New Wine in Old Skins is found in all three synoptic Gospels: Matthew 9:17; Mark 2:22; and Luke 5:37-38.
"Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined, No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved." (Matthew 9:17, New International Version).
"And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, he pours new wine into new wineskins." (Mark 2:22, New International Version).
"And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined, No, new wine must be poured into new wine- skins. (Luke 5:37-38, New International Version).
In Jesus' day, there were no glass bottles as we have today. New wine (grape juice) was poured into wineskins. Wine skins were actually the skins of sheep and goats that were sewn together except at the neck, which served as the neck of the container. The skins were filled, and the neck then sewn closed. Since there was no refrigeration, the grape juice would
ferment, producing alcohol and carbon dioxide, which would cause the new skins to expand. Old skins would not work,
since they had already been stretched and were no longer elastic. If grape juice were to be put in old wineskins, the expanding carbon dioxide would rupture the wineskins. The wine would run out and be lost and the wineskins would be ruined. [CAMBRIDGE GREEK TESTAMENT FOR SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES (Cambridge: University Press, 1906), MATTHEW, by A. Carr, p. 155]. [William Barclay, DAILY STUDY BIBLE SERIES, Vol. 2: MATTHEW (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1958), p. 346 ff.]. [BEACON BIBLE COMMENTARY (Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press), MATTHEW, By Ralph Earle, p. 101].
The Interpretation
JUDAISM AND CHRISTIANITY ARE INCOMPATIBLE, BUT NOT CONTRADICTORY. Some truths are ULTURAL--these are limited to a culture or a period of time. Some truths are TRANSCULTURAL--these may be carried from one culture to another or from one time frame to another. Some truths are SUPERCULTURAL--these are timeless truths that apply to all time. The supercultural truths of Judaism are still in effect in Christianity. Some transcultural truths are still in effect in Christianity. Many of the cultural truths of Judaism are not in effect in Christianity. An example of a cultural truth in Judaism that is no longer in effect for Christianity is the sacrificial system. Jesus' sacrifice--his death on the cross--is for all time and
does away with the Old Testament sacrificial system. The sacrifice of animals in the Old Testament was a type of the
real sacrifice of Jesus. An example of a transcultural truth in Judaism is the family stucture. The husband is the administrative head of his wife. This will continue in all cultures until the Dispensation of the Fullness of the Ages. (Of course it ceases to be in effect upon the death of the individual). It is God's plan for all cultures of all time, regardless of whether people practice it or not.
An example of a supercultural truth is the doctrine of the Imputed Righteousness of Christ. One of the Names of God is YAHWEH-TSIDKENU, "The LORD Our Righteousness" (Jeremiah 23:6). The Old Testament saints were made righteous or
Justified by Faith, the same way people are justified today. (See Chapter 1, "Justification," in my book, HOW TO RAISE
YOUR SELF ESTEEM: PROVEN BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES). God will continue to be our righteousness throughout eternity.
The old wineskin of Judaism could not contain the new truth and the new life that God gave us through Christ. The new wineskin of Christianity was needed to contain the new truth and new life. Christianity is not a new sect of Judaism (Carr, CAMBRIDGE GREEK TESTAMENT FOR SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES, MATTHEW, p. 155). God instituted Christianity as the latest in the logical progression of his revelation. With the further revelation of the Lord comes an increasing quality of life.
Central Truth
THE NEW COVENANT HAS REPLACED THE OLD COVENANT.
Conclusion
We must proclaim the Good News of the New Covenant. We must be careful to give God the glory due to him alone. We
must also be careful not to take on airs of "spiritual superiority" and to avoid spiritual pride, since there is no
objective basis for it.
END