BIBLE COMMENTARY/Luke 5: 38
LUKE 5: 38 – But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved.
– In this parable, Jesus lets us know that new and old cannot be mixed, because if we do, bad results will happen.
– He used wine to make a comparison because it would cause different effect on wineskins, not because He was encouraging Christians to drink more wine. Some Christians have used such Bible verses to support their drinking habit, like they use the story of Cana’s wedding’s. There are no word from Jesus to encourage Christians to drink more wine in that story. On the contrary, God does not want His children to be drunk with wine, especially Christians, but only a few to remember that (Proverbs 23: 31-32, Ephesians 5: 18).
– In this parable, Jesus used wine as an example of the new spirit that Christians should receive from God when they accept Jesus as their Savior. That new spirit should be stored in a new life of changed habit, attitude and behavior.
– Jesus taught this lesson because from the ancient times until now, there are always people who say they are God’s children and disciples but they still live life the same like unbelievers with the same attitude to sins and unmoral matters (Revelation 2: 14).
– They even welcome unaccepted lifestyles, even sinful ones, into the church, which is a community of changed and holy people. That mistake has been committed not only by common Christians but by those in leadership positions as well. They rather lean to the world to appease those who are hostile to Christ’s teachings than the moral standards of the Bible. They even use their positions in the Christian community to do the bidding of sinful corporations and greedy politicians (2Timothy 4: 10). They always say they love God and that they live by His will, but in reality they don’t (Luke 6: 46, 1John 5: 3).
– Today, society turns bad every day because many Christians and their leaders are not upholding God’ standards for His children anymore (Romans 2: 24). They are trying to put new wine in the same old wineskins.
QUOTED VERSES:
PROVERBS 23: 31-32 – Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.
LUKE 6: 46 – And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
ROMANS 2: 24 – For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.
EPHESIANS 5: 18 – And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.
2TIMOTHY 4: 10 – For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia
1JOHN 5: 3 – For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
REVELATION 2: 14 – But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.