“He told them this parable: “No one tears a piece out of a new garment to patch an old one. Otherwise, they will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, 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 wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, ‘The old is better.’” Luke 5:36-39
The Pharisees were notorious for questioning Jesus and his teachings during his time on earth. The passage above is from a parable that Jesus shared with the disciples and with his Pharisees alike. While at surface level it seems that Jesus is merely talking about clothes and wine, Jesus is really speaking about the Old and New Covenants. Before Jesus came and walked the earth, died a cruel, tortured death, and resurrected, all Christians lived by the Old Law. Throughout the Old Testament the old law is exhibited through sacrifices to atone for sin, honoring the Sabbath, and fasting just to name a few examples. However, Jesus came to earth to put to death the Old Law and instead install a new covenant built on a foundation of his death and resurrection, building a law centered on grace. The parable above indicates how the Old Law and the New Law, like old and new wine, should never be mixed together. The Pharisees however, prefer the “old wine”. They are holding strong to the old law, preferring to have a long list of rules and commands to follow, rather than embrace Jesus and his new law of grace. They are proud to honor and follow God by keeping a check list, a list that is all black and white, rather than accepting the grace God offers through Jesus’ sacrifice.
In a similar way, Christians today hold strongly to what they know and believe. Like the Pharisees, Christians today are looking for a checklist, for things to do and accomplish, to guarantee their salvation. Yet, nothing can be done to buy or earn salvation! Jesus’ death and resurrection have already saved your soul. Embrace the “new wine” and “new garments” of Jesus’ love for you.
Prayer:
Father, forgive me when I hold tightly onto old laws and a checklist of things to do, rather than accepting your love and Jesus’ sacrifice. Help me to learn from the Pharisees’ example, and to live fully by the new law of grace.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen
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