Wineskins Parable

[aReformedPatriot]

Can someone explain to me this parable, I cant seem to grasp it's concept.

Thanks,
Bro. Mark

 

[Gold Dragon]

NASB - Matthew 9:14-17

Then the disciples of John came to Him, asking, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?"

And Jesus said to them, "The attendants of the bridegroom cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.

But no one puts a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear results.

Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wineskins burst, and the wine pours out and the wineskins are ruined; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved."

This is the context of the parable. Another awesome example of Jesus using symbols and allegory to reveal truth. And after Jesus answers them I wonder how many were more confused than before?

To discover what the wine and wineskins represent we need to look at what question Jesus was answering, why it was asked and then what things are held in common between the three illustrations he used to answer the question.

 

[Gold Dragon]

Lukes version has adds a little more depth

NASB - Luke 5:33-39

And they said to Him, "The disciples of John often fast and offer prayers, the disciples of the Pharisees also do the same, but Yours eat and drink."

And Jesus said to them, "You cannot make the attendants of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you? But the days will come; and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days."

And He was also telling them a parable: "No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and puts it on an old garment; otherwise he will both tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old.

And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined. But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. And no one, after drinking old wine wishes for new; for he says, `The old is good enough."'

 

[Gold Dragon]

Any thoughts TLE? Why do you think John's disciples asked the question they did? Actually in Luke, it is the Pharisees that ask this, and that would make more sense.

Here is the section previous.

NASB - Luke 5:29-32

And Levi gave a big reception for Him in his house; and there was a great crowd of tax collectors and other people who were reclining at the table with them. The Pharisees and their scribes began grumbling at His disciples, saying, "Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?"

And Jesus answered and said to them, "It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance."

 

[ZiSunka]

I think he was saying that he didn't come to reform Judaism, he came to make a whole new way of worshipping and obeying God, a new way of relating to God. Jesus couldn't have just added his commandments and teachings to the commandments and teachings they already had or made up for themselves. He didn't want to be seen as a new commentator on Jewish religion, a new Gamliel or Hillel, he wanted them to know that he was discarding the old way and making a new way, because the old way couldn't accomodate the new just like old dried-up wineskins can't accomodate new fermenting wine without destroying them.

Likewise the old cloth/new cloth illustration. The old would ruin the new, the new would be mismatched with the old and eventually destroy it.

 

[Matthan]

What Jesus is here telling them (and us) is that the New Testament truth cannot be contained or restrained by the Old Testament law.

Sorry, Gold Dragon, but the suspense of waiting for your answer was killing me, and I just had to respond......

Matthan (the impatient one) <J><

 

[Gold Dragon]

What Jesus is here telling them (and us) is that the New Testament truth cannot be contained or restrained by the Old Testament law.

Sorry, Gold Dragon, but the suspense of waiting for your answer was killing me, and I just had to respond......

Matthan (the impatient one) <J><

You were waiting for me to answer?

I have some thoughts but I was hoping to let the text speak to TLE without my interference. Don't let that stop you and others from responding though.

 

[Matthan]

Yes, when someone promises to answer in a while, I try to remain tuned in but not involved. Sometimes, however, the great impatient one can't restrain himself....

Matthan (still LOL) <J><

 

[aReformedPatriot]

Any thoughts TLE? Why do you think John's disciples asked the question they did? Actually in Luke, it is the Pharisees that ask this, and that would make more sense.

Been a busy day sorry for the delay.

In light of some of the other posts, I can defnitly see how you can destroy the old wineskins by putting new wine in them. Just as the Judaizers were mixing the law with grace would destroy the faith. This was an introduction that something new was here. Is that correct, did what I just say make any sense?

 

[Dmckay]

I think he was saying that he didn't come to reform Judaism, he came to make a whole new way of worshipping and obeying God, a new way of relating to God. Jesus couldn't have just added his commandments and teachings to the commandments and teachings they already had or made up for themselves. He didn't want to be seen as a new commentator on Jewish religion, a new Gamliel or Hillel, he wanted them to know that he was discarding the old way and making a new way, because the old way couldn't accomodate the new just like old dried-up wineskins can't accomodate new fermenting wine without destroying them.

Likewise the old cloth/new cloth illustration. The old would ruin the new, the new would be mismatched with the old and eventually destroy it.

Your interpretation is insightful and right on the money. The Law was added to the Promise because of the disobedience and unbelief of Israel as a nation. Paul said that the Law was to serve as a schoolmaster until the heir was ready. The Judaic system had served it's purpose in revealing the inability of the people to live up to the level of the Law on their own.

The system couldn't just be patched or had new life (or wine) put into it to repair the system. there had to be a whole new program, a new sacrifice, a new eternal priest.

 

[seebs]

This is the context of the parable. Another awesome example of Jesus using symbols and allegory to reveal truth. And after Jesus answers them I wonder how many were more confused than before?

Not quite clear about what you just spoke
Was that a parable or a very subtle joke?

 

[Gold Dragon]

Not quite clear about what you just spoke
Was that a parable or a very subtle joke?

I was just observing how Jesus' responses tended to confuse more than reveal sometimes. However, I think the Pharisees understood exactly what Jesus was saying.

 

[Gold Dragon]

Been a busy day sorry for the delay.

In light of some of the other posts, I can defnitly see how you can destroy the old wineskins by putting new wine in them. Just as the Judaizers were mixing the law with grace would destroy the faith. This was an introduction that something new was here. Is that correct, did what I just say make any sense?

It made total sense.

The Pharisees were asking about Jesus' disciples and what he was teaching them. They didn't understand why Jesus as a rabbi was teaching his disciples things that appeared to them to be "unorthodox", unholy, acting like those "sinners" Jesus always hung around with who partied and enjoyed themselves instead of fasting and being pious. Even John the baptist's disciples were more like the Pharisees' disciples but Jesus' were different.

The first illustration about the bridegroom. What is that saying about Jesus' disciples?

 

[aReformedPatriot]

It reveals something special about his person. Thats about as deep as I can go at 10AM.

 

[Gold Dragon]

It reveals something special about his person. Thats about as deep as I can go at 10AM.

Grab a cup of Joe and we'll see if we can get some more out of you, later.

Another context to keep in mind is that like a child and their parents, the behaviour of a rabbi's disciples can be seen as a reflection on the rabbi and his teachings.

 

[Terri]

Been a busy day sorry for the delay.

In light of some of the other posts, I can defnitly see how you can destroy the old wineskins by putting new wine in them. Just as the Judaizers were mixing the law with grace would destroy the faith. This was an introduction that something new was here. Is that correct, did what I just say make any sense?

Makes perfect sense to me Bro Mark!!

 

[Matthan]

It is one of Jesus' greatest parables, and yet it is also one of the least understood....

Matthan <J><