole is made.

Generated Verse: Mark 2:21

What does "Mark 2:21" mean?


This verse from Mark 2:21 is a concise parable used to illustrate the incompatibility of the old and the new. It's often interpreted as meaning:

Unshrunk cloth represents the new teachings of Jesus, and the old garment represents the old traditions and laws of Judaism. Jesus is saying that his new teachings are not meant to simply patch up the old religious system. They are fundamentally different and require a new framework.

Trying to combine the two (old and new) will ultimately lead to conflict and destruction. The unshrunk cloth will shrink when washed, tearing away from the old garment and making the hole even bigger than before. Similarly, trying to force Jesus' new message into the old legalistic framework will cause problems. The new message will distort the old, and the old will reject the new.

In essence, Jesus is suggesting that his message requires a new approach, a new understanding, and a new way of living rather than simply reforming the existing traditions.

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