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 5:38 mean?

Explanation

The verse from Luke 5:38, "But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved," is part of a larger passage where Jesus is explaining why his disciples do not fast as John the Baptist's disciples do.

The "new wine" is a metaphor for Jesus' new teachings and the covenant that he is bringing, which could not be contained within the old traditions and structures, symbolized by the "old bottles." The "bottles" represent the frameworks and systems of belief into which teachings are placed.

If new teachings are put into an old, rigid system, they will not be preserved – analogous to how new wine would burst old wineskins.

This verse emphasizes the need for a new, accommodating structure to preserve the essence of new revelation.

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

The gospel of Luke was written around 80-110 AD, a time when Christianity was emerging as an independent faith distinct from Judaism.

This was a transitional period marked by a struggle between adherence to old Jewish law and the acceptance of Jesus' teachings.

In the cultural context of Jesus' time, wine was stored in wineskins made from animal hides.

New wineskins were flexible and could expand as wine fermented and gases expanded, but old wineskins would have lost their elasticity and would burst under the same conditions.

Theological Insights

From a theological standpoint, commentators have viewed this passage from several perspectives:

Dispensationalism sees it as a separation between the old covenant (law) and the new covenant (grace).
Covenant Theology might interpret it as the transformation and fulfillment of the old covenant rather than its discontinuation.
Some theologies might focus on the inherent message of adaptability and transformation that is required when encountering truths brought by Christ.

Practical Applications

The teaching of this verse can be applied in daily life to emphasize the importance of flexibility and openness to change.

Just as new wine requires new bottles, new ideas, experiences, and stages of life may require new approaches and attitudes.

In practical terms, individuals can take this to mean that they must be prepared to abandon old patterns that no longer serve them in order to embrace growth and transformation effectively.

Cross-References

Matthew 9:17: "Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved."
Mark 2:22: "And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles."

Language Study

The key term in the original Greek text for "bottles" is "ἀσκούς" (askous), which more accurately translates as "wineskins." This emphasizes the organic, perishable nature of the container, as opposed to the more durable, modern interpretation of "bottle." The Greek term for "new" is "νέος" (neos), which conveys the sense of something that is new in time, young, or fresh.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Comparing to other ancient myths and religious texts, many cultures have stories that highlight the need for new paradigms when encountering revolutionary ideas.

For instance, in Hinduism, the concept of cycles (yugas) indicates that with each cycle, a new set of rules and understandings apply.

Scientific Perspectives

Scientifically, the process mentioned in this verse can be likened to the concept of adaptability and evolution.

Just as old wineskins cannot handle the chemical changes of new wine, rigid systems and structures may not accommodate new information or innovation, leading to 'rupture.' Modern psychology also recognizes that growth often requires letting go of outdated beliefs and adopting new frameworks.

commentaries

Different biblical scholars and commentators have expressed various interpretations of this verse:

John Calvin sees this as a demonstration of the prudence of Christ in not imposing the harsher precepts of the Gospel upon his weak disciples.
Matthew Henry interprets it as an indication that forms of religions should be varied, according to the condition and capacity of those concerned.
The Pulpit Commentary emphasizes the necessity of the new era Jesus brought forth, explaining that old forms and ceremonies could not contain the new spirit and life He offered.

Luke 5

Luke 5

What does Luke 5:38 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 5:38 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?