Luke 5

And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,

And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.

And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.

Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.

And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.

And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.

When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:

And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.

And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.

And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him.

And he charged him to tell no man: but go, and shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities.

And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.

And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.

And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him.

And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.

And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.

And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?

But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts?

Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?

But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.

And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.

And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day.

And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me.

And he left all, rose up, and followed him.

And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them.

But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?

And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.

I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink?

And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?

But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.

And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old.

And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.

But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.

No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.

What does Luke 5:36 mean?

Explanation

Luke 5:36 is a verse within the Gospel of Luke in which Jesus uses a parable to convey a spiritual truth.

The parable speaks about the incompatibility of the old and the new.

Literally, Jesus points out that no one uses a piece of new cloth to patch an old garment.

If they do, the new piece will shrink and tear away from the old garment, making the hole worse.

Metaphorically, Jesus is illustrating that His teachings and the new covenant He brings cannot be forced to fit within the old Jewish laws and traditions.

This parable suggests that the transformative message of Jesus is not just an addition to old religious practices but is something entirely new that should not be confined by the old systems.

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

This passage is located in the context of a discussion between Jesus and the Pharisees and John's disciples about fasting.

At the time of Jesus, Judaism had a well-established religious system, including traditions, rituals, and laws that had been followed strictly for centuries.

Jesus challenged these traditions and was criticized by religious leaders for not adhering to them, such as the formal fasts.

The cultural and religious environment was such that any new teachings or practices were viewed with suspicion, especially when they seemed to contradict or set aside the preexisting religious norms.

Theological Insights

Various theological perspectives can be drawn from this verse:

From a traditional Christian viewpoint, it is seen as a clear indication that Jesus came to establish a new covenant that would fulfill and replace the old covenant of the law given to Moses.
A Lutheran perspective might emphasize the distinction between the Law and the Gospel, viewing Jesus' message as one of grace that contrasts with the old law's focus on works.
A Catholic interpretation may note the development of doctrine and how revelation is understood to unfold through time, with Jesus ushering in the fullness of that revelation which cannot be contained within old forms.

Practical Applications

This verse can be applied in various ways to daily life:

Encourages believers to be open to new ways of thinking and to be willing to let go of old habits or beliefs that are no longer useful or valid.
Suggests the importance of not being rigidly attached to traditions but instead being receptive to growth and change within one's personal faith journey.
Acts as a reminder that spiritual renewal often requires setting aside outdated practices to embrace a transformative relationship with God.

Cross-References

Hebrews 8:13: "In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old.

Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away."

Matthew 9:16-17: "No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment...Neither do men put new wine into old bottles..."
2 Corinthians 5:17: "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

Language Study

The key words in this verse are "new" and "old." In the original Greek, "new" is translated from "καινός" (kainos), meaning new in form or quality, different from the usual, unprecedented or unused.

"Old" translates from "παλαιός" (palaios), meaning ancient, not new, worn by use, or stale. The linguistic context emphasizes the stark difference and incompatibility between the two conditions.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In Hinduism, the idea of the old and the new can be compared to the concept of "prakriti" (nature, old) and "purusha" (spirit, new) and how these must be understood in their distinct roles.
In Buddhism, there is the teaching of impermanence (anicca), where the new continuously replaces the old, and attachment to the old is a source of suffering.

Scientific Perspectives

Modern psychology might relate this verse to the concept of cognitive dissonance, where holding onto old beliefs while simultaneously trying to accept new, conflicting information can lead to psychological discomfort.

This illustrates the human tendency to resist replacing old patterns with new insights, highlighting the psychological truth in Jesus' parable.

Commentaries

Different biblical commentaries offer diverse perspectives on this verse:

The Pulpit Commentary emphasizes the contrast between the old Jewish rites and the new Christian dispensation, suggesting that Jesus aimed to prepare the minds of His disciples for the abrogation of the Mosaic law.
Matthew Henry's commentary highlights the practical advice against mixing the obsolete ceremonies of the law with the new gospel ordinances.
The ESV Study Bible notes explain the parable as a way Jesus used to illustrate that His disciples could not fast as John's did because He was bringing something new, something not compatible with old forms.

Luke 5

Luke 5

What does Luke 5:36 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Luke 5:36 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?