The Snare of Syncretism

In Mark 2:18–22, Jesus confronts the danger of trying to blend old religious traditions with the new life He offers. When questioned about fasting, He illustrates with parables of unshrunk cloth on old garments and new wine in old wineskins—warning that mixing the old with the new leads to spiritual ruin. The passage exposes the snare of syncretism: attempting to merge the legalistic practices of the old covenant with the liberating grace of the gospel.