Parables - Teaching 12
Jesus Teaching
"He also used these illustrations: “No one tears a piece of cloth from a new coat to patch an old coat. Otherwise, the new cloth will tear the old. Besides, the patch from the new will not match the old. People don’t pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the new wine will make the skins burst. The wine will run out, and the skins will be ruined. Rather, new wine is to be poured into fresh skins.
“No one who has been drinking old wine wants new wine. He says, ‘The old wine is better!’ " Luke 5:36-39
Old and New
Like we have discussed in one of the previous teachings, Jesus liked to tell stories about common everyday events and common everyday things. This is actually a smart way of getting things across. It is also a great way to share things both on a superficial and a higher level.
Some will get entertained, and some would get something more -- hidden life lessons.
Parable
In the telling of the story or the parable of the new wine in old wineskin, Jesus was asked a question by the ever present Pharisees, who seem to be there everywhere Jesus went, listening intently to His every word, or asking other people to check up on Him (stalking Him), even though they believe not a single word He say (paranoid much?).
Always Questioning
The question was asked of Jesus, as it was recorded by three gospel writers, Luke, Mark and Matthew, apparently after Jesus called Matthew to follow Him, and then after Matthew did, he invited Jesus and His disciples to eat with him and the group he hangs out with (sinners and lowlifes).
The Pharisees then asked Jesus (possibly because they have seen Jesus and his group eat together several times) why don't they fast and be "righteous" and holy and good like them, or those who keep the old commandments and teachers of the (old) law. Recorded somewhere else, they have also been suspicious why He was always eating with sinners.
Always With A Ready Answer
At this time, Jesus then replied with a story, as we have read from the passage above.
Now Jesus didn't directly answer them, but in actuality his answer was "hidden" in the story he had told them.
To explain this parable would take a long time (as we have likened before, it is like looking for a hidden gem from among the many other common rocks and stones) and you probably had enough and just about ready to quit reading this anyway, if you haven't yet.
Are You Still There?
But to keep it short, what Jesus was saying is that His new teaching will not be completely compatible with the old teaching. The teachings of the Pharisees are the old and His is the new. In today's terms, His is Version 2.0. It is like you have the old version iPhone and you are trying to install a new app, it will not work.
If you pour in the new in to the old, it cannot contain it for it will break. This is really what was happening with these teachers of the old law, their minds are exploding from the hearing of this new teaching. And so they have all these questions and comments and criticisms.
The same for all non-believers, all of them will not be able to contain or understand this new teaching. All of them will have questions and comments and conflicts with their own ideas.
But what about this? Or what about that? But, but and why, why and why.
So how do we put the new into the old?
Image Credit: cheeseheadva's Blog
"He also used these illustrations: “No one tears a piece of cloth from a new coat to patch an old coat. Otherwise, the new cloth will tear the old. Besides, the patch from the new will not match the old. People don’t pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the new wine will make the skins burst. The wine will run out, and the skins will be ruined. Rather, new wine is to be poured into fresh skins.
“No one who has been drinking old wine wants new wine. He says, ‘The old wine is better!’ " Luke 5:36-39
Old and New
Like we have discussed in one of the previous teachings, Jesus liked to tell stories about common everyday events and common everyday things. This is actually a smart way of getting things across. It is also a great way to share things both on a superficial and a higher level.
Some will get entertained, and some would get something more -- hidden life lessons.
Parable
In the telling of the story or the parable of the new wine in old wineskin, Jesus was asked a question by the ever present Pharisees, who seem to be there everywhere Jesus went, listening intently to His every word, or asking other people to check up on Him (stalking Him), even though they believe not a single word He say (paranoid much?).
Always Questioning
The question was asked of Jesus, as it was recorded by three gospel writers, Luke, Mark and Matthew, apparently after Jesus called Matthew to follow Him, and then after Matthew did, he invited Jesus and His disciples to eat with him and the group he hangs out with (sinners and lowlifes).
The Pharisees then asked Jesus (possibly because they have seen Jesus and his group eat together several times) why don't they fast and be "righteous" and holy and good like them, or those who keep the old commandments and teachers of the (old) law. Recorded somewhere else, they have also been suspicious why He was always eating with sinners.
Always With A Ready Answer
At this time, Jesus then replied with a story, as we have read from the passage above.
Now Jesus didn't directly answer them, but in actuality his answer was "hidden" in the story he had told them.
To explain this parable would take a long time (as we have likened before, it is like looking for a hidden gem from among the many other common rocks and stones) and you probably had enough and just about ready to quit reading this anyway, if you haven't yet.
Are You Still There?
But to keep it short, what Jesus was saying is that His new teaching will not be completely compatible with the old teaching. The teachings of the Pharisees are the old and His is the new. In today's terms, His is Version 2.0. It is like you have the old version iPhone and you are trying to install a new app, it will not work.
If you pour in the new in to the old, it cannot contain it for it will break. This is really what was happening with these teachers of the old law, their minds are exploding from the hearing of this new teaching. And so they have all these questions and comments and criticisms.
The same for all non-believers, all of them will not be able to contain or understand this new teaching. All of them will have questions and comments and conflicts with their own ideas.
But what about this? Or what about that? But, but and why, why and why.
So how do we put the new into the old?
Rebirth
Their minds must first be renewed. They need to be reborn. (Trade up and get the latest model iphone).
And only then can they handle what Jesus was teaching them.
Don't get me wrong, even Peter, James, John and the rest of the followers of Jesus didn't understand these teachings. Jesus still had to explain all or most of these to them, many times after everyone else have left.
But you too could get this "new" teaching.
The only thing is that Jesus said, no one who has been drinking old wine wants the new wine. They will say, the old wine is better.
Old habits die hard. Old traditions die hard. Peer pressure is a bully. And people with an old agenda will continue to push it and reject anything against it.
But everything opens up, once one is open to give the new wine the benefit of the doubt. (See for yourself, taste it). Give it a chance, listen and check it out.
God said "Come now, and let us reason together. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool."
Jesus said, "come, follow me".
The next step is ours to take.
Read the gospels of John, Luke, Matthew and Mark. And then the Book of Acts.
Are you ready?
Parables Series
Their minds must first be renewed. They need to be reborn. (Trade up and get the latest model iphone).
And only then can they handle what Jesus was teaching them.
Don't get me wrong, even Peter, James, John and the rest of the followers of Jesus didn't understand these teachings. Jesus still had to explain all or most of these to them, many times after everyone else have left.
But you too could get this "new" teaching.
The only thing is that Jesus said, no one who has been drinking old wine wants the new wine. They will say, the old wine is better.
Old habits die hard. Old traditions die hard. Peer pressure is a bully. And people with an old agenda will continue to push it and reject anything against it.
But everything opens up, once one is open to give the new wine the benefit of the doubt. (See for yourself, taste it). Give it a chance, listen and check it out.
God said "Come now, and let us reason together. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool."
Jesus said, "come, follow me".
The next step is ours to take.
Read the gospels of John, Luke, Matthew and Mark. And then the Book of Acts.
Are you ready?
New wine breaking old wineskin
Parables Series
Image Credit: cheeseheadva's Blog
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