Following Christ-Rediscovering the Jewish Faith of JesusSample

Day 20: Old Wine in Old Wineskins

Jesus taught what is often called the parable of wineskins. It is actually more of a metaphor; in fact, it’s two metaphors that teach the same lesson.

Basically, Jesus made three parallel statements: Nobody puts a new patch on an old garment because it will tear. Nobody puts new wine in old wineskins because they will tear. Nobody who has tasted old wine wants new wine because the old is better.

This teaching is often badly misunderstood. The common understanding is that Jesus is comparing His message to new wine, saying that it needs new wineskins (new structures) to contain it. This understanding would be feasible if we only had the wine and wineskins story, but we don’t. That doesn’t fit the garment and patch metaphor at all.

If Jesus was saying this, the parallel would be that we should save the new patch to use on a new garment, but that’s silly. New garments don’t need patching. Jesus’ point is that the only appropriate patch would be one that wouldn't shrink over time—an already washed piece of cloth.

We need to look at this differently to understand what Jesus was actually teaching. He presented an old garment and an old wineskin, and asked what would be appropriate for each. The answer was “definitely not a new patch or new wine.” Both would end badly. His third statement noted that the new wine was not only destructive but also inferior.

The old wineskin (or garment) represented the Judaism of Jesus’ time, as taught by the rabbis. It was old, and maybe needed patching, but a totally new message would damage it. Those in the next few centuries who considered Jesus’ message as new and anti-Jewish persecuted and killed Jews ruthlessly and relentlessly. I suspect that Jesus knew this would happen.

In the face of that, Jesus was strongly denying that His message was new. If it had been, it would have been destructive and inferior. Jesus’ message was basically the same as Judaism, as taught in the Old Testament—with the basic addition that He was the promised Messiah. Jesus was clearly identifying with the old wine, one that would not tear the old wineskin, and was better than the new wine.

If we think Jesus came to bring a brand-new message, we need to readjust our view of Him. Over and over, Jesus affirmed the message of scripture, of Moses, and the prophets. That needs to be our starting point if we want to understand His words as recorded in the New Testament. Are you trying to put new wine into an old wineskin? Don’t! It’s destructive.

Reflection

Jesus was not claiming His message as destructive or inferior. His good news was that the time of Messiah had come—and He was the Messiah. He was also urging His followers to cherish the Scriptures. What verses do you cherish most?

As we follow Jesus, He very capably opens His Word to our understanding by His Holy Spirit indwelling our hearts. This sacred exchange is progressive, and we hide His Word in our hearts and mature daily. The Word of God is central to our growth. Journal about the way God speaks to you through His Word.