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Luke 5:36-39
This parable about the new and old wineskins and the new and old wine is referring to the New and Old Testament teachings. The Old Testament is the teaching of God to His chosen people Israel in showing the whole world that God is real and that He is the one and only true God. The New Testament is God teaching the whole world that now having shown Himself to be the one and only true God through the example set in His involvement with the Israelites, there is a greater need for salvation than man can provide for himself. This new way to salvation through a spiritual cleansing of man’s hearts brings revelation to the root of man’s incapability to fulfill the physical actions in seeking to obey the Law of the Old Testament.
Because of sin, man cannot fulfill the requirement of purity in fulfilling the Law of the Old Testament. To follow a physical requirement does not necessarily prove the condition of one’s heart. Man is capable of doing the right thing outwardly to get what he wants, but his motives from the desires of his heart may still yet be sinful. Jesus came to cleanse the inward motives of man’s hearts, that his outward actions may be reflective of the inner condition of his heart. That is purity; that is true salvation.
The New Testament (wineskin) cannot be to patch the Old Testament (wineskin) as to repair it. The New Testament must be received as a new teaching that fulfills the Old Testament. The example of the failure of man in keeping the Law of the Old Testament is now fulfilled through Jesus being pure and acceptable in fulfilling the sacrificial Law of the Old Testament and “once for all” sets us free from sin.
Jesus declares in Luke 5:39 (NKJV), “And no one, having drunk old wine, immediately desires new; for he says, ‘The old is better” refers to our reluctance to accept a new teaching and change our ways.
This is an example of the need for a pure heart.
This is an example of the need to let go of our old self (sinful nature, impure heart) and accept the forgiveness of our sins through Jesus and put on a new life (seeking God’s will for our lives, pure heart).
The Old Testament Law was given to show man that we are not capable of fulfilling it, in that we are left in humility of the need for a Savior. The Old Testament Law was given to show us that we cannot do enough to gain salvation for ourselves. The New Testament of forgiveness, in and through Jesus, is not a “patch” to correct the Old Testament of which was never in need of correcting, but in need of fulfilling. The two cannot be blended into one, but the latter is the fulfillment of the former; it is a continuation of God’s great unfailing plan of salvation for all of man.
Dear Lord,
Please give us clarity on the fulfillment of the Old Testament Law by the New Testament salvation through what Jesus did on the cross to save the world. What we could not do for ourselves, Jesus was sent out of Your great love for us to do in defeating sin, death, and Satan once for all. Please open our eyes to this truth that we can open our hearts to Jesus and receive forgiveness and salvation in and through Him. In Jesus name I pray, amen.