Jesus' Parables #3 - New/Old Cloth & New/Old Wine

Jesus' Parables #3 - New Cloth on Old Garment/ New Wine in Old Wineskin

This is the third part in the "Jesus' Parables" series (we previously studied six parables on this blog years ago but that was before I decided to make this into a series).  In this series we will be studying all of Jesus' parables.  

Today we will be learning about a parable that Jesus explained in two different ways (both with the same lesson/meaning):   "New Cloth on Old Garment" parable in Luke 5:36 and "New Wine in Old Wineskin" parable in Luke 5:37-39.

Just as a reminder:

Before we get to the featured lesson, we need to read the few verses before the parable to understand what was going on at that moment.

"The Pharisees and the teachers of the law said to him, 'John's disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking.'  Jesus answered, 'Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while he is with them?  But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them;  in those days they will fast."

Luke 5:33-35

As usual, the Pharisees were trying to find something about Jesus that they could complain about.  They noticed that Jesus' disciples were eating instead of fasting - they noticed that they were not following the regular religious practices.  (see Scripture passages below):

If you do not sew then the old/new fabric analogy might not make sense.  Think about an old shirt or sweater that you find extremely comfortable.  It has stretched to fit your body shape perfectly.  Let's say that one of the elbow's has a hole and you decide to sew a patch using a piece of brand new cotton fabric.  That new piece will be very tight and stiff.  Probably the first needle puncture into the old garment will make the tear worse but let's say that you are actually able to sew the new patch on without making the initial hole worse.  Once you put that repaired sweater on and start moving around will cause that tight patch to tear the old fabric on all 4 sides of the patch.  This type of repair will just not work.

Then there is the wineskin analogy.  Wineskins were kind of like bottles but made out of leather or animal rawhide (usually goat).  I'm sure that you have seen pictures of these wineskins - they were usually kidney shaped.  Anyway, old wineskins would become brittle and since new wine is still very active in fermentation (still expanding) - it would need a new, stretchable leather.

Both of these parables have the same two lessons:

1.  The Pharisees were trying to fit the New Covenant (the saving grace of Jesus Christ available to ANYONE who believes) into their old religion with all of their old rituals.

2. The disciples were not yet ready for the full gospel because they did not understand that Jesus was going to have to die for their sins on the cross and that He would be raised again on the third day.  They also did not yet have the Holy Spirit.  Their "old wineskin" understanding could not handle the new message of Jesus Christ at that time. 

Last year we studied the 7 Covenants.  Below is a verse from Hebrews explaining that the new covenant is replacing (now has replaced) the old one:

(click HERE to read "7 Covenants -#7 NEW")

Let's try not to fit the truth of Jesus Christ into our old religious dogma.

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Here is a list of the parables that we have already studied:

(Please click on each link to read each post)

- The Wicked Husbandmen/Vinedressers (aka Parable of the Tenants)

- The Persistent Widow (or Unjust Judge)

- PARABLE OF THE VINE (part#1) - "The True Vine & the Father Gardener"

- PARABLE OF THE VINE (part#2) - "Be a Fruitful Branch Instead of a Withering Branch"
- PARABLE OF THE VINE (part#3) - "Producing Joyful Fruit - God's Love Remains Forever"
- PARABLE OF THE VINE (part#4) - "Everlasting Fruit & Everlasting Friends"
- The Prodigal Son (Part#1) - The Son Who Ran Away
- The Prodigal Son (Part#2) - The Son Who Stayed Home
- The Good Samaritan (Part#1) - Love God First
- The Good Samaritan (Part#2) - Love Others
- PARABLE of the Sower (Part#1) - Along the Pathway
- PARABLE of the Sower (Part#2) - On Rocky Places
- PARABLE of the Sower (Part#3) - Seeds Among Thorns

- PARABLE of the Sower (Part#4) - Sown on Good Soil

- The Good Shepherd

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Below is a list of the parables that we will be studying in the future: 

- The Lost Sheep

- The Lost Piece of Money

- The Pharisee & the Tax Collector

- The Wedding Banquet

- The Two Sons

- The Friend at Midnight

- The Barren Fig Tree

- The Growing Seed

- The Laborers in the Vineyard

- The Wise and Foolish Builders

- The Two Debtors

- The Ten Virgins

- The Weeds

- The Mustard Seed

- The Leaven (or Yeast)

- The Hidden Treasure

- The Pearl of Great Price

- The Draw-Net

- The Unprofitable Servants

- The Unjust Steward (or Shrewd Manager)

- The Unmerciful Servant

- The Great Feast

- The Rich Man & Lazarus

- The Strait Gate (or Narrow Door)

- Christ The Door

- The Talents (or Bags of Gold)

- The Pounds (or Ten Minas)

- The Sheep and the Goats

- The Tower Builder & the King at War

- The Lamp Under a Basket

- The Doorkeeper

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You might be interested in viewing this video:

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"Prayer Basics & 8 Ways To Find Answers"