Matthew 9:17 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Neither is new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved."

NIV: Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved."

NASB: Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wineskins burst, and the wine pours out and the wineskins are ruined; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.'

CSB: And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined. No, they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved."

NLT: And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the old skins would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine is stored in new wineskins so that both are preserved.'

KJV: 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.

NKJV: Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”

Jesus is presenting three illustrations to answer one question: Why don't your disciples fast, as did the Pharisees and the disciples of John the Baptist (Matthew 9:14)? This is Jesus' third of three illustrations in response (Matthew 9:15–16). Christ describes why His arrival on earth has changed how many things will be practiced and understood by the people of God.

Wineskins in this era were created from the skins of animals. When a wineskin was first cleaned and tanned and made ready for use, it was flexible and stretchy. It could expand as the liquid inside of it fermented and gave off gases during the transformation into wine. An old wine skin, though, had lost its flexibility. It became brittle. Being closed off for another fermentation process would cause that skin to split as pressure built, spilling the wine and destroying the skin.

Jesus is saying His arrival on earth as the Messiah, the bridegroom (Matthew 9:15), has begun the new era of the kingdom of heaven. The old ways of Judaism are the old wineskin. The ways of the kingdom will not fit into those old religious practices and observances. New ways are coming that will be practiced by those, Jew and Gentile alike, who come to God through faith in Jesus.

In other words, Jesus was not going to fit the ways of His kingdom into the ways of Judaism to make some kind of hybrid religion. He was starting something new. Implied in this is that Jesus' disciples would not fast while He was with them preparing this new way of coming to the Father through faith in Him. As He said in verse 15, however, they would fast for a time, after He was taken away.

Matthew 9:14–17 begins with a question from the disciples of John the Baptist. They want to know why Jesus' disciples do not fast as they and the Pharisees do. Jesus asks if the wedding guests should mourn while the bridegroom is with them. They will fast when the bridegroom is taken away. Then Jesus gives two more illustrations: Nobody would put a patch of new cloth on an old garment or new wine in an old wineskin.

Matthew 9 continues to show how Jesus authenticated His claims to be the Messiah by powerful miracles of healing and casting out demons. He heals a paralyzed man after telling the man his sins are forgiven. He calls Matthew to follow Him and eats dinner with Matthew and other tax collectors. He answers questions from Pharisees and others. A woman who touches His cloak is healed from a 12–year illness, and Jesus raises a dead girl back to life. He restores sight to blind men and speech to one who is demon oppressed. He is filled with compassion for the crowds.

Matthew 9 follows the same pattern of Matthew 8, showing through miraculous works of healing that Jesus is truly the Messiah. Christ forgives the sins of a paralyzed man and heals him. He calls Matthew to follow Him and eats with tax collectors and sinners. A woman is healed by touching His garment and a dead girl is given life by the touch of His hand. Two blind men see, and Jesus casts out a demon, restoring speech to its victim. Finally, Jesus declares that the harvest is plentiful and tells His followers to pray for workers. Chapter 10 builds on this compassion as Jesus commissions the Twelve to go and deliver His gospel to the people.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.