PowerMinistries logo

Parable of the Old Ways vs. the New Ways.

 Alpha & Omega logo
Home / teachings / parables / Old vs. New Ways
Matthew 9:16-17 Mark 2:21-22 Luke 5:36-39
14Then the disciples of John came to Him saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast? 15And Jesus said to them, Can the sons of the bridechamber mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then they shall fast.
16No one puts a piece of new cloth onto an old garment; for that which is put in to fill it up takes from the garment, and the tear is made worse. 17Nor do men put new wine into old wineskins; else the wineskins burst, and the wine runs out, and the wineskins perish. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved together.
MKJV
 18The disciples of John and those of the Pharisees were fasting. And they came and said to Him, Why do John's disciples and those of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast? 19And Jesus said to them, Can the sons of the bridechamber fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. 20But the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then they shall fast in those days.
21And no one sews a patch of new cloth on an old garment, else it takes away from its fullness, the new from the old, and a worse tear occurs. 22No one puts new wine into old wineskins, else the new wine bursts the wineskins, and the wine spills, and the wineskins will be ruined. The new wine must be put into new wineskins.
MKJV
 33And they said to Him, Why do John's disciples fast often and make prayers, and also the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink? 34But He said to them, Can you make the sons of the bridechamber fast while the bridegroom is with them? 35But the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then they shall fast in those days.
36And He also spoke a parable to them: No one puts a piece of a new garment on an old garment. Otherwise, both the new will tear, and the old does not match the piece from the new. 37And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. Else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskin will perish. 38But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved together. 39Also no one having drunk old wine immediately desires new, for he says, The old is better.
MKJV
Insights
  • This may have been the first parable that Jesus gave, to start out His ministry of the New Covenant. In all three accounts of this parable, Jesus first talks about Himself as the bridegroom, laying the foundation that we are entering into a new and better covenant. But, now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by so much He is also the Mediator of a better covenant, which was built upon better promises, Hebrews 8:6.
  • The parable is contrasting the law of the old covenant with grace of the new covenant or the better covenant. Grace and law do not mix, nor can they be mixed. But know that Jesus did not come to cancel out the old, He came to fulfill the old and bring about the new Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill, Matthew 5:17.
  • In a nutshell; We are no longer under the law of sin and death, for we have die to sin and now live unto righteousness, Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 1st Peter 2:24.
  • However, in Luke's account; Jesus says; "no one having drunk old wine immediately desires new, for he says, The old is better". The law has definite rules to follow it gives structure, whereby following grace requires knowledge and discernment of righteousness. Change is usually only made through necessary, for it is easier and more comfortable to stay within what is known.